Tensioner "special tool" stuck in engine

[soldave]

This damn rebuild is one step forward and then a giant leap back coupled with a kick to the groin. Taking the timing belt off before and you might have read that the timing belt tensioner "special tool" I'd made was feeling a little tight to unscrew, so I elected to wait until the head came off when I could get some more leverage on it. So I did that tonight, cranked it around a few turns and low & behold the threaded rod snapped. I now have about 1/2" coming out of the inner timing belt cover, and on the other side I have about 1" still all the way through.

Question is what do I do now? I tried double-nutting it on the timing belt cover side but it was just pulling the nut off the rod (think the threads there are warped. Only thing I could possibly think of would be to cut into the timing belt cover and actually try and screw it all the way through the other side (would be very tough as tensioner side I'd have to bend the rod and there's not much space to play with.

Any other ideas before I contemplate drinking myself into a stupor?

 

[JAP63]

Im a little confused.
In that 1st pic..is there a section of threaded bar snapped yet still stuck inside the thraed, and only a little is sticking out..this is the bit you want out yeah?

 

[JAP63]

I looked closer, you really need to maintain as much as you can of the bar sticking out so you can get leverage on it, either double nut or vice grips, if this fails, then a mobile spark eroder might do it, but thats a prick of a way, and probably expensive too.....


Spray as much lubricant shit as you can into the thread area and work it back and forth, even spray brake fluid in there (trust me here)...just dont get it on the belt etc..is the threaded bar in one piece or two?

If its two, work individually from either end on each bit.

Jamie.

 

[soldave]

Yeah. The first pic is tensioner-side and the 2nd picture is from the inner timing belt cover side. Am thinking if I can get a long 7mm or 8mm drill bit I could probably just drill through it all.

 

[JAP63]

Yeah. The first pic is tensioner-side and the 2nd picture is from the inner timing belt cover side. Am thinking if I can get a long 7mm or 8mm drill bit I could probably just drill through it all.

Yeah but you will risk damaging the existing thread that is in place for using the bar to aid doing the belt.
Drilling it is the last resort.
Work on getting it out, beleive me, spray and lube does wonders mate...work back and forth..and brake fluid like i said is good gear.
Is the part with the thread removable from the engine??

I remember when i did mine i had anti seize all over that friggin bar for the exact reasons ur going thru, i didnt want it to lock up on me...it tried to as well...its a while since i did it though

 

[JAP63]

Any other ideas before I contemplate drinking myself into a stupor?

I snapped a tap off flush in my VR4 block after getting out a bolt that snapped of flush in the same hole..beleive me...perserverance and straightforward thinking prevails, i lost a phone that weekend, it was thrown at a wall, didnt help me though did it...:lol:

 

[soldave]

I looked closer, you really need to maintain as much as you can of the bar sticking out so you can get leverage on it, either double nut or vice grips, if this fails, then a mobile spark eroder might do it, but thats a prick of a way, and probably expensive too.....


Spray as much lubricant shit as you can into the thread area and work it back and forth, even spray brake fluid in there (trust me here)...just dont get it on the belt etc..is the threaded bar in one piece or two?

If its two, work individually from either end on each bit.

Jamie.

Threaded bar is in one bit I think. At least I hope it is as the bit on the tensioner side would be an absolute bitch to get to with the block still in. Will try dousing the thing with lubricants (only got WD40 at the moment but will get more) until I can get a set of vice grips. Am hoping they can grip onto the rod.

I snapped a tap off flush in my VR4 block after getting out a bolt that snapped of flush in the same hole..beleive me...perserverance and straightforward thinking prevails, i lost a phone that weekend, it was thrown at a wall, didnt help me though did it...:lol:

Thanks man. That actually makes me feel a bit better.

 

[JAP63]

Is there a possibility that u can releive the pressure of the rod somehow whilst u attempt to unscrew it?
It will help a great deal...in the photos, the end of the threaded bar looks to be free of touching the tensioner arm, is this the case or is it on it?
(having load against the threaded bar will make it harder to unscrew)

 

[JAP63]

Thanks man. That actually makes me feel a bit better.

And it was in the same area too, a bolt on the water pump...i know what your going thru!

 

[soldave]

Is there a possibility that u can releive the pressure of the rod somehow whilst u attempt to unscrew it?
It will help a great deal...in the photos, the end of the threaded bar looks to be free of touching the tensioner arm, is this the case or is it on it?
(having load against the threaded bar will make it harder to unscrew)

Rod is not touching the tensioner arm or anything down there, so there's no load on it.

 

[JAP63]

Rod is not touching the tensioner arm or anything down there, so there's no load on it.

Ok, so u have unscrewed it a bit then.
My best advice literally is add as much lubricant and work it clockwise and anti clockwise.

If this doesnt work then look at more radical options..keep the bar in on piece though...and grip as far down as you can..(if possible)

Jamie.

 

[EVO-00X]

Get a bit of heat onto it dude

 

[soldave]

A thought on this one, as it looks like it might be a pain to remove the whole bracket from the car. I can probably get an angle on it with a drill bit or something. Do you think a drill saw bit would be able to cut through this cheap-ass metal? If so I reckon I could probably cut the rod both sides of the bracket and I'll be in business.

 

[JAP63]

A thought on this one, as it looks like it might be a pain to remove the whole bracket from the car. I can probably get an angle on it with a drill bit or something. Do you think a drill saw bit would be able to cut through this cheap-ass metal? If so I reckon I could probably cut the rod both sides of the bracket and I'll be in business.

Then how do you plan to get the stuck bit out?

It will likely just be 4.6 grade threaded bar, not high tensile so any drill bit should go thru it provided you can get some force onto i..use some cutting paste...and speed kills........ drill at a moderate speed...same for cutting.

 

[soldave]

Then how do you plan to get the stuck bit out?

It stays in! As long as it's cut flush on both sides it doesn't matter, as my auto tensioner is compressed and out of the car at the moment.

 

[soldave]

BINGO! Took the afternoon off work and took more bits off my car. Had to beat on the bracket a bit like it was my wife(!) but eventually got the things off. Yeah, this is what happens when you don't use the right tools for the job, folks:

Will be cutting into it on Saturday and might even be mobile this weekend.

 

[GSRSOL]

can you get it out of there using vice grips?

 

[DOUGMO]

or two nuts back to back and use a good ring spanner over both nuts maybe

 

[Liberoz]

Just a tip for next time or anyone else wanting to use the rod for the first time: I usually get a a thin angle grinding cutting wheel do a cut length wise on the start of the thread in a similar fashion to a Metal self tapping thread and use it the same way with WD40 forward and reverse to remove any rust and crud out of the the thread first.

My threaded rod is still made out of soft mild steel and have no issue's so would have been rusty thread binding up the thread on your particular issue.

Good to see the determination Dave top marks.

 

[rob323]

Is that a Stainless threaded rod you have used? If so, that's your problem. Stainless can bind up for no apparent reason unless it's lubed.