Lower timing chain tensioner bolts | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

Lower timing chain tensioner bolts

Cheryli

New Member
Joined
March 12, 2013
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
City, State
Beloit, WI.
Year, Model & Trim Level
2000 Ford Explorer Sport
Timing chain tensioner bolts star heads are stripped and we cannot remove them. Any ideas? Please help!!
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





low torque spec

As I recall the maximum torque specification for the cassette positioning bolts is only about 10 ft-lbs and they require a T-30 Torx bit. The lower right one is identified by the orange arrow in the photo below.
LwrRtBlt.jpg

Maybe someone used a Phillips screwdriver or an Allen wrench on them. Or more likely, tightened it with an electric or pneumatic tool with no consideration for the torque spec and stripped it. Anyway, have you tried seating the Torx bit into the bottom of the bolt head opening by tapping it with a hammer? Then press on it hard with a socket drive and rotate. Or better yet use a small impact driver. It should not take much to break it loose. Fortunately, the large diameter shaft of the bolt is fairly deep (black arrow in photo below) so if you have to drill it you should not break thru to the other side adding metal shavings to your troubles.
RCasset.jpg
 






another option would be to drive a allen head or a larger torx bit in there and make it work... a T35 might work or a twelve point socket might do the trick. dorman help products does not carry a replacement but i have a core motor of these i can pull and mail to you if you need it bad.. would be glad to help for free if you need it.
 






if you drill it an ez out the reverse kind that looks like a tapered drill bjit would work great just set it good and hard with a hammer and turn slowly by hand again i have one i can pull and mail to you to replace that bad boy.. gladly would send it to you for free. email me savageman.30804@gmail.com -M.a.
 






Make a nick in the circumference of the bolt with a cold chisel then drift the bolt around with a suitable weapon, probably the same cold chisel.

Or, cut a slot in the head using a cold chisel then use a flat screwdriver.
 






i'd try cutting a slot in the head with a dremel tool or die-grinder and use an impact wrench (the kind you smack with a hammer) to get them out. you could also try using just the tip of the impact wrench on a pnuematic impact wrench (mine pulls off and takes a 3/8's ratchet). that way you could push hard and let the impact wrench do the work. they should come out pretty easily.
 






i'd try cutting a slot in the head with a dremel tool or die-grinder and use an impact wrench (the kind you smack with a hammer) to get them out. you could also try using just the tip of the impact wrench on a pnuematic impact wrench (mine pulls off and takes a 3/8's ratchet). that way you could push hard and let the impact wrench do the work. they should come out pretty easily.
This is what I do whenever I strip a bolt or nut. Except I use a sawsall...lol
 






Back
Top