Wow been a while.

[94Eddie]

If you have access to compressed air then use it to blow the debris out of the spark plug sockets. The crunchy sound is from grit that collected in the spark plug wells over time. Don't overdo the anti-seize and many say not to use it at all. I am in the "don't use it" camp unless it is specified specifically. Also, anti-seize can mess with getting proper torque ratings on nuts, bolts, lugs, spark plugs etc. causing them to be over torqued. Most new spark plugs come with a nickel coating on the threads which makes the application of anti-seize, or any lube, on the threads unnecessary. The 4.6L 3V plugs need anti-seize on the sleeve of the plugs (not the threads) to help keep them binding from carbon buildup.

 

[3rdgenx]

Well, got tensioner out from top. Putting back in is not going so great. I hope I didnt mess up the threads. The new one just feels too tight threading in so I stopped. Putting old one back in I can thread by hand and then gets tight like the new one. ugh.
Got those 3 plugs back in though and am about to put the new wires on that side and call that part finished.

 

[3rdgenx]

Taking a break. Plugs/wires in. I am a little bummed thinking I might have cross threaded the tensioner some.
Looking for suggestions and a how to to remove passenger fender splash guard or whatever so I can try getting to it from there.

 

[3rdgenx]

I cut off the bottom of the old drivers side tensioner to thread in and try and see if the threads are really crossed or what... still hard to tell, I feel like the more I get in there the worse I could be making it.

Where it was getting hard to screw in is where its starting to push on the timing chain guide I think. I may be just being a weenie and stopping because of fear of cross threading once it starts to require a lot to screw in. I don't know. Tow truck time?

 

[LMHmedchem]

I cut off the bottom of the old drivers side tensioner to thread in and try and see if the threads are really crossed or what... still hard to tell, I feel like the more I get in there the worse I could be making it.

Where it was getting hard to screw in is where its starting to push on the timing chain guide I think. I may be just being a weenie and stopping because of fear of cross threading once it starts to require a lot to screw in. I don't know. Tow truck time?

You might be able to get away with adding a couple of washers under the hex cap so that the bolt tightens up before you get to the place in the socket where there may be issues with the threading. If you did that, I would use some threadlocker on the bolt because there will not be quite as many threads holding the bolt in place. Also, use washers that are the same steel strength as the bolt. That may not be an issue for something like this but it is always good practice.

I would probably just use whatever force is necessary to tighten the bolt down. As long as the force is reasonable (not a breaker bar and extender pipe), I wouldn't worry overly much. There have been many times where I have had to push through a section of threading that was rusted or otherwise being difficult. Usually you make a few turns and then it gets easier again. You might try it with just the bolt and see if you can get it to move through the trouble area. If the block is aluminum, the steel bolt is hard enough to re-thread it to some extent anyway.

You could also try to clean the threads with a tap but I would try the bolt first (unless you already have the correct tap).

One more thing, it's always a good idea to make sure that all the bolts that you removed are actually the same. There are cases where there are multiple bolts through a part, or for similar parts, and they are not actually all the same length. This is true of the idler pulleys. There are three pulleys, but one of the bolts is a little longer than the other two. If you get them mixed up, one of the idlers will wobble. It's likely that is not the case with this part but I would check it. You definitely don't want to try to force in a bolt that has bottomed out.

LMHmedchem

 

[3rdgenx]

You might be able to get away with adding a couple of washers under the hex cap so that the bolt tightens up before you get to the place in the socket where there may be issues with the threading. If you did that, I would use some threadlocker on the bolt because there will not be quite as many threads holding the bolt in place. Also, use washers that are the same steel strength as the bolt. That may not be an issue for something like this but it is always good practice.

I would probably just use whatever force is necessary to tighten the bolt down. As long as the force is reasonable (not a breaker bar and extender pipe), I wouldn't worry overly much. There have been many times where I have had to push through a section of threading that was rusted or otherwise being difficult. Usually you make a few turns and then it gets easier again. You might try it with just the bolt and see if you can get it to move through the trouble area. If the block is aluminum, the steel bolt is hard enough to re-thread it to some extent anyway.

You could also try to clean the threads with a tap but I would try the bolt first (unless you already have the correct tap).

One more thing, it's always a good idea to make sure that all the bolts that you removed are actually the same. There are cases where there are multiple bolts through a part, or for similar parts, and they are not actually all the same length. This is true of the idler pulleys. There are three pulleys, but one of the bolts is a little longer than the other two. If you get them mixed up, one of the idlers will wobble. It's likely that is not the case with this part but I would check it. You definitely don't want to try to force in a bolt that has bottomed out.

LMHmedchem

Yes I guess I am thinking if I did cross thread it... how much worse could I make it by driving it home? That way at least I could drive it to a shop maybe, I dunno.
I hate jacking up a car in my back driveway because its pea gravel on top of asphalt (have to sweep gravel away for jack) But I am thinking if I am going to try one more time I should come in from wheel well. Haven't found a great how to for that- removing all that wheel well trim. Anyone?

 

[LMHmedchem]

But I am thinking if I am going to try one more time I should come in from wheel well. Haven't found a great how to for that- removing all that wheel well trim. Anyone?

Just carefully pry the plastic pins out. They make a tool for this but you can use a flat-head or a small flat bar with a notched nail removing tip. Lay the pieces out on the ground in the order they came out and take a picture so you remember how they go back in. You could also number them with chalk or white-out and take a picture before you remove them. It's not a bad idea to replace the pins when you replace the trim. They are pretty cheap and some may break when you are removing them.

LMHmedchem

 

[3rdgenx]

I haven't really messed with it today. Maybe its best to accept defeat on this one and hand it off to the pros though.
The shop I wanted to have it towed to cant look at it until May 9th!
I guess I'm gonna be calling some other shops.
If the threads are started cross threaded, am I toast? Can they be recut? It's hard for me to wrap my head around how they could be recut to meet up with hopefully correct existing threads further in? I have only ever tapped threads in some little guitar project- nothing serious like this. If valve cover was removed could they be tapped from that side? There really is not much threaded area in that hole.
This post is like my therapy so forgive the ranting.
ugh

 

[LMHmedchem]

Perhaps others here will disagree but I have a hard time believing that you did any serious and irrevocable damage by taking a bolt out and putting it back in. You would have to have had it seriously misaligned and forced it in hard to do anything major. If the bolt goes in smoothly at the beginning, then it's not cross threaded. It's meeting some resistance further down in for some reason.

What could have happened to the threads to cause such a situation? If you somehow did some damage, that would amount to bending over a thread or perhaps partly crushing a section of thread. The consequence is that some section of the threads are no longer as wide as they should be and so there is resistance to threading in the new bolt. There are actually nuts that are designed like this with distorted threads that make the nut hold better. That's just a metal lock-nut instead of a nylon one.

In any case like this, the bolt with push through the damaged area and likely restore it somewhat. It just takes more force to thread in since there is some resistance from the damaged threads. The only thing you can likely do that would be serious would be to break off the bolt in the hole while tightening it. Unless you are finding enough resistance to risk snapping off a hardened steel bolt then you are very unlikely to have a catastrophe. If you are very nervous about it, just order a shorter bolt the will tighten up before you get to the trouble spot. Use some orange threadlocker and you are all set. I am guessing you are unlikely to do this repair again on this engine anyway.

I would just try the bolt by itself without the part. Use a long socket wrench so you get torque but don't push it any harder than you need to. Just apply consistent pressure and turn it in. It is more common for resistance to be caused by corrosion or some other debris so it wouldn't hurt to spray some PB blaster into the hole and leave it for a bit. Blow out the hole with compressed air to remove any debris. I suppose it's possible that a bit of thread is broken off and binding so some air could clear that. Also, clean any corrosion off of the bolt threads with a wire brush wheel on a drill. Don't be afraid of the wire brush, you aren't going to damage a hardened steel bolt with something like that. Get the bolt looking nice and clean again. After you have things cleaned up, turn the bolt in until it bottoms out and then remove it. After that, it should go in easier when you put the part back on.

A machinist would use a tap to clean and repair the threads if they thought the damage was bad enough for that. If you have seldom/never used a tap, I think you risk more harm with a tap than the bolt. It will be hard to do anything regrettable with a bolt that already threads in part way so you know it's lined up.

If you still aren't convinced, just get a shorter bolt.

LMHmedchem

 

[3rdgenx]

Thrilled to report I got it back in!
I definitely had it started a little crossed, could tell by the space around threads was uneven.
It's that spring pressure that makes it hard to start straight.
I went in first with my chopped off modified old front tensioner and was sure I had it flush.
Then tried the new part and it didn't want to go straight. Maybe its threads are screwy at the start?
Put the old one back in.
Whew!!!!!

Running smooth with those new plugs/wires.

 

[mountaineer2004]

Great job!