Serpentine Belt Tensioner Metal Guide Broken (SOLVED)

[HazMatt]

I was changing out my serpentine belt tensioner pulley assembly today and i was unaware there was a small metal ****** behind the assembly to guide the part into the proper position.

My problem is, the old tensioner pulleys metal ****** has broken off inside the hole. I have no clue how to get this metal piece out and no drill will fit into there. I know some of you are familiar with how offended I get if someone says "DONT BEAT ON YOUR CAR WITH A HAMMER". Thats the opposite of what I did. I gave the assembly a few small taps with a 1/2" socket wrench to loosen the debris and the whole piece just came crashing to the bottom of my car. I have a very small, pointed shaped piece of metal sticking out that I can get to. If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know. Thanks.

The small silver chunk in the second picture under the bolt hole is where the piece broke off.

 

[HazMatt]

Also if anyone has experience in taking off the power steering bracket (the bracket connected to where my problem is) please let me know. It looks like 5 bolts but it also looks like it might be connected behind the crank somewhere. If I can easily get this bracket off, then I wont have a problem since I'll be able to just drill out the hole.

 

[SHOtimer]

...so are you keeping your post at the top by just posting a new post and deleting your old one?

As you can see here when I was putting my new ATX in...that bracket is not easy to get off. It is bolted onto the block through the motor mount bolts, and through the bracket that holds the ATX to the block. IIRC.



Doug

 

[HazMatt]

No the first deletion was a redundant post saying a drill wont fit in the engine bay.

Anyways, in your picture, where the power steering pulley goes, the black mount with the 3 silver bolts that go around the power steering pump is what im trying to remove if possible. If its as hard as you say, forget it. I might just take a small punch and come at the metal shard from the wheel well on a diagonal, and hopefully jam it in far enough to be able to spin the metal and remove it.

This is kind of a really crappy picture of my theory. The grey being the metal I'm trying to remove, the black being the punch, and the arrow being where I intend to punch into and on what angle. Hopefully once the punch is in I'll be able to spin it out. If you think this wont work let me know

p.s. i cant get a straight shot onto the metal, hence why I have to come at the metal on this weird angle as pictured.

 

[SHOtimer]

That might be tough. I'm not sure if that indexing ****** will just pop right out or not....I would certainly soak the area with PB Blaster.

Edit: You might be able to get a straighter shot at getting it out if you go through the wheel well.

Doug

 

[HazMatt]

The diagonal shot IS from the wheel well there is no other angle for me to really get at that.

 

[HazMatt]

That's pretty rough that I stumped the pros on shoforum over a piece of metal that weighs as much as a quarter dollar. :x

I'm going to try my angle punch method today, and if that doesnt work, i'm just going to try to chip away all of the metal. thanks for your responses and i'll let you know how it goes.

 

[1995mtxsho]

Drop that side of the subframe.

 

[HazMatt]

Thats a good idea as well but I dont think I'd feel too comfortable doing that, I might mess something up :x

 

[93rev2sev]

2 small pieces of metal on either side of the bracket, flanking the hole you are trying to punch.

the metal on the back side of the bracket should have a small bolt threaded into it that you can center over the hole, from behind.

Screw the 2 pieces together and force your little bolt into the hole from behind, shoving the little aluminum ****** out the front.

 

[HazMatt]

Nah. Only the actual bolt that connects the pulley is drilled all the way through. The little part where the metal broke doesnt have a hole behind it, its solid metal. If they DID put a damn hole back there as well, I wouldnt be having this problem. Stupid Japanese.

 

[93rev2sev]

I just noticed your location...is that Westland, MI?

 

[HazMatt]

Yes, Michigan.

I got the little guide thing out. I just used a hammer and small punch bit to chip away at it piece by piece.

Now my problem is missing timing case bolts >.<