OT not a good wrenching experience

[jvandyke]

This is probably the wrong place to post but....
CEL comes on in wife's 2005 Town and Country
Code says EGR.
I'll pull it and clean says I.
Bit of research (no book), it's up front it's easy they say.
Have to move the alternator a tad to get at a bolt.
Tensioner pulley.
Which on is it? Transverse 3.3
Pull front wheel, move splash guard, look it up on web.
Clockwise to release tension.
hmmmm okay
SNAP broken bolt
up tight against chassis, nice.
Tensioner won't budge anyway.
Darn, button back up, she's got to go to work tomorrow.
gasket on EGR tube falls into the abyss.
Oh man I wanted to work on the MG tonight!
So, hopefully the tensioner is frozen good cause the bolt isn't doing anything at the moment! :crazy:

 

[aeronca65t]

Ugh!

Yeah, I had this bad water bump on a Honda and I had to get to work the next day.......
Bad memories.

 

[jvandyke]

Got a call, belt is squealing and smells like burning rubber. So much for the handy-man husband saving some $$. Not sure what's wrong. I never got the belt loose. Maybe the tensioner let loose and it's slipping bad. Wow, sometimes trying to save a buck blows up in your face I guess. I've never messed with the tensioner pulley set up before (dates my mechanic skills I guess, no engine work on anything much past and '83 Mazda).
On the bright side, I can now argue that we should just own all old British stuff because I can fix those. Did MG make a minivan?

I think I was working on the wrong bolt....are you supposed to turn the nut on the pulley or the tensioner? I was turning the the tensioner one. Man do I feel stupid.
Although these are infamous for being crappy.
picture of it

 

[DrEntropy]

On the bright side, I can now argue that we should just own all old British stuff because I can fix those.

Been my M.O. for decades. I worked on the more modern stuff but wouldn't trust one to get me where I ~need~ to be, on time! :wink:

 

[SilentUnicorn]

generally, (and i am not familiar with this particular style)those are spring loaded, and sometimes dont require the need to loosen a bolt, just a pry bar to move it away from the belt....

found this on the web

To remove the belt you find the tensioner pulley and put a wrench on the nut that is centered on its shaft (this is the pulley that is located about 11:00 o'clock relative to the crankshaft pulley and when you put a clockwise tension on that nut the spring-loaded pulley arm will rotate toward the front of the van and thus if the belt were still on would relieve the tension. Because the belt is off you won't need to do this now, but later once you have the belt around nearly all the other pulleys you will do this to allow you to slip the belt over the last pulley, then release the wrench to allow the tensioner to take up all the slack, automatically.


i read that to mean use the wrench on the idler itself to leverage the spring. In other words leave the bolt holding the tensioner to the block alone....



sorry..




m

 

[aeronca65t]

Hope ~THIS~ helps.

I have no personal experience with the 3.3 engine.

 

[RickB]

You know how to make thermite don't you?
A glob of the stuff in the middle of the engine bay and you're all done.

"Honey, I think it's time to get a new car..."

 

[Morris]

I have done this on an '03 Caravan. You need to go to your local Autozone and pick up their "Lend-Lease" tensioner tool. It's a doo-dad that has a 1/2" socket fitting which goes into the tensioner. The 1/2" socket fitting is what actually turns the tensioner and allows the belt to come free. Forget about trying to use one of your own 1/2" racket's or breaker bars. They will not fit.

If you busted the nut that holds the tensioner on... I am sorry to say it is probably pull the engine time.

 

[jvandyke]

Well, it's one thing to tinker with 46 year old cars as a hobby, walk away when you get confused, consult 4-5 different manuals and ask some of the most experienced people around (you guys), then come back when your good and ready,
It's another thing entirely when that vehicle needs to be good to go 24/7 and I'm not equipped. No manual, no knowledge. I'll have to either educate myself on the van or leave it to the pros.
So, the shop already fixed the bolt, not sure how but they didn't pull the engine I'm sure, it was done inside an hour. I simply turned the wrong bolt the wrong way, contrary to my little voice that said "leave it, that can't be right".
So, yeah, humility check firmly in place......back to MGs
(did I mention how much I enjoy tinkering with the Midget and how cranky I got working on the Chrysler....that's my own fault though)

 

[RickB]

I ended up buying the tool, not that I'll ever use it again.
By the time I need it again I probably won't be able to find it.
I did this on my minivan, it took my 16 year old son and I way too long.
Mine had the extra added benefit that the pulley for the tensioner (plastic of course) had frozen and melted taking the belt with it.
Of course all this right up against the frame.
Absolutely zero room to get in there and work.
I'd rather work on my LBC's any day of the week. :wink:

 

[Trevor Jessie]

anyone else have a bunch of home made specialty tools in their tool box and can not remember what half of them are for?

 

[SilentUnicorn]

i think i have a gm crank handle clip tool......somewhere.......


m

 

[jvandyke]

I still come across a paint scraper that I notched and bent to remove the window crank handle retaining clip on a '63 Corvair funny I find that back after nearly 20 years but can't find the stupid wrench I had in my hand 20 minutes ago.....

 

[RickB]

(I sometimes have trouble finding the wrench I had in my hand 20 seconds ago...) :frown:

 

[Morris]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:](I sometimes have trouble finding the wrench I had in my hand 20 seconds ago...)[/QUOTE]

90% of my wrenching time is spent looking for that goldurn wrench.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]So, the shop already fixed the bolt, not sure how but they didn't pull the engine I'm sure, it was done inside an hour.[/QUOTE]

Excellent! You are far wiser than I. I will (and have) completely destroy a car and myself before I hand it over to an expert. I am too durn stubborn.

The other thing I like to do is buy a shop manual and leave it unopened on my bench while I turn 3-4 of the wrong bolts the wrong way. This is a habit I cannot break for some reason.

 

[RickB]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]This is a habit I cannot break for some reason[/QUOTE]

Admitting you have a problem is the first step you know...

:laugh:

 

[JPSmit]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:](I sometimes have trouble finding the wrench I had in my hand 20 seconds ago...)

90% of my wrenching time is spent looking for that goldurn wrench.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]So, the shop already fixed the bolt, not sure how but they didn't pull the engine I'm sure, it was done inside an hour.[/QUOTE]

Excellent! You are far wiser than I. I will (and have) completely destroy a car and myself before I hand it over to an expert. I am too durn stubborn.

The other thing I like to do is buy a shop manual and leave it unopened on my bench while I turn 3-4 of the wrong bolts the wrong way. This is a habit I cannot break for some reason. [/QUOTE]

OK maybe we are related.

Though I must say I don't wrench anything but my LBC anymore - I have a trusted mechanic and it goes straight to him

 

[drooartz]

Sorry to hear of your troubles. Modern cars just aren't meant to be worked on my the rest of us. I still remember changing the spark plugs on a Ford Aerostar through the wheel well with a 3' extension... never again.

I must admit this is why I buy brand new cars with a warranty these days. I'm not interested in wrenching on my daily driver. I buy on the low end (last car was a Hyundai Accent, current one is a Honda Fit) and follow the book on maintenance. For me, worth the extra cost (and I'm grateful that I can afford it) to not think about it at all.

 

[RickB]

I still remember changing the spark plugs on a Ford Aerostar through the wheel well with a 3' extension... never again.

I did that. 2 full days work, replaced the plug wires and coil and all while I was at it.

I ended up drilling a 1" hole thru the firewall for the rear passenger side plug.
NEVER AGAIN!!!

 

[jlaird]

I never work on modern cars, it's off to the shop with them. Mo Miss Agatha is different, she understands me.