Stripped cambelt tensioner bracket bolt hole!
 

Honestly wtf. Are these things made from cheese? Had the torque wrench set to 25nm and it never clicked. Just carried on turning until I thought "what's going on" and took the bolt back out. Found half the threads on it.

FML.

Sounds like someone had already screwed it up. That's going to be a bugger.

Helicoil...

I sometimes feel that a torque wrench does more damage than good when working on these engines.

You can change the bracket that the tensioner bolts to if needed.

That helicoil needs winding in more, it's sitting too proud.:thumb:

I know, it's the hole the bracket itself bolts to. Well happy after already having to helicoil one of the oil pump bolts! I feel like I'm constantly having to unbodge other peoples' **** ups and today I've had enough.

Going on Amazon now to buy an M10x1.25 helicoil kit. :D

Time certs are better!!

Not sure the extra cost is worthwhile for something that only wants 25nm of torque on it to be honest. Should be OK with helis?

Make sure you drill & fit the helicoil exactly square, otherwise the tensioner will sit on the piss, which won't do the cambelt or tension any favours, seen a few like it.

To be honest I'll be extremely cautious. I'm a bit worried that somehow the repair won't hold up but I know that's not the case if it's done properly. I am a worrier by nature though!

Done properly a helicoil repair will be better than the original.

Good luck to you! I can't offer any advice but you've got my sympathy.

I've had real fun with this... The first helicoil wasn't in far enough so I ended up damaging the bolt. I managed to remove it and get one in properly. Bolt is in and torqued up for test purposes but I want to replace it as the body of the bolt where the threaded part is goes noticeably narrower where it was partially cross threaded into the dodgy helicoil.

It torques up but being narrower I can't trust it now. Unfortunately I cannot find a replacement bolt on its own..... I am considering using a normal high tensile M10x1.25 bolt with a small washer behind it but I'm not sure if there will be any problem doing that?

I know, the tag snapped off so I need to wind it back out and fit another one - I ran out of time and the beer was calling :beer:

If it's the long bolt (item 10) it's the same as used through the small idler.................

For example

https://www.importcarparts.co.uk/par...y=&searchPart=

http://static.opposedforces.com/epc_...1494901304.png

If it's the shorter bolt (item 12) it shouldn't be too difficult to get one

http://gigaplus.makeshop.jp/provadir...0000000368.jpg

It's in now and torqued up with a touch of blue loctite on but I'm a bit worried about it.

Don, they aren't the same. One is a 14mm head and the other a 12mm:

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...0ec2544481.jpg

Did you not drill it out and add a helicoil that was the same size as the original thread?

Yes but when I went to screw the bolt in it cross threaded slightly the first time because the helicoil wasn't far enough in and I couldn't actually tell until it was too late. When I took the bolt back out it had sort of smoothed down the very edges of the threads. It still screws in and torques up, so most likely not damaged enough to be an issue but I'm worrying about it all the same.

I wouldn't worry, I've helicoiled 2 threads for my sump baffle - the blocks are made of margarine (I mean aluminium) and the helicoil inserts are steel which is stronger and tougher so if it's torqued up it will be fine...

Yeah not worried about the helicoil, just the bolt itself. It probably is fine since it has torqued up, I just wanted to check with those more knowledgeable.

I'm now a little confused as you said the hole that had stripped was in the bracket that the tensioner bolted to.

The Tensioner is the complete item ringed in red below and it looks as if the tensioner idler has been removed due to the chewed up bolt head (marked 1)

The tensioner bracket is the item bolted to the block using screws marked 2 & 3

http://clarkdh.net23.net/NTL/Tensioner.jpg

If the bolt that has been stripped/helicoiled is bolt 1 and you are not sure about it then get a new tensioner.

No it's the right hand bolt of the tensioner. Sorry for the misunderstanding! What should that right hand bolt be torqued to? 39nm like the others or the 25nm I've done it to?

Torqued it to 39nm after realising all the torque specs I've seen say that for the tensioner :thumb: