So I am changing out a head gasket on a friend's 95 Civic LX (D15B7) and I am at the point where i am needed to remove the timing belt. I put a 14mm open box wrench on the timing belt tensioner bolt, and one turn and the bolt is rounded out badly. I think it was already semi-rounded out and this just added to it.

Tried getting other sizes on there, nothing works. I can cut this belt and remove the head still, but when i go to put the new belt on, it's not going to go over all the gears and tensioner without that tensioner being loose right?

What are my options? I don't have any welding equipment where the car is at. The motor is ripped apart and the car can't be moved.

Any suggestions, ideas, any help is appreciated!!!!

 

You're saying you stripped the bolt head. Just get a dremel tool (or a file if you like to work) and shave down two opposing sides of the bolt head. After that just throw a crescent wrench on it and crack it loose.

Don't cut off the belt! Those aren't exactly the cheapest belts to replace.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by cobaltss &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
What are my options? I don't have any welding equipment where the car is at. The motor is ripped apart and the car can't be moved. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Welding equipment? What?

 

I dont think a crescent wrench will work here, this bolt is on really really tight.

If I could weld, I would just weld a new nut onto the end of the bolt and problem solved.

 

This might seem dumb but, are you loosening counterclockwise?

Seriously though, these things only get torqued to like 40lb-ft, it shouldn't be that hard. Soak it with WD-40, wait, and then hammer on an undersized box-end and add a longer lever to it. I actually really don't recommend this because you'll be hammering into the thread that runs into the block, but you seem desperate.

I don't know what else to say, I've never had a problem with tensioner bolts. If you want to play it safe, just hose it down with WD-40, hope it penetrates deep enough, then come back the next day and try it again.

 

Try and pick up the craftsman bolt remover, works wonders for me.

 

no need for a welder, and no need for a file.
Go out and get yourself some turbo sockets.

http://www.google.com/url?q=ht...L3tHQ

I believe sears sells them.,
good luck and take your time, you seem to be new at this.

 

If you cant get any bolt removers, try this as a last resort. It seems a little out there but will work fairly easy. Get some vice grip pliers, put the death grip on that bolt and and use a big box end wrench or something as a breaker bar on it. As a last resort only

 

hose it down with penetration lube the day before...let it soak in. Then give it another try; if no wrench can physically fit/work on it, try various sockets. Pound on it if you have to...but seeing there hardly any room to work with down there, I don't see pounding at all possible. LOL

 

Autozone sells some sockets that grab on the flat of the bolt, specifically for your problem.

 

I know that this is a very old post, but I didn't find much good advice on the topic. On the 1992-1995 Civic the tensioner adjustment bolt has a 14 mm head.

The bolt head is supposed to be behind a cover on the timing belt cover. Mine was missing.

You can not spray wd 40 on the bolt, it will oil the timing belt and the belt will slip. There is very little access between the engine and wheel well to reach the bolt head.

I needed to get a thin pry bar held against the back of my ratchet to be able to break the bolt free. I used one made for pulling nails from flooring. It is long, thin and strong. This required assistance as I needed to be under the car to swing the ratchet and they needed to be above the car to hold the pry bar.

Once the ratchet was firmly pressed against the bolt head, I was able to break the bolt free. The socket would slip off if I didn't have pressure on it and I couldn't apply it from underneath.

You do not want to remove the bolt! The tensioner and spring will pop free and you will need to pull the timing belt assembly apart to reinstall it.

One the bolt is loosened, it was easy to install and remove the timing belt from the cam sprocket so that I could finish my head gasket replacement.

John