i have to replace my cylinder head since the spark plug thread was stripped, and pops the spark plug out when starting. i tried loosening the tensioner bolt through the hole on the lower timing belt cover. i couldn't get it to loose, so i decided to take out the crank pulley and the lower timing belt cover. but until now, i still can't loosen the freaking bolt. it's even rounded now. we tried the special tool (crapsman) for rounded bolts, nothing. pipe adjustuble wrench (the tool for doing water pipes), nothing. i'm almost giving up. i'm thinking of just buying another car now.

since my bro-in-law wants to still try to loosen it for just one last time (this week), are we missing something? counterclockwise to loosen the bolt, right? or is there another bolt that we need to loosen before the freaking tensioner bolt? it's so damn tight

 

use a big breaker bar

 

so did you round/strip the bolt head on the crank pulley? that bolt is very challenging even when it isnt stripped. i hope you arent using a cresent wrench or pipe wrench on that.
yeah try a 4-6 ft long breaker bar.

but if you're seriously thinking about giving up you should consider a whole new "used" motor instead of repairing yours. Is your motor stock? if so motors are cheap.

 

it's not the crank pulley bolt. it's the tensioner bolt. is it still lefty loosey? or the other way?

 

yes, counter clockwise to loosen the tensionier bolt... use a big breaker bar, more leverage = less effort

 

I'm pretty sure its lefty loosy, the manual doesnt say anything so i assume its standard. You dont need to remove the adjuster bolt just loosen it. You might try taking off the lower cover so you can see better.
Can you slide the belt off or is it still tight?

 

If its completely rounded off try using an air hammer with a chisel bit to loosen it up. If that don't work loosen motor mounts try dropping motor down and hammering on a socket.

 

after grinding the tensioner off (we grinded the tensioner like crazy *lol* ) until the inner tube of the tensioner, then we used a vise grip. that was a helluva job. i thought the crank pulley bolt would be the one giving us the trouble. thanks guys

 

anyone here used an ebay head bolts before? :D the gaskets that i have bought from ebay came with the bolts