Hello I'm new to this forum.. I have a 97 accord lx non v-tec and I attempted to loosen the bolt on the tensioner for the balance shaft belt and stripped it pretty bad... I know the timing is fine.. it's just the tdc sencor is bad and the timing cover is bad.. I have a new timing cover and water pump and belt kit... I'm trying to avoid heli-coiling it... should I just put the new timing cover on and call it a day... also.. how do i keep the gasket on the bottom half of the cover? I need help I'm in way over my head

 

I'm not sure I followed one of the items, so I might be answering your question incorrectly: You said you stripped a bolt and are considering helicoil? If you have a stripped bolt, then you would want something like this, a stripped bolt remover:

but if you are saying the threads in the bolt are crossthreaded or damager, you might have to helicoil that, and you will want a tap and die to re-grooved before inserting the helicoil.

 

I asked my trusted local mechanic and he told me I have to "heli-coil it".... I'm wondering if I do use the coil does that mean I have to cut the bolt off to get the tensioner off to ultamitly use the heli-coil? I just know I have to get that bolt off and its stripped too badly.

 

I see, I think. You mean the bolt HOLE is stripped? Then yes, a helicoil and tap and die is what's needed.
You would have to remove that bolt to do this. That might be cutting it off and drilling it out, depending what's going on.
Helicoiling is not very hard. watch this video to see what it's like