problems replacing A/C drive idler pulley
problems replacing A/C drive idler pulley i need some help here....i have a squeaky idler pulley on the A/C drive and have the replacement, but i can't get the old one to break loose. it's the one with the Torx bolt on it.
i've doused the bolt/pulley with WD40 & let it soak for a while, but the "teeth" on the bolt seem to be twisted going in the direction of loosening the bolt. when i turn it the other way like i'm trying to tighten it, the teeth grab just fine, and i hear/feel a "click" like the way a torque wrench feels/sounds when it reaches the torque level you set it to, then it "clicks" back again when i release pressure.
but when i try to loosen it, the Torx bit just slides out of the bolt and won't grab enough to actually break it loose.
i kinda want to beat the **** out of whoever designed this thing & didn't leave enough clearance for a regular hex-head bolt to go...or at the very least, use a standard inverted hex bolt instead of Torx. Torx should ******* be illegal to use on a car.
anyway, anyone got any ideas on how i can get this goddamn thing to break loose? i spent an hour or so trying to get the damn thing loose and never could, when from start to finish, this should be a 20-min job......
i've doused the bolt/pulley with WD40 & let it soak for a while, but the "teeth" on the bolt seem to be twisted going in the direction of loosening the bolt. when i turn it the other way like i'm trying to tighten it, the teeth grab just fine, and i hear/feel a "click" like the way a torque wrench feels/sounds when it reaches the torque level you set it to, then it "clicks" back again when i release pressure.
but when i try to loosen it, the Torx bit just slides out of the bolt and won't grab enough to actually break it loose.
i kinda want to beat the **** out of whoever designed this thing & didn't leave enough clearance for a regular hex-head bolt to go...or at the very least, use a standard inverted hex bolt instead of Torx. Torx should ******* be illegal to use on a car.
anyway, anyone got any ideas on how i can get this goddamn thing to break loose? i spent an hour or so trying to get the damn thing loose and never could, when from start to finish, this should be a 20-min job......
Well, when you do get it out....I suggest going to the dealership and buying the tap and bolt kit for it. The aluminum threads in the block are probably stripped a little too.
It happened to mine when that pulley wouldn't tighten and I kept throwing the a/c belt. I pulled it into the dealership and the a/c guy put it in the air and had it all done in like 10 minutes....they didn't even charge me.
But it's good insurance. It takes a steel sleeve and comes with a new bolt.
.
It happened to mine when that pulley wouldn't tighten and I kept throwing the a/c belt. I pulled it into the dealership and the a/c guy put it in the air and had it all done in like 10 minutes....they didn't even charge me.
But it's good insurance. It takes a steel sleeve and comes with a new bolt.
.
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 17
From: So.Cal.
Using a hammer and drift, give the bolt head a medium sharp hit straight on.
Then hammer the torx bit into the bolt head, and then try to break it loose using the longest breaker bar while pushing torx bit into the bolt head with all your weight.
Then hammer the torx bit into the bolt head, and then try to break it loose using the longest breaker bar while pushing torx bit into the bolt head with all your weight.
and it's not like i would even need to hammer the Torx bit into it, the bit goes all the way to the bottom of the bolt's head, it just gets pushed back out due to the bolt's teeth being twisted in that direction....so if the bolt was vertical instead of horizontal, and i could put my entire weight onto it to keep it from "unthreading" itself, it could possibly come loose....but the way it is now, i can't get enough leverage to keep the bit pushed into the bolt's head to get it to break loose.
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 17
From: So.Cal.
The fan/shroud assembly slips off giving you lots of room.
The idea of hammering the torx bit on is to get past the twisted teeth on the bolt head.
I've removed several like this (torx bit slips off making the teeth more twisted), keep at it you'll get it.
The idea of hammering the torx bit on is to get past the twisted teeth on the bolt head.
I've removed several like this (torx bit slips off making the teeth more twisted), keep at it you'll get it.
I recall the torque spec being pretty high on those bolts.
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I think the previous owner stripped mine. I had to take the whole ac compressor bracket off and drill that **** out. But I got the aluminum pulley w/ metal sleeve and new bolt. Definitely x2 on the anti seize
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old post i need some help here....i have a squeaky idler pulley on the A/C drive and have the replacement, but i can't get the old one to break loose. it's the one with the Torx bolt on it.
i've doused the bolt/pulley with WD40 & let it soak for a while, but the "teeth" on the bolt seem to be twisted going in the direction of loosening the bolt. when i turn it the other way like i'm trying to tighten it, the teeth grab just fine, and i hear/feel a "click" like the way a torque wrench feels/sounds when it reaches the torque level you set it to, then it "clicks" back again when i release pressure.
but when i try to loosen it, the Torx bit just slides out of the bolt and won't grab enough to actually break it loose.
i kinda want to beat the **** out of whoever designed this thing & didn't leave enough clearance for a regular hex-head bolt to go...or at the very least, use a standard inverted hex bolt instead of Torx. Torx should ******* be illegal to use on a car.
anyway, anyone got any ideas on how i can get this goddamn thing to break loose? i spent an hour or so trying to get the damn thing loose and never could, when from start to finish, this should be a 20-min job......
i've doused the bolt/pulley with WD40 & let it soak for a while, but the "teeth" on the bolt seem to be twisted going in the direction of loosening the bolt. when i turn it the other way like i'm trying to tighten it, the teeth grab just fine, and i hear/feel a "click" like the way a torque wrench feels/sounds when it reaches the torque level you set it to, then it "clicks" back again when i release pressure.
but when i try to loosen it, the Torx bit just slides out of the bolt and won't grab enough to actually break it loose.
i kinda want to beat the **** out of whoever designed this thing & didn't leave enough clearance for a regular hex-head bolt to go...or at the very least, use a standard inverted hex bolt instead of Torx. Torx should ******* be illegal to use on a car.
anyway, anyone got any ideas on how i can get this goddamn thing to break loose? i spent an hour or so trying to get the damn thing loose and never could, when from start to finish, this should be a 20-min job......
