I've ran out of cuss words... I'm so frustrated! - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

defensa24 · 08-17-2011, 12:18 PM

Changing the timing belt and water pump:

I am stuck here:

I cannot get the two lower bolts off! I have tried everything!

The stupid bolts are stripped now and are tighten to the max! This is the only thing left for me to remove, I've already taken off everything else. Even the lower timing belt cover. This stupid thing is the only thing getting in my way! Ugh!

And BTW, there's barely enough clearance for a wrench. I could not fit a socket and racket wrench even if I wanted to. I have bought nose locking pliers which didn't help at all. I had originally bought vice grip pliers but it didn't fit in between the bolts and the metal wall. What can I do to get these things off?!?!?! I am seriously frustrated now.

This is my 3rd day working and I'm just about to quit... What would a real mechanic do in this situation???? Please help me!!!!

EDIT: Actual pictures from my car...

Top view

Bottom view

ToyoDoc · 08-17-2011, 12:34 PM

i personally use a snap-on 12mm-14mm closed end wrech with no offset to do those but you could take the passenger side engine mount off and using a floor jack and a piece of wood on the corner of the oil pan, jack and twist the engine for more clearance. my $.02

dc_98_cam · 08-17-2011, 01:27 PM

If you go to a well stocked tool shop or store, you can find a pair of vise-grip pliers that are about half the thickness of the original vise grip tool. This particular version also has a longer nose extension.
[Vise Grip model 6LN is about 1/4" thick at the base of the gripper]
You could possibly use the thin grip tool to lock on to the bolts. Then it is likely/possible that you will have to find a length of pipe that will fit over the handle of the thin grip tool ... in order to give you sufficient leverage to twist the bolt.

If you find that the thin grip vise tool has too much of a nose extension ... something in the way behind it ... just hack-saw or grind off the tip portion of the tool.

One more suggestion .... See if you can find a prick punch ... maybe 6 or 8 inches long .... use it to impact the bolt heads to maybe loosen up any thread corrosion or whatever ... The prick punch could actually get the bolts to come loose.

Between the two tools .... it ought to work.

Next phase .... do you have a welder?

Stillrunning · 08-17-2011, 01:35 PM

I think you can get better access by removing wheel and inner splash guard?? That way you can attempt from side rather than top.

Is the thread stripped or are the bolt flats rounded? You won't get much leverage with Vise Grips. Some sockets will work on rounded heads (to a point), maybe NAPA has one, that way you can use a breaker bar. You'll need heat, probably an acetylene torch would be best. Maybe PB blaster and tapping bolt head then leave over night might work.

EEngineer · 08-17-2011, 01:45 PM

pull the motor out would be easier at this point. -_-'

bronzemaxell · 08-17-2011, 02:04 PM

i think you can unbolt the 3 rear engine mount bolts, the one on the subframe side, not engine side, with a deep socket, and loose the top bolt on front engine mount, assume your dogbone mount already off
then jackup the engine with a 2x4 wood stud between engine oil pan and jack.raise the engine enough so you have more access to the bolt.

hill8570 · 08-17-2011, 02:23 PM

Yeah, those two bolts are the bane of folks with big hands. I generally unbolt the top bolt on the front motor mount and use a floor jack and 2x4 under the oil pan to get enough clearance to work. It still ain't a hell of a lot of clearance, but it's enough for a socket attached to a flat bar (like what you'd find in a serpentine belt removal kit). Just don't get too hard core -- you don't want to cave the oil pan. You could go higher by unbolting the rear motor mount, but that's a bit more of a pain in the ass.

Given how stripped the bolts are, it's not looking real good. Might want to try torching them to get them to loosen up, but I'd remove the PS belt first, and be real careful not to melt the timing cover during the process. Gonna be icky at this point no matter what.

mail2_jb · 08-17-2011, 02:39 PM

I used a 1/2" socket (14mm) and this ratchet. It was tight, but after wiggling it a bit, I was able to get it on the bolt and fully extend the ratchet and loosen the bolt.
http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-hal...het-98831.html

bronzemaxell · 08-17-2011, 03:59 PM

i think a crowfoot flare wrench with a 3/8" drive can also fit.

dc_98_cam · 08-17-2011, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stillrunning

I think you can get better access by removing wheel and inner splash guard??

Do this first ... get a jackstand ...

defensa24 · 08-17-2011, 05:09 PM

Ok, well I couldn't get them off. I gave up after ruining the bolts more. So I went ahead and somehow managed to get the top timing cover off. I have another problem.

Because I couldn't remove that metal bracket thing, I can't really get a good grip on the tension pulley to loosen it. So I went around that by going ahead and removing the water pump (my initial goal) and removing the timing belt that way. So now, again, I'm stuck. I can't get the new timing belt on because I can't get the tension pulley to go down enough. The bolt securing the pulley is on WAY too tight and I don't wanna strip it too. (Is the way to loosen it the same as other bolts? Left to loosen right to tighten?)

No, I cannot get a socket wrench to loosen the tension pulley because of the stubborn metal piece that's in the way that I can't remove because the bolts keeping it in place are stripped.

I can only use a regular wrench and it keeps slipping. Not enough grip/bolt on too tight.

Stillrunning · 08-17-2011, 05:21 PM

Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results will not work.

Chris Crash · 08-17-2011, 05:31 PM

Get a better wrench that fits correctly. Then double up wrenches for leverage.

I agree with everyone else, raise the engine. If it were me, I would have pullled the engine out. But that's because I could have the 5SFE on the ground sooner than I could dick around with those seized bolts.

the94camryman · 08-17-2011, 09:26 PM

At this point, you might as well drill the bolts out and replace them. You could try filing a new head on them and using a smaller socket as well.

***fenixus*** · 08-17-2011, 09:46 PM

a 1/2'' shallow or 3/8'' deep socket should fit from bottom, but not from under the car, rather through the wheel well (after removing the splash shield)...

or you can try daisy chaining combo wrenches (or flare nut wrenches with large hex bits and ratchet sometimes).... if all else fails try jacking the engine up (after mounts are loosened and engine supported).