Need advice for dislodging timing belt tensioner lever

[zerokreap]

Having some trouble getting the timing belt tensioner lever off. I removed the clip and shim in front. The tensioner has also been removed, but still the tensioner arm is not sliding off. Looks like there's a bit of corrosion back there from a minor coolant link. Also, when I manipulate the arm, it looks like the bearing pin is turning with it.

What's the move here to get this thing un-stuck? I'm starting to get a bit worried.

I've tried several different gear pullers...the arms are all too big to effective fit into the space, even after removing the plastic trim. I've also hit it with some penetrating oil. The pin is loose and simply turns with the arm.

[djnolan]

If i understand correctly what your problem is, the timing belt tension roller and lever and guard rail are mounted to threaded studs. maybe if you keep turning it it will simply come out of the block. Also a double nut locked on the stud might give some help. Also what year/model car is this?

Here is some possible help: Timing Belt and Balance Shaft Belt Tensioning

[zerokreap]

Originally Posted by djnolan

If i understand correctly what your problem is, the timing belt tension roller and lever and guard rail are mounted to threaded studs. maybe if you keep turning it it will simply come out of the block. Also a double nut locked on the stud might give some help. Also what year/model car is this?

Here is some possible help: Timing Belt and Balance Shaft Belt Tensioning

It's a 94 968 w/ 66k miles. So, it's not mounted on studs, but rather a single bearing pin.

I guess I need to take another look to see if your suggestion of simply continuing to turn it is possible. At the very least, will need to remove the water pump and lower balance shaft sprocket.

[kdjones2000]

Compress the tensioner enough to take the load of the belt, then lock the nuts that hold it in the compressed state. Remove the mounting nuts and the whole assembly should slip right off.

No need for a puller or anything here...

[zerokreap]

Originally Posted by kdjones2000

Compress the tensioner enough to take the load of the belt, then lock the nuts that hold it in the compressed state. Remove the mounting nuts and the whole assembly should slip right off.

No need for a puller or anything here...

This is a 1994 968, not a 944. The tensioner is completely different. I posted a reply yesterday, but I received a message about how a mod would need to approve my reply, which is ridiculous, especially considering they still haven't approved it. This is why I typically use Rennlist.

[zerokreap]

Here are some better pics. I've now removed the water pump, which gives me a bit more room. Still, I need someone better than the bulbous-armed gear pullers I have. I suppose I should try a bearing puller...

[zerokreap]

Here are some better pics. I've now removed the water pump, which gives me a bit more room. Still, I need someone better than the bulbous-armed gear pullers I have. I suppose I should try a bearing puller...

I've outlined the tensioner arm in the first pic and circled the bearing pin it pivots on in the second pic.

[zerokreap]

[zerokreap]

For some reason, my second pic won't post.

[zerokreap]

Let's see if this works. I've zoomed in on the pin, where it connects to the engine. The tensioner arm has a brass sleeve inside the pivot point, which I assume is meant to prevent galvanic corrosion, but that clearly hasn't worked here.

[wwdwgs]

try again to post the picture. Don't rush and let it upload completely.

[TibetanT]

I am not an expert with the 968, but I believe the tensioner does not come off until the arm shown in the picture can be removed.

Basically, the roller is attached to the arm you show in the picture with a bolt in the rear.
In reading the factory manual for the 968, the tension on belt must first be alleviated and belt removed. Then, the arm (tensioner sleeve) comes off along with the roller it is attached to. Then, the tensioner is removed along with the housing.
If the tensioner has already been removed, I believe you may have to apply tension (pry) to arm in order for it to slip off (pulling forward).

One thing I read about installation mentions Loctite, so now I am wondering if previous owner/previous mechanic put Red Loctite on the armature which is why the whole arm will not come off.
Try heating the armature to see if that helps loosen it.

One "dumb" question about this procedure is "did you remove the Guide Rail from the water pump before trying this?" I cannot tell from the picture posted because it appears the water pump is still attached and not removed.

Hope this helps, and good luck with this one. BTW, try and get more pictures posted so we all can help you and learn!

[originalowner]

Not that I've had to do this, but a couple of ideas come to mind. First, apply some heat to the arm at the pivot to see if that breaks the corrosion loose. Second would be to build a puller from a bolt, nut, and some scrap iron for jaws. Weld or braze the jaws to a large nut the size of the arm, slip it over the arm, and run the (admittedly large) bolt in to pull the arm out to be flush with the tip of the post. The puller would be compact enough to get into the space. From there, perhaps the arm will be free enough to get off.

[zerokreap]

Originally Posted by wwdwgs

try again to post the picture. Don't rush and let it upload completely.

Yeah, I waited for the checkmark and everything. I also checked the size. They simply weren't uploading.

[zerokreap]

Originally Posted by TibetanT

I am not an expert with the 968, but I believe the tensioner does not come off until the arm shown in the picture can be removed.

Basically, the roller is attached to the arm you show in the picture with a bolt in the rear.
In reading the factory manual for the 968, the tension on belt must first be alleviated and belt removed. Then, the arm (tensioner sleeve) comes off along with the roller it is attached to. Then, the tensioner is removed along with the housing.
If the tensioner has already been removed, I believe you may have to apply tension (pry) to arm in order for it to slip off (pulling forward).

One thing I read about installation mentions Loctite, so now I am wondering if previous owner/previous mechanic put Red Loctite on the armature which is why the whole arm will not come off.
Try heating the armature to see if that helps loosen it.

One "dumb" question about this procedure is "did you remove the Guide Rail from the water pump before trying this?" I cannot tell from the picture posted because it appears the water pump is still attached and not removed.

Hope this helps, and good luck with this one. BTW, try and get more pictures posted so we all can help you and learn!

I have everything else removed, including the tensioner. I'm starting to think the same thing as you--that the previous person used the loctite on the pivot surface instead of high temp grease...then left the pin's threads without any loctite...so, the damn thing was simply unscrewed as the tensioner expanded. I'm going to pick up a butane torch after work. I assume that will work well enough? I believe I need to get that stuff heated up to 500 degrees, which sounds insane. I honestly don't know how long one holds a torch on a surface like that to get 500 degrees transferred to the internal surface. I imagine it will take a minute or two?

[zerokreap]

Originally Posted by originalowner

Not that I've had to do this, but a couple of ideas come to mind. First, apply some heat to the arm at the pivot to see if that breaks the corrosion loose. Second would be to build a puller from a bolt, nut, and some scrap iron for jaws. Weld or braze the jaws to a large nut the size of the arm, slip it over the arm, and run the (admittedly large) bolt in to pull the arm out to be flush with the tip of the post. The puller would be compact enough to get into the space. From there, perhaps the arm will be free enough to get off.

Yeah, I think heat is going to be a key factor here. I'm starting to think some previous mechanic used the Loctite on the bearing surface instead of the pin's screws.

[zerokreap]

Well, bought myself a torch and gave the tensioner arm some heat. Protected/shielded the surrounding area, including the various front end seals with aluminum foil. That's all I could think to do. The torch is not as exact as one might hope.

Either I didn't heat it enough, or it's simply not working. I tend to think I probably should heat it more. It definitely got hot, and I held the torch on it for probably 30-40 seconds...maybe a little longer. It honestly made me quite nervous. I know the engine gets hot during use, but I'm still nervous using this torch. It's my first time doing this. I mean I've done some welding/torch cutting in the distant past, but that was on stuff that wasn't a Porsche engine. So, any advice would be welcome.

Hit it with the heat, then used the pry bar while tapping the pin with a small ball peen hammer. It didn't budge a micrometer.