Ok so I am in the process of replacing the timing belt, water pump, tensioner, rollers, seals, the whole 9 yards. I go to take the tensioner off and when removing the rear bolt (accessing it from underneath) i see the bolt is completely stripped. Not sure whos handy work this was in the past but now I cant get the tensioner off. Sure, I could compress the piston and put a pin in it, but the last timing job was over 100k miles ago so I would really like to replace it. I have tried using the dewalt bolt extractor, no luck. How can I get this bolt off? I dont care about the tensioner as I have a brand new one waiting to be installed. Any ideas?

It might help if you can remove the A/C bracket to get a better angle on the bolt or locking pliers. I've run into the same issue before on one of our T4rs

Possibly try using a 3/8” socket or swivel.

Then go to Lowe’s or the like for these:
5-pc BOLT-GRIP™ Base Set - Tools - IRWIN TOOLS

If you can wedge a screwdriver under the head of the bolt sometimes that will help it come out as you turn it.
It's a tough place though.

Going to try this tonight. I had a 12” extension with a 3/8 swivel and bolt extractor nut and no luck. I think I just don’t have the leverage being that’s it’s such a long extension. I haven’t found anything on it but I assume I just remove the 4 12mm bolts that hold the ac compressor on and then move it to the side? Don’t have to capture any refrigerant I hope?

Did that myself a few weeks ago... stripped the head on the rear hyd tensioner bolt.

You are going to have to remove the ac compressor and bracket to get to the rear bolt. It's a pain the the arse but can be done.

Autozone sells a replacement metric bolt but the head is 13mm instead of a 12 (from memory) it wasn't an issue.

Not sure how to post a pic but I have the info in a service manual if you need it.

Sorry about not being much help regarding removing the stripped bolt, as I don't recall what it looks like around there.

But if you remove the a/c compressor bracket, a big tip is to make sure that you make a note of where each of those 4 bolts goes. I did my TB last year, and that bracket was the most difficult part of the entire job. If I recall, those 4 bolts are 2 different lengths, and you may play hell (like I did) figuring out where the correct bolts go. They are difficult to access, and you may spend a bunch of time screwing one in, only to find out it should have gone somewhere else. I spent probably 2 hours screwing around with that damn thing. Because I had failed to mark which hole each of the bolts came from.

HA! yeah I noticed that. So a quick update, Got the AC compressor off and out of the way, got the bracket off and had easy access to the rear tensioner bolt. HOWEVER, the bolt is TOO tight and TOO stripped for removal. I re tried my bolt extractor, used strong vise grips, nothing.. just kept stripping it more. My plan now is to dremmel the head of the bolt off that way the tensioner will come off, that will leave me with about 1" - 1 1/2" of threads to grab onto with some vise grips and hopefully get out. My 3rd day on this timing project and no kidding have spend 24 hours dealing with a dang bolt. hope to get it off tomorrow. will keep yall updated. thanks!

It took me three days to do the job on the 96. Everything was rusted and I broke a bolt holding the AC compressor onto the mount and had to go junking to get a replacement.

If you don’t get the bolt out you will end up replacing the oil pump.


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Do you have a torch? Heat is needed! You're plan of grinding the bolt head off, removing the tensioner and using vicegrips is a solid one. If you have access to an acetylene torch heat the bolt itself until it glows then spray it with PB or other penetrating oil while it cools, then remove it. If you only have propane then heat the aluminum the bolt threads into directly. (steel melts at 2700 degrees, aluminum at 1100, don't ever use an acetylene torch directly on aluminum) The bolts are 8mm-1.25 X around 40 or 50mm. The originals have 12mm heads, the replacements you buy at the hardware store will have 13mm heads.
I have to ask, I get the DIY factor, but is the 3 days of your time you spent on this so far worth more or less than the $500 in labor and parts mark up you would have paid someone like me to do this in 4 hours at a repair shop?

When I say 3 days I do not obviously mean 72 hours of labor ha. I’m talking about 2-3 hours per evening. But yes. Very worth it. 2 different Toyota dealers quoted over 1000$ and I’m one of those people who doesn’t trust mechanics ha. Plus I know how and it’s not hard (other than problems like this). Going to try torching today

You sound kinda like me. I know how to do stuff. I have tools. I don't trust mechanics in general (just because they are other people, and because I don't happen to know them personally). And, I am a cheapskate. I flat out refuse to pay someone to do what I know or think I may be capable of doing.

My timing belt job took me a very literal 100 hours. It would have taken me 15-20, but I ran into several problems, some of which just happened to happen, and some of which that I caused, because little things went wrong and I didn't notice them. Because of that, I have pretty much vowed to never buy another vehicle again that has a timing belt.

Another tip - if you haven't tried to torch your bolt yet - I find those little butane torches to be extremely handy for things like this. You can get the torch into a tight place, and put some serious heat in a tiny place with pinpoint accuracy.

Good luck with this torn in your side. I feel your pain, because I have been there before, many times.

Hey Little Caesar,
I like the Irwin extractor link. Is there a best technique you found for how to use them or are they fairly self explanatory?

Make sure you move the camshaft sensor and wires or at least be aware of them when you are heating.... would really suck to melt them.

Also, when you replace the AC compressor bracket make sure you get the wire harness clip in the right place, from memory it is the bolt closest to the rear of the motor. I unfortunately had to take mine back off because of that clip...frustrating!

Who cares about how long it takes, with chasing bolts down and removing sheared bolts the job took me 4 days... like you I worked a few hours a day or when I had time until it was all done.

It's obviously of no use to you now, but when I did my timing belt, I spent half hour trying to get to that tensioner bolt with the AC compressor in place, with no luck. Then I said to myself, if it's this hard trying to loosen the bolt, how on earth am I ever going to line it up properly when trying to reinstall it? So I removed the compressor, and everything was in plain view.

I hope you get that bolt out with some heat. And don't worry about having to spend the extra time - these old vehicles, with some corrosion over time, can always be expected to throw you a curve ball like this, turning a 2 hour job into a weekend.

The worst example of this I ever had was my GS430's O2 sensor. All the forums made it sound like a 2 hour job, which it would have been had my sensor's hex not become rounded off during removal (and that's using the proper crows foot tool). I'll spare you the details, but over the next three weekends I kept upping my game, from torches (no use) to welding the O2 socket onto the sensor. The latter did give me enough grip to finally turn the sensor - and what came out was the sensor, minus the threads, which were left inside the manifold, completely galled in place. Removing the manifold for repairs meant lifting the engine, which looked like another full weekend of work. I finally tracked down a large enough helicoil set, drilled and tapped the manifold in-situ (no fun at all), installed the helicoil, and called it done. Probably invested a total of close to 20 hours into the job.