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very strange bolt conundrum

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Old Dec 26, 2020 | 12:33 PM
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Default very strange bolt conundrum


2003 C5 tensioner bolt
Hi folks, I am a lifelong enthusiast but never owned a corvette and just finished a stint as a diesel owner. This 2003 50th Anniversary was parked on a pacific coast side street for a long time, has 144k miles and has alot of rusty parts. This is the tensioner bolt, it is making a squeaking sound when it runs and as you can see has backtracked into the tensioner itself and neither can move. It runs fine but the squeak drew my attention. I have not found a tool that can get in there to turn the bolt. Ideas? Thank you!
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Old Dec 26, 2020 | 12:40 PM
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Maybe unbolt the pulley to allow the tensioner to move out of the way?
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Old Dec 26, 2020 | 12:44 PM
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[edited] Are you suggesting unbolting the pully wheel itself? I did not think I could do that with tension on it.

Last edited by alanluck; Dec 26, 2020 at 12:46 PM.
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Old Dec 26, 2020 | 01:16 PM
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Take the belt off and you may be able to move the tensioner where you need it to be for the to access the bolt.
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Old Dec 26, 2020 | 01:18 PM
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We were advised to soak the bolt in a different kind of penetrating oil called Blaster than we tried before and it finally moved out of the way. Problem solved.
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Old Dec 26, 2020 | 04:12 PM
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Originally Posted by alanluck
We were advised to soak the bolt in a different kind of penetrating oil called Blaster than we tried before and it finally moved out of the way. Problem solved.
PB Blaster? Anyway, glad this worked. Did you buy this car?
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Old Dec 26, 2020 | 04:24 PM
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Yep that's the one. And yes I did buy it, it's a long story but the previous owner is a car collector and had this car for "elite client rental" in the bay area. It looks amazing but it has rust all over the place underneath, even the license plate bolts are rusted. (I should mention I think it was parked on a street on the coast for more than a year and did not move) The 6-speed has a noisy bearing. It has alot of work done to it, I solved alot of the electrical problems by replacing the ignition switch as the shocks were offline. I am now dealing with cleaning grounds to see if I can get ABS/TCS to come back online. After that comes some random codes after 15 minutes of driving, likely emissions related I am told that one might be an exhaust leak from a broken intake bolt.

It's a journey to get this thing sellable for the previous owner who had a stroke. I am donating any proceeds from the sale to him.

Last edited by alanluck; Dec 26, 2020 at 04:24 PM.
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Old Dec 26, 2020 | 11:09 PM
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Glad you got the bolt issue fixed.
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Old Dec 28, 2020 | 01:07 PM
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Glad you got the bolt issue resolved. Good luck with the project.
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Old Dec 29, 2020 | 08:35 AM
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" elite car rental"? Looks like a flood car. That's a ton of corrosion
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Old Dec 29, 2020 | 08:48 AM
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Originally Posted by alanluck
Yep that's the one. And yes I did buy it, it's a long story but the previous owner is a car collector and had this car for "elite client rental" in the bay area. It looks amazing but it has rust all over the place underneath, even the license plate bolts are rusted. (I should mention I think it was parked on a street on the coast for more than a year and did not move) The 6-speed has a noisy bearing. It has alot of work done to it, I solved alot of the electrical problems by replacing the ignition switch as the shocks were offline. I am now dealing with cleaning grounds to see if I can get ABS/TCS to come back online. After that comes some random codes after 15 minutes of driving, likely emissions related I am told that one might be an exhaust leak from a broken intake bolt.

It's a journey to get this thing sellable for the previous owner who had a stroke. I am donating any proceeds from the sale to him.
Good for U man helping the guy out!!
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Old Dec 29, 2020 | 09:10 AM
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Originally Posted by feeder82
" elite car rental"? Looks like a flood car. That's a ton of corrosion
It's not a flood car. As I said, it sat on the pacific coast 100 feet from the water for 3 years. There is no interior damage or rust and the body is as good as I have seen for a 17 year old car.

Last edited by alanluck; Dec 29, 2020 at 09:36 AM.
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Old Dec 29, 2020 | 06:20 PM
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glad to hear about a guy helping a friend, congratulations to your, sir. I despair for those who will never enjoy such pleasure in life. I also despair that those same *********** vote, but that is another issue.



I had a nice top of line Toyota that parked outside near the ocean. I swear you could see the bubbling rust spreading daily from the fog and salt air. One of the reasons I bought a car with a plastic body,
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