help. let me apologize i n advance if this has been covered. i haven't looked. i am in the middle of a job and it is threatening to rain so i came here.

i am trying to remove the head from a 2.3 8 valve. the chain guide has some sort of fasteners that aren't hex, allen, or torx. looks like they might be threaded themselves right in the middle. the manual calls for some kind of impact tool. the dealer doesn't stock them it takes two weeks to get.

what is the tool? can i make one or something else which will work. is there a quick source for these???

also while we are at it i removed the large hex head from the tensioner. a spring came out but nothing else. is this normal? i can't find a seal or anything else. the chain didn't get very slack when i removed it. whats up???

thanks so much.

vincent

There are two ways around the special tool:

1) Make your own slide hammer using a long bolt that will thread into the pin and a weight such as a socket.

2) Get a bolt that will thread into the pin and add washers so the bolt doesn't bottom in the pin as you tighten. The bolt then acts as an extractor. You'll have to add washers as the pin starts to move out.

Sixto
91 300SE
81 300SD

Vincent:

The tensioner housing is still threaded inside. You'll need a 14mm hex (I think) to remove the threaded ring, then the tensioner housing should slide right out behind it.

Vincent,

If you search the archives, you'll find that the same thing happened to me. No amount of drilling will make a dent in a hardened extractor bit but I didn't try a diamond tip bit. I even tried to weld a rod to the pin but there wasn't enough material for a good weld.

If all you want to do is replace the head gasket, perhaps you can lift the head enough to clean it and fit a new gasket without removing the pin. That's how I did it on an M117. I cut one end of the part of the head gasket that goes over the timing chain cover so I could fit the head gasket around the chain and guide, then I put RTV at the cut joint.

FWIW, I don't think the bolt was cheap. I think you didn't use enough washers.

Sixto
91 300SE
81 300SD

The fastener circled in red has various names.

Some call it 12-point, some call it triple-square(3x4=12).

Lisle Tools(http://www.lislecorp.com) makes at set that Pep Boys carries. Lisle Tool part number 60750. I forget the price - something like $10-$12 dollars. I learned the hard way when I didn't have one to remove a 12-point bolt near the differential.

Interesting, my post before this one is listed before the question it answers. Might be a Schroedinger thing.

Sixto
91 300SE
81 300SD

i am trying to get the chain guid pins loose not the tensioner.

i tried the home made tool. screwed it into the pin with a socket up around the block. must have used a cheap bolt because it broke off in the pin. tried an easy out and it broke in the screw, not so cheap that it would come out easily. now it looks as if i am screwed. i am going to try a dremel tool with a small diamond bit to see if i can remove the easy out and screw. if that doesn't work i'll probably just forget about the head gasket replacement and hope that nothing serious happens until the car is ready for burial.

if anyone has any ideas i wuld appreciate them.

thanks
vincent