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Rounded alternator bolt head - How Can I Get It Off!?


mickburkesnr
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Right so picture the scene. My 1998 Toyota Corolla 1.3 needs a new timing belt and other belts. The first step in this process (after jacking it up and taking the wheel off) is to loosen the alternator adjustment bolt and the bolt that holds the alternator in place. I start loosening the adjustment bolt and it pops off in to my hand. Turns out it broke in half and the other half is stuck in the alternator.

No bother, I just need to remove the alternator. So I start to do that, but it's no moving. I change from the ratchet to the spanner and extend it with another spanner, and the spanner moves. "Result" I think, until I realise I've just stripped the nut. I've attached photos of my mistake. I had to leave it tonight because I'm off out to a birthday party, but I'm properly annoyed with myself that this, for the moment, has beaten me.

What can I do to get the bolt out?

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13659128_549806161887520_9200545590486628270_n.jpg

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Get a big screwdriver in and see if you can gently lever the alternator out a bit then see if you can undo the bolts which hold the bracket on to the engine. That would let you remove the alternator and bracket together then once on the bench you should be able to remove the through bolt. 

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Do you mean the screwdriver on the top of the alternator where the adjustment is? I can definately do that.

I'll try removing the bracket, but is there a nut or something on the other side of the alternator that would allow me to get it out then?

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Undo the nut by clamping vise grips onto it (if you can get vise grips into the space)?

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1 hour ago, mickburkesnr said:

Do you mean the screwdriver on the top of the alternator where the adjustment is? I can definately do that.

I'll try removing the bracket, but is there a nut or something on the other side of the alternator that would allow me to get it out then?

Yes, I mean lever the alternator outwards. The brackets are usually held on to the engine block by a couple of bolts / set screws so if they're accessible you can unscrew them and remove the alternator and bracket off together.

Just a thought, are you sure that nut isn't welded onto the bracket? If so then you need to undo the head of the bolt.

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Thanks for the replies. I didn't think of a vice grip, I thought they were exclusively used for plumbing (only ever saw the old man use them when messing with the bath).

The nut isn't welded on to the bracket thankfully, it's just it hasn't been moved since the timing belt was last changed in 2005.

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A well-fitting hex socket might also grip it.

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Right, today didn't go well.

I went and purchased a vice grip, which made absolutely no difference other than strip it more. I could only get it to grip tight on the corner of the bolt so I could move it. I then looked at the toolbox and the biggest hex socket I had was 10mm and this bolt is a 14mm. I went to look at the bracket and from what I can see I can access one bolt to the bracket "fairly" easily, but the other bolt seems to be behind the alternator and there's no way I can get access to it without taking the alternator out.

So I've gone on to Amazon and bought a socket set full of hex sockets so I'm not reliant on the 12 point ones I have. I've also bought a bolt remover set which someone recommended to me. I didn't know using the 12 point ones could cause this much agro, so the hex sockets should help me going forward. Won't get these until Tuesday though so I'll report back then.

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Use plent of heat on it and get it glowing.

Then use a bolt extractor.

You could also cut net faces on it for a spanner using a grinder if you have enough room.

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So, I got hold of my nut extractors and amazing success! I popped them on, and the nut came off easily. So I won that battle.

Now, however, I'm left with a bolt. The bolt head I thought I had the problem with turned out to be a nut, and the bolt is still holding the alternator in place. The head for that is in the tightest place imaginable.

So its back to the drawing board for me!

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