Idler Pulley....Problem with TX Bolt!

[94GTLaserRC]

Went to take off the Wazee Idler pulley, b/c it sounded like the bearings might be bad. Took it off, put some lube on it, but when I went to put it back on, the bolt kept wanting to go in at an angle. I could NOT line it up to go in str8. I fed it through the back, and with minimal effort, got it to come through to the front...but still no luck putting it in through the front.

On Joe's Advice (Thanks btw!), I sent to H.D. to get a tap of the same size, to "clean out the threads". They didnt sell the right one ( it is a 10mm 1.5 thread size), so I bought a couple of bolts that would fit to use as a "cleaner".

Got home, fed it through the back, then fed it through the front, with some effort.....TX bolt still wouldnt feed str8. I finally just put a lot of tension on the pulley bolt to hold it str8, then turned the sucker until the bolt went through...Im sure I must have "re threaded" that hole, because the entire way in, it took some effort to get it in.


As of now, there is about 1 to 2 degrees of "play" in the pulley, but the bolt is on REALLY TIGHT!!

MAIN QUESTION:
Is there anything I can do to get this thing "done right" If I re thread the hole, I need a new bolt...I dont think you can buy one just like that with larger threading.

Also...Does anyone know if the little center cog wheel in the Wazee pulley is supposed to stay with the bolt when you take the pulley off, or is that cog wheel supposed to "stick" onto the inner circumference of the pulley?


I know this is a lot of info, but im just concerned that something might "fly off" the car if that bolt is not on there the way it's supposed to be.

Thanks, and thanks again Joe for the info.

RC

 

[HoofnIt]

This tip may be a little late but I've had good luck using anti-seize whenever trying to start a stubborn bolt.

 

[1105]

To contribute to HoofnIt's tip... use anti-seize on any steel bolt thats going to be threaded into an aluminum surface... That's about the only time you'll need it.

RC, Only thing I can think about is heli-coling that hole... I'm sure you know what heli-coils do, but incase you dont, you basically drill out the hole that is messed up with the given size drill bit, then you use the heli-coil tap and tap the hole you just drilled, then install the heli-coil and you're good as new. I dont know if they make any big enough for what you need, but its worth a shot. I did my lower intake manifold and it feels better than what edelbrock had when they made it.

You can also always look for a new PS bracket and start fresh if nothing else works. Hope you get it worked out.

 

[94GTLaserRC]

Zach, I guess that thing youre describing is like the things you put into wood so that you can thread a bolt through it?

It is the IDLER PULLEY, and that tip with the hole may be too small to make a large hole that that will fit in.

I EMailed Mike Wazee, and it turns out the Ebay auctions for those pulleys include a 10.8 machine bolt that replaces the tx bolt. Since the bearings on that pulley may be bad, I might just order a new one from him and get the bolt that goes with it. If all else fails, I may have to tap the hole to 11mm and get a bolt of the same that matches the bolt that Wazee supplies with his pulley.

Thanks
RC

PS...I have LOADS of antiseize...should have used it