Astro tensioner mounting

butch27 · November 06, 2016, 09:58:39 AM

W orking on the shop truck and took off the tensioner ('92 Astro 6 cyl). When I took out the single bolt that holds it to the aluminum mount it just unthreaded like it was into a boss on the mount itself. WELL something fell on the backside of the mount and now there is nothing to run the bolt back into. The mount bracket is just hollow and it Bigger that the bolt What he heck?? Help Thanks Butch

UGLY OLDS · November 06, 2016, 12:31:05 PM

I am pretty sure that there is a small threaded steel plate that fits in a recess on the back of the big aluminum housing that the tensioner mounting bolt threads into ... Fish around in the area behind the alum mount & next to the timing chain cover with a magnet ....Also look in the recess at the back of the harmonic balancer & stick the magnet in that area too...
You should find the little plate or threaded part that fell ....
Astro Vans are the BEST at hiding stuff that falls ....

Hope this helps ...

Bob...

butch27 · November 06, 2016, 02:17:23 PM

thanks I'll give that a try. Wish I knew what I was looking for. it has to be threaded AND fit inside of the back of the mount that is round , hollow and be long enough to allow the bolt to make contect. This is screwed.

butch27 · November 06, 2016, 09:54:45 PM

I felt around in the recess in the back and it feels like a hex nut MAY fit inside.But nothing to really hold the bolt centerlined. ??

UGLY OLDS · November 07, 2016, 10:50:18 AM

The tensioner housing is centered in the bracket by a raised area in the center on the back of the housing ..( See photo..REMEMBER..You are looking at the BACKSIDE, or mounting surface of the tensioner in this photo..) ..
Make SURE when you mount it the little nub goes into the small hole in the big bracket...The bolt does not align the tensioner housing, it only secures it to the big aluminum bracket ....Sorry , I could not find a photo of the "nut" or plate that the bolt screws into....Did you try sticking a magnet down below that area to retrieve it ??

Bob ..

butch27 · November 10, 2016, 11:40:58 PM

There IS a hex indent in the back of the bracket for a 10 mm nut BUT not just any nut. Nooo. The one from the dealer is about .030 smaller on the shoulders than ANY nut you can find. Rip- off

UGLY OLDS · November 11, 2016, 11:12:46 AM

Quote from: "butch27"There IS a hex indent in the back of the bracket for a 10 mm nut BUT not just any nut. Nooo. The one from the dealer is about .030 smaller on the shoulders than ANY nut you can find. Rip- off

Not a rip-off...It's called"proprietary hardware"..

Do we have success & did the "Magic Magnet" find your old one :?: :?:

It's gotta be there somewhere :!:

You will find that it's prolly the new annoying rattle when you hit bumps ....

Bob...

butch27 · November 13, 2016, 10:25:57 PM

Never found it but got one at the dealers and they said they are no longer available.

wayne petty · November 17, 2016, 12:22:44 AM

time to make like coffee and grind your own nut to retain the bolt.. even if you have to take the bracket off to see the fit..

there are cavities in the back of the bracket for that Nut to bounce into .. there are also on some .. crush tubes between the back of the core support bottom and the front of the crossmember i have found stuff laying on..