Penny Trick Problems...

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Matt F

Member
Posts
12
Location
Forest of Dean
Good Morning, My 1995 TDI is making a really loud squeaky/chirping noise. I have read about the penny trick and removed the belt pulley tensioner unit to give it a bit of a clean and spin the tensioner to check barrings etc...Now I cant get the thing back on! The bolt will not thread. The engine was slightly warm when I tried last night, will this make a difference? Plus I keep dropping the penny !! any tips would be gratefully received. I'm a complete novice at this so please use idiot proof language as I had to google what a serpentine belt was !
 
it should be a stud and nut, start the stud first with some loctite on the thread, tightening it with 2 nuts locked together,then fit tensioner the securing nut then the belt, if it needs skewing with a penny buy a new tensioner
 
When you removed the tensioner the stud should have stayed in the casting. I assume the stud and nut came out together? If that is the case then try removing the nut from the stud (use the two locking nut method to hold the stud) and try screwing the stud in by hand. If it won't go and there where fine ally slivers on the stud when you removed it then there is a good chance that the threads in the case have stripped. Never been a fan of the penny trick as it is a bit of a bodge technique and doesn't really solve the real issue (a worn tensioner). Many will say it works and works fine, however it does mean that the stud is being slightly bent when its nut is tightened and could potentially fail. Report back with pictures would be beneficial
 
jamesmartin said:
it should be a stud and nut, start the stud first with some loctite on the thread, tightening it with 2 nuts locked together,then fit tensioner the securing nut then the belt, if it needs skewing with a penny buy a new tensioner
Click to expand...
Thanks....I took it off on Friday night and refitted it without problem as I had to drive on saturday. last night i removed it and tried to put it back on but no luck...would the fact that the engine was still warm have an effect on it?
 
Kwakerman said:
When you removed the tensioner the stud should have stayed in the casting. I assume the stud and nut came out together? If that is the case then try removing the nut from the stud (use the two locking nut method to hold the stud) and try screwing the stud in by hand. If it won't go and there where fine ally slivers on the stud when you removed it then there is a good chance that the threads in the case have stripped. Never been a fan of the penny trick as it is a bit of a bodge technique and doesn't really solve the real issue (a worn tensioner). Many will say it works and works fine, however it does mean that the stud is being slightly bent when its nut is tightened and could potentially fail. Report back with pictures would be beneficial
Click to expand...
Thanks....its not the tensioner bolt that is the trouble, its the bolt that holds the other part of the system....the bit that the tensioner is attached to.
 
Matt F said:
Yes....thats it! When I undid mine, 8 and 10 are attached and just unscrewed and pulled it out. Thanks, Ill try and separate them and just try the stud as advised. thanks again
Click to expand...
Make sure all the threads are good and clean before you refit it, once you are happy with it re-install it with thread lock
 
Matt F said:
Thanks....I took it off on Friday night and refitted it without problem as I had to drive on saturday. last night i removed it and tried to put it back on but no luck...would the fact that the engine was still warm have an effect on it?
Click to expand...
no,you werent trying to fit it with the belt in place ?
 
Matt F said:
No, I learnt that lesson on Friday ! I line up the marker dog and it sits in nicely but it just wasn't catching. Ill try again tonight in the light and maybe try and remove the bolt from the shaft to see if that helps.
Click to expand...
If you want to do the job properly (and once) fit a new Dayco tensioner and either a Dayco or Gates belt. Will save you hassle in the long run.
 
Matt F said:
No, I learnt that lesson on Friday ! I line up the marker dog and it sits in nicely but it just wasn't catching. Ill try again tonight in the light and maybe try and remove the bolt from the shaft to see if that helps.
Click to expand...
fit the stud properly and you wont have alignment issues as tensioner will just slide over
 
Matt F said:
No, I learnt that lesson on Friday ! I line up the marker dog and it sits in nicely but it just wasn't catching. Ill try again tonight in the light and maybe try and remove the bolt from the shaft to see if that helps.
Click to expand...
No need to remove any bolts, the tensioner should just slide on to the stud, the peg should align with the hole in the case, secure with nut and then fit belt
 
Assuming the stud threads are good it may be worth running a tap through the casing threads, not sure of the size (possibly 8 x 1.25mm but check). If that doesn't cure it then its probably time for a helicoil.
 
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