Well, just spent about 5 hours pissing about with a Fiesta 1.25.

A mate needed the cam belt doing as its on 106k. So I have it in to help him out

It became obvious that someone had been there before. When I took the cam cover off the ends of the cams were snapped off where the timing plate slot in. No biggy as they can still be timed up.

Got everything off and timed up and was going to undo the bottom pulley bolt and its rounded off Someone has deffo been there before although he has had the car for a year. Could see the blank for the crank timing tool was chewed too - why would that be chewed?

I spent ages trying to free the bolt but to no avail. I even went and got a 450nm impact gun, made a 90 degree impact bar etc . Even with the flywheel locked it was a no hoper as the socket was going round on the bolt (I bought a brand new socket specifically for the job).

I don't have a hot spanner and so put it all back together again and sent him on his way - I'm miffed cuz I couldn't do it, he is as he will have to go to a garage with oxy accetylene gear.

My question is, if i cut the head off the bolt with an angle grinder would I be able to remove the remaining bolt shaft easily as I know they are stretch bolts and not sure if they would bite (it may even have threadlock on it). I woud have another go if I thought cutting the head off was ok. If not the the only way its gonna work is if its heated well.

So, its not the tightness its the fact that its rounded off - smacking a smaller socket wont work - it will be too tight for that.

Any suggestion as I still wish to help him.

 

There's no patch lock on bolt. But I've seen them bite. You tried an irwin turbo socket or similar? Those things grip circles and don't let go. The cam ends snap when cowboys do the cam bolts up with the plate as a torque reactor

 

tbh not tried irwin stuff as yet but will try owt that works lol.

remember this is for a rounded Zetec bottom pulley bolt (no key way)

I'm cool if I can just get the bolt out ha ha

 

I'm gonna get it back and modify the bottom pulley cover