yea i took the safe way out and decided to get it out using the T45 which is a relief. I took a T50 and with a hammer could make it fit pretty snug. do you think the strength of the head has been sacrificed to the point that i should just wait til monday and get the new bolt from the dealer or since the T50 is even larger than the intended Torx bit it would work? I know it'* not really worth the chance but i guess what it comes down to is how hard is it to get this replacement bolt?

Yea i agree, and a T47 of all sizes. It was hard enough to find a T45. Home Depot only had up to a T40 and i had to go to Lowes to find a bigger one. Where do you get a T47? thats a pretty odd size.

Good job on getting it out. Yeah, DJ, it'* a torx, and they can be a real PITA to keep from stripping out putting the belts on even with the proper torx bit.

1994se, the bolt should not be hard to get from the dealer. However, if you want to take it the extra mile, I'd check with a well stocked, or local hardware store and see what they may be able to get for you with a standard head. It will save a lot of headaches in the future. Take the bolt with you. I have that on my list of things to do. Or, you can check with the dealer and see if the bolt for the accessory belt tensioner will work there.

Why isn't it a 15mm hex head like on a Buick?

Unless it'* a special bolt with a shoulder on it, I'd just get the right size metric threaded bolt from the hardware store and maybe put a flat washer under the head. That would get me by until I got to the dealer on Monday. Archon?

That would be conveniant. Does the hardware store carry reverse threaded metric bolts?

I could have sworn that I answered this post this morning. Guess I forgot to hit "submit".

First off...we could go steal the bolt from Macdrive'* Buick while he isn't looking.

That is another option to check with the dealer if you go there for the bolt. Otherwise, some hardware stores will have the reverse threaded bolts. Putting a washer on it, and then using the collar that is there should work just fine. Let us know what you do.

(Now, remember...hit submit.)

I forgot about that part.

haha, that'* nuts! why didn't they just keep it a bolt like on older engines like mine...that was a good design!! boy you gotta wonder about those GM engineers...

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....re&dir=catalog

Nice pic Mac (don't you work for MAC tools?)
Almost all autoparts stores have the T47 Torx as well.

The interesting thing on the series II'* is that one tensioner is a 15mm bolt head and the other is this silly torx. Only thoughts on this are they were trying to leave more room around the battery. (Not that it'* tight..that'* the only guess though)