Radiator fluid leaking from the timing belt tensioner shaft – how screwed am I?

B

bavaria72

True Classic
Well after 4 months of working on my Bertone I am close to firing it up. As I was adding new radiator fluid to it fluid started dripping. I finally found the leak and it is a the base of the shaft that goes into the block which holds the tensioner pulley. Not a particularly good pic below but you get the general idea. Do I simply unscrew the shaft out and apply selant or is it worse than I think? Thanks - Art
 
Art, don't panic...

sealant is all you need. Drain the coolant below the level of the stud, double-nut it to back it out, make sure everything is dry, apply the sealant, and screw it back in. 10 minute job.

Pete
 
What Pete said

That stud has provoked more OMG! false alarms than just about anything else in the car. It goes all the way through the front cover into the water jacket.

Often it's the act of slacking the tensioner nut that triggers the leak... and of course that's part of the timing belt procedure, and the timing belt change is a mandatory rite of passage for new X owners... So their first experience is fear that they've somehow done mortal damage to the engine block ... :shock:
(Ask me how I know)
 
bavaria72 said:
Well after 4 months of working on my Bertone I am close to firing it up. As I was adding new radiator fluid to it fluid started dripping. I finally found the leak and it is a the base of the shaft that goes into the block which holds the tensioner pulley.
Click to expand...

Hey Art,

You say you're close to firing it up, have you actually installed the tensioner yet? That is, when you filled up the coolant, is the motor as we see in the picture? If "no" to question #1 and "yes" to question #2, clean up the mating face on the bearing carrier and on the block, install the tensioner bearing and the leak will go away. The bearing carrier covers the hole next to the tensioner mounting stud. Can't say what's worked for others, but I've never needed sealant.

John O.
 
Yes, it was installed

Hi John, Yup the new tensioner pulley had been installed along with the timing belt. Thanks - Art
 
Thanks Pete!

Cool. I'll eat lunch then back out to the sauna, I mean garage for a little R&R on the little darling. Thanks - Art
 
Good info Eric

Thanks Eric for the info. I that repalced 5 ot 6 belts in the past but this is the first time it has ever happened to me. Glad it is nothing big! Thanks - Art
 
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