Well... I'm kinda lost atm on my engine tear down. I got my turbo 13B core stripped down to the block itself on an engine stand and when I went to take off the rear tension bolts in order specified by FSM, they didn't budge. So I worked on em for awhile with PB blaster and wrench and eventually I ended up on a 650 ft/lb air impact gun and they STILL won't budge! I mean these suckers are on there tight! I thought tension bolts were supposed to be only torqued at around 28 ft/lbs?? Anyone have any idea why these bolts are so solidly locked. My suspicion is this may have something to do with why the engine is locked up and dead.

 

okay here some questions...are you the first owner of the block if not where did it come from? was it rebuilt by you or by somebody else before you...and just because the block is locked or not budging with you...has nothing to do with the tension bolts...this is crazy stupid funny bro...it's got me wondering...but the only thing i could think is that he/she used a **** load of lock tite on the last rebuild like a dumb *** and closed the block...**** make no logical sense...

 

I obtained the core from a dead second gen turbo 87 RX-7 in a yard somewhere. I was tearing it completely down to see what parts I could save to build up a motor for my SE. This motor is completely locked up and you can just barely get it to move ... slightly / slowly... with the impact on the front eccentric pulley (trying to take that bitch of a nut off showed me this).

And now I have this tension bolt issue.... I am debating taking some serious heat to the bolts but don't know what kind of issue that may cause.

 

My shitty *** impact wrench didnt budge em so i took one of our screwed up breaker bars and hit it with a large steel mallet to break the stuckness. Worked like a charm.

As for what they are torqued with i think its only like 60-70 lbs. So as teddy said, red loctite or something? or super overheated and like rusted them in? Idno hard to say


I dont think heating them will do much. They are like foot long bolts with thread at the end so i would think youd need some serious heat to do anything

 

Did you have it sitting on the ground when you used breaker bar on it? My engine stand looks like it's going to have a coniption when I try to use a breaker bar on it while mounted.

 

okay your talking abou the 16-17 tension bolts on the back of the motor right? i just want to make sure were on the same page...i have never ran into this problem...im probably guessing that from sitting so long...and with the water that was left in the chambers every just rusted away and went to ****...

Try using or not try using...use a large breaker bar 1/2 inch 17 inch socket and make it happen...

got any though djessence

 

Alright... I'll try the breaker bar and see what happens.

 

hey man just break the mother ******* lose man don't be scared...you gotta do what you gotta do...

 

By breaker bar i wasnt using the 2 foot long bar that pivots at the head. I was using the bar that the drive slides along. If that makes sense. Ours was bent so it was not biggy going at it with a hammer. Took a couple good hits. Makes sure after every hit that you re-put on the socket cuz it will have come off a bit and you dont wanna strip the head.

Doing this to a proper breaker bar can bend/break it. If you have a breaker bar, and extension you may be able to like sit on it (the whole 3ft long with 150 lbs gives you 450 ft lbs of torque).

As to not working with your impact wrench, I personally never had much luck with them getting tough nuts off.

 

We can only keep our finger's crossed and hope that everything worked out...looks like he went to go and man handle that ****...I wish him much luck...

 

lol... 3 foot breaker bar did it... 3 loud pops and it broke loose. Best advice ever... don't be afraid ha! I was a little paranoid about them but I see they were just fully torqued on. Thanks guys

 

anytime bro...let us know what your working with when you crack the motor open...and how bad the damage is

 

You often can't use an impact on tension bolts. Why? Because each 'impact' is only a fraction of an ich. This is not enough rotation to get anywhere on the long tension bolts. They simply flex (like a torque stick) and you won't get anywhere. The best advice is to use a really long breaker bar or a cheater tube over a regular rachet handle and a high quality 17mm socket. 6 point and shortwell is prefered. Use some arm strength and they will flex until the threads start to turn. Then you're home free.

 

Glad to hear you got em loose.

 

Well I got her totally cracked open and apart and see what happened. Nothing more than carbon lock. In fact... this motor was rebuilt a short time ago from my initial inspection and is absolutely immaculate. Not a single point of corrosion, seals look great... what a gem. Not a single chip or real score (from what I can tell) in the chrome on the housings. And to think this thing was just sitting in a yard somewhere. I guess dreams do come true

 

I got my tension bolts off with a regular 3/8th ratchet and 17mm socket. Engine been sitting 2+ years and never rebuilt. Came off easy. Glad to see yours finally came apart!

 

sounds like good news, a cleaning and some new gaskets are in order

 

Man, you got lucky. Glad it worked out in the end.