Crank sensor install question

[Stamos]

In the process of putting my engine back together after doing a timing chain replacement. Got the cover on and got it seated, got all bolts started then tried to install the crank sensor and that's when the head scratching started,,,,,

Of the two special bolts on the lower portion of the timing cover, the longer bolt should go on the lower position of the crank shaft sensor mounting point, however, both of my "special" bolts are the same length.
I know for certain these bolts came out because the intercooler bracket was still attached to the bolt that doesn't have a captured washer on it, but when attempting to reinstall, the bolt barely makes it through the crank sensor bracket and front cover with barely any threads protruding to catch into the block.....WTF? Do I have a wrong bolt? All the other bolts in the front cover went in without issue.....

 

[Coelacanth]

Those look a lot like the 2 bolts that attach the A/C lines to the upper radiator support; one half bolts into the support, then you slip the A/C line mounting tabs over the other half, and 2 nuts hold them down.

 

[TurboDave]

Obviously the wrong bolts.


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[Stamos]

I jettisoned the bolt and bought a new one from Home Depot. Worked like a charm.....thanks for the replies guys!

 

[Coelacanth]

Don't throw it out...you might end up needing it.

 

[pacecarta]

the one bolt is for the upper waterpump and is metric , the washered bolt is 3/8-16 with a metric M8 stud used at lower exhaust manifold locations , neither are for the block which takes 5/16 sae thread bolts and the lower timing cover (and sensor) bolts had a metric m8 stud for the intercooler brackets

 

[Stamos]

Don't throw it out...you might end up needing it.

Don't worry, I put it in my box of spare bits and pieces.

 

[earlbrown]

How did you use a home depot bolt to hold down the bottom of the timing cover?

Are you using the intercooler bracket and plastic ALT wire hanger as 'washers' to torque down the cover? If so, that won't work. Somewhere in your shop should be a special bolt with longer SAE threads to account for the thickness of the crank sensor bracket.

 

[Stamos]

How did you use a home depot bolt to hold down the bottom of the timing cover?

Are you using the intercooler bracket and plastic ALT wire hanger as 'washers' to torque down the cover? If so, that won't work. Somewhere in your shop should be a special bolt with longer SAE threads to account for the thickness of the crank sensor bracket.

Hello Earl,

No, I am not using the plastic wire hanger as a washer. My assumption is that at some point in my GN's history, somebody was under the front cover and used the wrong bolt during the reinstall. As I took the bolts out of the front cover during the tear down phase, I put all the bolts into a cardboard template I made. I knew this bolt was wrong as it came out because it nearly fell out. Because the lower right bolt in the front cover is a "special" bolt I knew finding a replacement wasn't going to be easy. I'm running a FMIC so my I didn't have a need for the bolt to be an exact replacement.

I took measured the depth of the bolt hole into the block and found the correct length and thread pitch bolt at HD. It went in with no problem (yes I used a washer) and torqued down correctly. The only caveat to my solution was that the ALT harness is only held on by the one side and zip tied on the other.

 

[earlbrown]

Make sure your zip tying is safe and functional. You do not want the crank pullley to grind into that wire.

it's unfused and hot as hell!