quick revised/updated crank bolt question

analog

New member
I have a 2002 Mitsubishi Montero Sport, 3.0L engine. At 100k miles, the original bolt sheared off. I don't know what was in it prior, but the original drawings show the old style bolt. After $1700 ($1100 of which was labor to remove the bolt) and rounds with the folks at my dealership, they ended up replacing the bolt with 1100A141 (along with the other parts).

Here's the worse news... today, at 139k miles, bolt 1100A141 just sheared off and left some of itself back in the engine too. Wonderful. I find it really interesting that this thread was just posted to a few days ago, so obviously it is still an issue. I found a youtube video that talks about this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmGlFnAXmbc

He claims he tapped it out with a bigger bolt. My dad and I are working on getting a machine shop to get the stuck bit out, hopefully at a lot cheaper price than $1100, and I'm thinking it would be best to do what the guy in the video suggested. Does anyone know what bolt strength rating we should be using if we stepped up to a 15mm or 16mm (assuming the bolt would fit through the balancer)? Any reason not to do it?

Will keep you all updated, as I'm sure others will face this issue in the future, and this thread has just about the best information yet that I've found.
 
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analog

New member
Brutal! Did you talk to the shop that originally did the work?

Nope. After that, I haven't gone back to them. But I am going back to get a new bolt tomorrow. And I'll be certain I mention it to them. I'm really curious if anyone else has had the "new" bolt style break on them. Since my engine is an '02, I would have thought I had the new bolt in there originally as well, so that makes two of them. In my mind, the original bolt was replaced with one just as bad and I will not be surprised if the rest of you see this issue eventually as well.
 
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analog

New member
Well, went in and they didn't have the bolt, but one of the gals at the service desk was well aware of the issue. I drove half an hour and got the bolt from another dealership. There is a guy in town who has a very well known reputation for extracting bolts and he came and looked at it and says he'll try to get the remainder out on Thursday morning. I would say maybe 10mm are left in out of the 50mm length the bolt is. He thinks when they put the new bolt in after the first time, that they didn't clean the threads properly and the end got jammed and it wasn't completely tight. He's apparently done a couple thousand bolt extractions so my guess is he knows what he's talking about. I suppose the lesson to be learned is make sure you clean out the threads well before putting the new bolt in. Asked him about tapping to a larger size and maybe using a stronger bolt but he said you can't tap the crankshaft any larger due to its hardness, so all we can do is tap the same size and clean up the threads if need be. The threads seem a little loose, putting the screw back in, so I might try to jbweld the threads a bit to help take up some of the slack. I'm going to have to use a release on the bolt (I read PAM works, got a test going right now) so it doesn't get stuck in there while the threads set. I'll let you all know how it goes and what I decide to do. I feel sorry for anyone else dealing with this.
 

Jay Ayala

Explorer
One of the AZ crew guys had a nightmare situation with his crank bolt break on his 95 SR. He eventually had have another crew member help him to somehow weld a new bolt to the broken stud sticking out of the crankshaft or something like that.


1989 Dodge Raider 3.0L
1997 Mitsubishi Montero 3.5L
 

analog

New member
A quick update - end of the bolt is out. It wasn't a big deal at all actually, it wasn't even too jammed, while he was drilling it it moved. Also removed the roll pin key which had snapped off. Not sure if that happened the first time and the mechanic at the dealership never replaced it (it was NOT noted in my invoice and I wasn't charged for it). My guess is he didn't, and that helped allow the thing to slip. I don't know if I had mentioned but at least one of my belts was slipping (twice saw the alternator brake/battery light combo kick in for a second) and making some burnt rubber smells before they finally came off.

Mixed up some jb weld and put on all the threads in about half way deep in the hole. Sprayed the bolt with pam and screwed it in by hand, a gentle tightening at the end with a wrench. Waiting for it to cure. In the meantime, my dad replaced the roll pin key. 7/8" long (I know), 3/16" diameter (I believe). Also got thinner washer to use instead of the thick one - the reason is that there is about another 4mm of depth to the hole when using the regular washer, and those threads are the best in the hole, so we definitely want the bolt to grab into them.

Will let you know how the jbweld turned out when we pull the bolt.
 

analog

New member
Well this is going to be my final reply until something else happens. New bolt is in, got everything tightened down. Built a tool to hold the pulley and put about 115lbs of torque on the bolt. That's as much as we could get. It's been a couple of weeks now but I think it called for 130lbs. Anyway, has been working fine so far after a few hundred miles no issues. I'm going to order a spare bolt just to have on hand if this ever happens again. Oh, last thing, I have to recharge the AC system and AutoZone rents out the vaccuum and dials for $300, which you get back when you return. Fair deal.

Last final word of advice - check your bolt whenever you change the belts, at least.

Good luck to anyone else having to make the repair.
 

andrewr

New member
I'm a bit confused as to what needs to be done to swap this bolt out. Could someone give a brief rundown? I've got a gen 2.5.

Noticed some home built tools and not sure if this is a simple swap or needs to be done when new belt goes on. If this is clearly spelled out somewhere else please verbally flog me and point me in the right direction. Thanks
 
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nwoods

Expedition Leader
I have to recharge the AC system and AutoZone rents out the vaccuum and dials for $300, which you get back when you return. Fair deal.

Is your AC system completely flat? The little cans of freon are pretty cheap, and the AC Pro kit from Autozone or wherever has a long enough hose to thread onto the refill valve.
http://acprocold.com/ I think I paid under $30, including the first can with the nozzle, and a second can to complete the job.
 

d*rock

Member
Can’t believe my first post will be this: I had seen a video on YouTube on a timing belt replacement that suggested (and showed) to stamp a dimple in the top of the bolt every time it’s removed and reinstalled. They suggest it should only be removed and reinstalled 3 times—the dimples indicated the number of times.

Anyways, loving this forum! Been a huge help with my research. Just purchased my first used Montero—1998 SR 3.0 with 64K miles. I know what you’re thinking, but it’s a Puerto Rico/Guam spec Montero so it’s an oddball and doesn’t have all of the features and options as a US spec. I like to think it’s unique, and it certainly is here in the mainland when you compare it to the US spec ‘98 Montero. :)
 

plh

Explorer
I had seen a video on YouTube on a timing belt replacement that suggested (and showed) to stamp a dimple in the top of the bolt every time it’s removed and reinstalled. They suggest it should only be removed and reinstalled 3 times—the dimples indicated the number of times.

Its quite a bit of torque on that bolt. Not sure why they would say 3x is OK. It should be replaced with every timing belt job. Assuming that is the only time the bolt is torqued.
 

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