Quote:
Originally Posted by BillGrissom
Pretty sure you are correct about the 13 mm socket for the head (been there several times). If I recall, that aluminum bracket attaches to the block w/ 3 bolts. I vaguely recall they differ in length. If you don't have a test bolt, push a stiff wire to the bottom of the tapped hole, subtract 1/4" so it doesn't bottom out and go to a hardware store and get a metric bolt with the correct length (from bottom of head). Kudos if you find a chromate plated one and grade 8. It also needs a steel washer so it doesn't dig into the aluminum. M-B used very thin washers, but any will suffice.
Worst-case, the old bolt snapped off in the block. Then you would probably have to remove the compressor and bracket, and hope enough is sticking out to grab w/ vise grips.
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Bill, that is an excellent idea... I'll do exactly that. Further research has confirmed the bolt size as m8. I hadn't even considered the possibility that the former bolt had broken off on the block... I once had a look under the hood during a refuel after hearing some light jingling and found one of the Ac bolts had nearly backed itself out. Kinda figured that's what had happened here. I just replaced another missing bolt from that assembly -the one that holds that upper AC line in place near the same region. Fingers crossed.
*** I imagine Antisieze paste is in order if the bolts aren't zinc plated? I know home depot has a pretty deep selection of metric bolts. Went fishing through them the other day for potential future broken thermostat housing bolts. Doing that job this weekend.