I have a 2002 S60 that needs work, some of which I am attempting to do myself. A while back it started to make a noise in the engine compartment near the drive belt area. I tried a few simple things but it would not go away so I brought it in to my local Volvo mechanic. They told me it was a idler assembly, which looked very wobbly so it seemed logical. When they replaced it it still made noise and they then said it was the alternator bushings, and wanted $650 to replace, I said no thanks.

I bought a remanufactured alternator for $125 and have been trying to put it in, but the problem is when they replaced the idler assembly, the new one uses a Torx 50 bit to move the tensioner to remove the serpentine belt (the old one used a standard 12mm crescent wrench). I have bought 3 torx bits but cant find one short enough to put on a rachet or breaker bar and get in without hitting the side of the engine compartment. The stubbiest one I could find is 1 1/2" long which is too big, I need one about 1 1/4".

Please help, any idea where I can find a short, stubby Torx bit ???

Thanks.

 

here is a link that will help you with what you need....not sure if you can flag down a snap-on distributor that drives the trucks or not but if not look at this link for snap-on here is the link: http://www.snapon.com/international/...ate=11/30/2009 or try this link it might help as well: http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/p-74...ct1050-03.aspx

 

If you don't mind sacrificing the torx bit, a dremel tool with a cutoff wheel will can be used to cut the bit as needed.

 

You can buy a T50 replacement bit and use a box end wrench on it
Maybe that would give you enough clearance.

Snap-on sells one:

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....store&tool=all

They don't state the length on the web page, but you could call and ask.

 

I've modified tools before to get a specific job done. Go to somewhere like Autozone and buy a house brand T50 socket for around $4-7.
- you could use it without a rachet, use a pipe wrench on the chrome socket portion of it
- you could cut down the torx end of it with either an abrasive cut off wheel as mentioned above, or hold the end on a grinding wheel until its short enough.
- you could cut off the socket end from the torx/hex portion with either an abrasive cutoff wheel or diamond grit hacksaw then use a standard wrench on the hex portion before it becomes the torx portion.
- or ????, just look at it and think of alternatives by sacrificing the single cheap T50 you bought.

 

I ended up buying a set made by VIM, on Amazon of all places, and it worked great.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ef=oss_product

Thanks everyone for the advice.