A new twist?

Not personaly, but I did have the tensioner top bolt snapped off on two of my 94 9k's on different occasions. Let's see, the bracket is mounted on the timing cover by a countersunk screw (not unlike the ones on the brake rotor) and another torx screw in addition to the long top tensioner mounting bolt. Memory escapes me. I am not sure the long top tensioner mounting bolt also fastens the bracket to the cover or is there a third torx screw on the bracket.

Not personally but SAAB knows about it ;-)

When I got the belt on my 9k (1997) replaced and I was asking questions about the tensioner ... they were saying it does not fail often but if/when it does it causes damage like you describe. It rips some plate is what they told me.

Sounds to me (I have not seen how the componenets fit together) that the pressure on the tensioner fatigues the bits it sits on.

Charles

Thx for the leads.

I'm going over the bolts now - it appears that the tensioner and pulleys are fine. The plate and one (perhaps two if brother yaofeng is correct) have sheared.

I'm wondering if a bolt worked loose on the upper section of the tensioner

- then caused a cascading failure through to the mount plate. The roads around here are notoriously rough come the early spring and summer and it's been taking a beating rolling around town.

I think I'll locktite the bolts this time round, but I have to admit to being a bit surprised at having a part work loose down there. All part of the exciting world of utility classics I suppose. Makes me worry a bunch about what the previous owner had done in there.

Indeed my memory failed me. See below,

This is a picture I took when I did a 94 9k cde auto to 5 speed conversion last November. The tensioner top bolt is bolted onto the timing cover. The bottom of the tensioner is attached to the bracket. The bracket has a round pin where the tensioner bottom connection is fastened by a circlip so it can rotate.

Now the bracket itself. You will note the bracket is triangular. It is mounted onto the timing cover by three torx screws. One of the three is countersunk. If memory serves (which it apparently didn't the previous time) the three torx screws are to be tightened to 15 ft-lbs. If only the bracket failed, I consider you lucky. It is much less expensive than if the top tensioner bolt took out the mounting attachment on the timing cover, in which case you'll have to replace the timing cover.

BTW I don't think it is difficult to remove the broken bolt shank stuck in the hole. Experience tells me the shank is loose in the hole. You know the bolt tension is no longer there. So there is nothing much to prevent the shank from being extracted. A pair of needle nose pliers and patience will do.

Thank you again - the photo is actually very helpful and I've grabbed a local copy.

Hey - you don't happen to have a green 9000 you are parting out do you?

I am parting out my maroon 94 9kcs.