Help, some parts fell out of my engine!

[zyphit]

I was changing the oil on my '95 2.8 L turbo diesel L400, and imagine my surprise when I find these guys sitting happily on top of the skid plate. Looks to me like some kind of mounting bracket.



My wife says she'd heard a rattle a few days ago but the noise stopped and the vehicle still drove just fine so she didn't mention it. I've been backwards and forwards through my shop manual but I can't positively identify the parts, and looking up (and down) at my engine I can't see anything obviously missing or out of place.

Any thoughts on what they could be from? I'm a little worried because if the skid plate didn't catch them (plus whatever parts it didn't catch) I might never know they were missing, honestly the vehicle still drives just like it always has, no new noises or motion. In fact it's been running so well that I'd put these parts on the shelf and forgotten about them; since then we've driven 2,000+ km with no issues. On a 1-10 scale, how screwed/lucky am I?

Thanks!

[Big-Bird]

Thats a belt tensioner assembly for your alternator. The bracket is hard to see as its partially covered by a radiator hose and thermostat housing. Its pure luck the alternator isn't flopping around under the loss.

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The bracket you showed in your photo appears to be broken however....it should have a fork at one end for that long tension bolt(same pic) to push against.

The block on that long bolt is secured to the top of the alternator body and the long bolt is adjusted in/out for belt tension. Better get that checked before a belt falls off and takes out the radiator hose or worse.

[macro]

x2! If I recall from when I changed my alternator and belts the only tensioner was at the alternator itself. I could be mistaken though. Good thing you found them! The alternator bolt is tight af if it's never been changed so that could be keeping everything in position for now.

[zyphit]

Thanks for identifying the pieces. Now I have to find a replacement part if that one is broken. Any suggestions on a mail order supplier?

[macro]

Coombs may have a used one on hand. I would have a look first though, could be perhaps some small bolt fell off taking that with it!

[Big-Bird]

with a bit of pry bar leverage to get proper belt tension you can still use the old bracket (minus the long tensioner bolt) until a replacement bracket comes in.

If you're on the mainland then give Rising Sun, Amazing Auto or maximum overdrive all 3 are in the Richmond/New Westminster area.

My money would be on Rising Sun who probably have a used unit on a shelf.

[zyphit]

So upon closer inspection the flange on the tension bracket is still in good shape. What appears to have happened is the bolt that connects the tension bracket to the engine seems to have come off and the adjusting bold and the bracket then came off and ended up on the skid plate. For some miraculous reason the pivot bolt beneath the alternator is holding fast, but that's not something I want to rely on. What I need is a new bolt to reattach the bracket. Does anyone know the specification for this bolt? My shop manual doesn't say, but I guess I hope it's the same as the lock bolt that attaches to the top of the alternator?

[Big-Bird]

Just contact Steven at Rising Sun Auto Imports (In Richmond) and tell him what you need. He wil have it a shelf in his inventory of used/new parts. I get all my local parts from RSI

[zyphit]

I just wanted to put a little bit of closure on this thread by reporting on my repair progress. I got in touch with Steve and Rising Sun and he very quickly found the bolt I needed and had it shipped up to me yesterday. I was able to reinstall my tensioning bracket (by feel, it's a bit cramped in that engine space, as you well know) without too much difficulty and the van continues to run well. I'll check on the weekend that things are still tight, but I'm considering this particular issue completely resolved. Thanks again everybody!