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I was thinking a thread insert but that is one place where I would be hesitant using one since it is subject to movement and vibration. If the tensioner bolt comes loose it will trash the head.
Maybe somebody more knowledgeable will come forth.
I’d start by running a tap down the hole. The threads in the hole might be salvageable. If the threads are too far damaged, consider a heli coil insert and just apply some thread locker to the heli coil. If the hole has enough material around it to support drilling out that hole a little, you should be fine. You do need to make sure not to drill to deep to bust into something like a cooling jacket though.
Beschullery I think barneyb is right. If you make a big hole and use a big thread it may cause the loose tension for belt. As I asked one of my mechanic friend who works in Tiremania Auto Repair Shop he advised to repair it by a expert because if want to make a hole inside the block there need to be carefully may be an expert knows a better solution for this problem.
Unless the engine is out of the car, the fun part is going to be trying to drill or tap into the bore that is stripped.
Standard operating procedure for me in this situation is to obtain a thread repair insert kit from NAPA, which I believe is Heli-coil. The insert kit comes with a tap and inserts and the tap tells you what size hole to drill. You drill a bigger hole but it uses the original bolt like nothing ever happened in the end.
I would have to be really happy with the results of cleaning up the existing threads to reuse them because of the timing belt depending on it. If did go with it, I would use red threadlocker on it. I would probably still use it with a repair insert because of the vibration and critical nature of the fastener, but I do trust inserts and have never had one come back or fail to work in the first place.
That being said, every previously stated point here is valid and installing thread repair inserts properly requires skill and experience. It’s really your call if you’re up to the task. If you can draw a straight line or circle freehand that looks pretty good, it’s that kind of coordination that’s required to do that from the side and have it be straight. It has to be straight. If you pull the engine to do it like Summer_Night insinuated, that makes it require a lot less skill.
Where it’s at, he’ll have to pull engine out to get drill in. He can re-tap. That’s for sure. Unless he has 90 degree angle drill, but then what are the chances of drilling square hole? We are looking at about 2 inch clearance for hand to slide in, that’s it.
He can try lifting that engine side up, if that tensioner is more towards the valve cover edge, but from what i know, it’s not.
There is a quick and dirty way of fixing this, but it depends, OP, on what you want to do with this car. Keep or sell? She’ll be good for another 75 000 miles after timing belt/pump done, you know. Your call. PM me.
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