If you removed everything(ac compressor, alternator and bracket) you should have clear access to it. You need to get a square socket not a 6-12 point. And you need to start the tap by hand! And you are not using the T handle that's what the socket is for.

 

It might help to know what you're working on...model, year, engine...

 

Thanks, I can’t believe I asked at two different auto parts places for something that would drive the tap. No one mentioned a square/4-point socket. That’s exactly what I need.

Thanks.

 

99 ram van 1500 with 5.9L engine.

 

I think a 12 point socket will turn a square tap

 

They are lucky if they can look up parts, They no less than that when it comes to repairing things. You may not get a perfect fit on the tap but it will turn it. Most times the square is ground in the tap and it is not a standard fraction to fit a socket. Measure the size of the square on the tap, You may find just one the right size on ebay, Otherwise you will have to get a set of them somewhere. I have been using square sockets for this but they do make tap sockets. Don't know if the heli coil tap will fit these.

 

That's all I use, a 6-point won't work but a 12-points fits a square drive just fine because it has 3 sets of equally space 4 corners.

 

I have a 2000 ram van 2500, and within 5 months of having it I decided to replace the thermostat with a fail safe thermostat. On the process I didn't remove enough components to get to the housing cleanly and I stripped the rear bolt hole. To fix it, I removed the alternator, disconnected the ac compressor, and removed the housing bracket that held them. I drilled out the hole with a 21/64 bit and used the 5/16 oem tools version of helicoils from auto zone. While putting it back together the other hole stripped out. I couldn't get the helicoil to thread this one, so I dropped a new hole right next to that one, and helicoiled it. This worked since the front bolt hole doesn't go through to the engine. I then used permatex the right stuff gasket maker to seal it. This fix lasted for about a year and it started leaking all of a sudden. When I had removed the housing the piece of the block that I had drilled the new hole in crumbled on my hand. I built it back out using steel stik, drilled and helicoiled into that one is had set, and used liquid thread tape on the rear bolt and put it back together as I had before. 2 months, no leak.

 

I am really not a fan of the fail safe thermostats. They invariably fail.... and quickly too. I just use Stant Super Stats, and have had no trouble with them.

 

I've had fail safe on all the of my vehicles for years, haven't had but 1 fail, and that was because of too much rtv