coolant elbow remnant inside of serpentine tensioner

[worb4me]

it's kind of gooey now that I've soaked it w/liquid wrench repeatedly. The thing is stuck, tried picks, tried pulling at it with pliers. I haven't even been able to pull the tensioner off (yes all bolts are out). This version (1998 GP GT 3800) uses only 1 elbow unlike the Camaros that use both. Would like some suggestions for getting the stuck portion of the elbow out. I'd attempt to burn it out w/a butane torch if I had the tensioner out, but not while it's still on the car. Would jamming a piece of old denim in the hole and soaking it with boiling water make it come loose? I bought a small serrated paring knife from Wallyworld was thinking I could at least saw down to or nearly down to metal, and some process would cause it to come loose at that point. Haven't tried yet though. TIA.

Also, my tensioner has the plastic elbow coming from the top passage, a metal tube (don't look like an elbow to me) going into the engine. That's where the problem is w/regards to removing the whole tensioner assembly. I've been told that other years/cars had replaceable elbows (plastic or aluminum) for both holes, maybe Camaros for similar years (and clearly for the 3800 engine). Can anyone confirm this? And specifically which year Camaro?/??? would I need to shop for in order to find the tensioner assembly that uses both replaceable elbows. Not ready to replace it just yet, just in case. The car cost me very little money, and don't want to dump any extraneous dollars until I'm good and sure it doesn't have any massive problems.

[Tech II]

Yes, depending on the year of the 3.8, the older versions had one elbow on top, and an o-ring on the bottom.....if you have all the bolts out which is evident because you can move the assembly, then the o-ring is just sticking in the hole.......just give it twists left and right as you pull the assembly(if it doesn't twist, you have a bolt still in there),,,,,if really stuck(rare), use a pry bar, towards the bottom......

It's usually the elbow at the top that leaks.....that elbow only has o-rings on it, and should pull out easily......if broken off, with the tensioner completely out of the way, a pick should get it out.....otherwise, break it apart, and get all the pieces out...

lube the o-rings on the new elbow, and on the stub with petroleum jelly, for easy reassembly....