Patience Needed....sheared bolt head

[Greenbraes]

I thought all was going so well....carbs off and cleaned back on and engine fired up and idled perfectly...but there was a reasonable oil leak on the left hand corner of the cam cover...not a problem because I have all the bits..new gasket and rubbers...got all the studs except one (above middle left cylinder)....I found the head has been sheared off and what looks like the cam cover has been thumped around a bit and the hole may have been squeezed onto the sheared stud and will not lift off....pictures below....any ideas???..I really don't want to have to take the engine out at this point...a good second hand cam cover is on its way...if I could wedge something in it might start to move the cover up the stud??...the cam cover is free moving all round the rest of the top.





RB

[SqDancerLynn1]

I would try drilling it with a left hand drill bit, maybe an easyout

[Greenbraes]

problem with drilling is I would need to take engine out to get access..if I could wedge the cover up it might go but I am scared I might damaged the seal face on the head....it is just the stud head that has broken off and is jammed in the hole in the cover...., if the cover comes off it will expose the stud and I can get a grip onto it and screw it out cheers anyway

RB

[DanTheMan]

Get a Dremel tool and cutting disc and very carefully cut the bolt hole. Since you've got a new camcover coming anyway, ruining the bolthole in that one shouldn't matter. In fact, you should be able to cut it right there where the bolt head is sheared and the cam cover will pull up ove the bolt to a point where you can use a vise grip on it and unscrew the bolt.

[Greenbraes]

Just what I have done DanTheMan.....dremeled to death



BUT I now have this to get out....I'm sure I will but I am s***ing it in case it breaks



fingers crossed....I can get mole grips on OK but any better ideas let me know!! I have a lot of patience....or until the new cam cover comes lol

RB

[tkent02]

Heat is your friend.

[platinum2]

weld a nut to it, the heat from the weld should be enough to loosen it ,and then just take it out

[Greenbraes]

have to be careful here, the camshafts are now exposed right next to the stud so welding might be out but I could very carefully heat it....how much heat is OK (eg red hot???)..last thing I want to do is soften it and it snaps
cheers for the support guys

RB

[bccap]

Heat, PB Blaster, and whack it with a hammer. Then work it back and forth with vice grips.

[hampshirehog]

I wouldn't mig weld there - you would risk getting bits of spatter in your top end. Gas torch hot only - no need to get it red hot. It won't be that hard to get out.

[Greenbraes]

thanks for the positive feed back guys...will be very patient for now.....don't have PB blaster readily available over here in UK (have some WD40 but it is not the best) my better half does have nail varnish remover (acetone). All I need is some ATF or something similar.

RB:

[spyug]

Heat, PB Blaster, and whack it with a hammer. Then work it back and forth with vice grips.

Works for me. You will want to heat the area in the head that the bolt screws into and not the bolt itself. Get it hot but not cherry. Have the grips on the bolt and as you apply heat pull on it (gloved hand of course) and it should come free. If it doesn't come free next apply the penetrant liberally and let everything cool down. Repeat the heat. I think it should actually come free after the first application of heat.

Good luck with it.
Spyug

[hampshirehog]

WD40 is no good at all. You should be able to get 3-in-1 professional penetrating oil at Halfords, B&Q or any decent autoparts place. It's bloody good stuff.

[platinum2]

o.k.... if you weld.... im sure you must be smart enough to use flame proof blankets,or tarping of some kind?...
cover the the parts guys im sorry i didnt spell it out
heat the aluminum to much and it will melt or warp badly, then you will need to heli coil it, or weld it full with aluminum,and re tap

soaking is not a OPTION... nothing will get in the thread area,it is seized in there by corrosion or something,

MAYBE- a cordless drill tight on the stud area,with the clutch almost max,might break the thing loose if you work it back and forth
good luck bud,ive been there it sucks

[JayWB]

You have enough of the bolt sticking up that it shouldn't be that hard to remove. Get a small Stillson wrench (that's commonly called a monkey wrench) (http://images.search.yahoo.com/searc...tillson+wrench). They grip tighter as you apply pressure. Use the wrench to put a little pressure on the bolt to loosen it while simultaneously tapping the bolt straight down with a small hammer. Light pressure and light tapping for as long as it takes. You'll be doing the same thing as an impact wrench, and as long as you keep the pressure low you're in no danger of breaking the bolt. This will absolutely work if you're willing to be patient with it.