Broken Valve Cover Bolt...

[dude1116]

Hi guys.

Silly me doesn't know my own strength. When hand tightening a valve cover bolt I snapped it off flush to the head. What are my options here? I've never really had to extract a bolt like this before so if you can tell me exactly what tools I will need to use to make this a success, I'd really appreciate it.

Luckily it's the driver's side front most bolt...the easiest to extract.

Thanks again.

And yes I'm going out to get myself a torque wrench.

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[dude1116]

The answer to this question...

1) Use a punch to pilot a drill hole.

2) Use a 5/64 drill bit to drill a hole...probably about 2mm deep.

3) Use a screw extractor. I used a Ryobi number 1. Make sure to use A LOT of pressure and go VERY slowly. The extractor should grab the bolt and back it right out.

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[GunnerSchenck]

My passenger side valve cover has the front most, top bolt broken off just like this lol
Been running it this way for 30k.. yes I know, stupid me.. broke it off during installation, and yes I was using a torque wrench at the proper specs.. last one I was tightening and ssnnaaappp..
Checked my compression and there was no loss, so I said screw it lol just gunna leave it until I need to dig in there for a rocker arm or something else lol


Glad you got yours out though!! (biggthumpup)

 

[dude1116]

My passenger side valve cover has the front most, top bolt broken off just like this lol
Been running it this way for 30k.. yes I know, stupid me.. broke it off during installation, and yes I was using a torque wrench at the proper specs.. last one I was tightening and ssnnaaappp..
Checked my compression and there was no loss, so I said screw it lol just gunna leave it until I need to dig in there for a rocker arm or something else lol


Glad you got yours out though!! (biggthumpup)

I'm just hoping when I go to redo this that none of the others snap like this...I wasn't tightening it all THAT hard.

 

[GunnerSchenck]

I believe it, I think some of them must just get brittle around wherever the leak was from hot oil flowing around them.. cuz it was only one bolt and like I said I was using my torque wrench.. so I just stared at it once it broke, like hoowww?
I mean mine could be sticking out of the block slightly, but didn't feel like taking everything back off to check lol

How long did it take you to get yours out? I have some really nice bolt and screw extractor sets, just haven't felt like doing it..
Did you cover up the valve cover opening when you were drilling? Was wondering how much metal shavings would result from it.. probably not much, but definitely would rather having a stuck bolt than go dropping all that into my top end. I'll probably just tape them off and cover it up beforehand, just been waiting for a reason....and ambition to do so lol :Stupid Me:

I constantly ask the LAPS's if they have a bucket of ambition I can get from them, but it seems everyone is always fresh out!!

 

[dude1116]

I believe it, I think some of them must just get brittle around wherever the leak was from hot oil flowing around them.. cuz it was only one bolt and like I said I was using my torque wrench.. so I just stared at it once it broke, like hoowww?
I mean mine could be sticking out of the block slightly, but didn't feel like taking everything back off to check lol

How long did it take you to get yours out? I have some really nice bolt and screw extractor sets, just haven't felt like doing it..
Did you cover up the valve cover opening when you were drilling? Was wondering how much metal shavings would result from it.. probably not much, but definitely would rather having a stuck bolt than go dropping all that into my top end. I'll probably just tape them off and cover it up beforehand, just been waiting for a reason....and ambition to do so lol :Stupid Me:

I constantly ask the LAPS's if they have a bucket of ambition I can get from them, but it seems everyone is always fresh out!!

Once I actually had the tools it took about thirty slow and careful minutes. The valve cover was on...but slid down slightly (You can see this in my first picture). So I shoved shop towels in the small hole/crack that was exposing the valves/timing chain to metal shavings prior to drilling. While drilling, I had the vacuum on standby. So every now and again I would stop drilling and vacuum up the metal shavings. I didn't drill very much considering I noticed the bolt moving slightly if I switched drill directions. Meaning the bolt end was actually pretty loose. Once I had enough for the extractor just to bite a little bit, I gave it a shot and sure enough it came out. As you can see by my result picture...there wasn't much the extractor had to bite onto.

 

[turblediesel]

Left handed drill bits for the ez-out hole can sometimes back the broken part out.

I use quarter inch drive sockets and ratchet on the small fasteners.

Nice job getting that out!

 

[dude1116]

Left handed drill bits for the ez-out hole can sometimes back the broken part out.

I use quarter inch drive sockets and ratchet on the small fasteners.

Nice job getting that out!

I actually couldn't find any at Home Depot or Lowes! But I was looking for them. Would love to have both for my tool box.

 

[GunnerSchenck]

I have a set of them and they've worked great on many things, but are actually what I used to strip out the screws on my TPS I recently made a thread about
I have had really good success with them on lower torque value fasteners.. but when it comes to anything really stuck they've always dug me a bigger hole... both literally and metaphorically