Well I got my valve cover powdercoated and replaced the gasket on my X. I got to the last bolt that I needed to tighten and it snapped off flush to the cover.

Here is a picture:

http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/245/120ax.jpg

Here is an other picture of the bolt:

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/2054/121agh.jpg

I kind of at a loss here..should I just go out a get a bolt extractor and try to do this myself or am I just wasting my time? I can't believe the last bolt crapped out. I was just finishing up.

Thanks for suggestions

 

You could drill it out and just retap it but you would have to be extra careful not to mess up your new powder coat job.

 

What I try when I get in these situations is take a small chisel and hammer and try rotating it out that way. Usually if it went in smooth and not cross threaded it shouldn't be very tight in there and once you brake it loose you usually can just rotate it out. Works most of the time and is much less of a hassle and would save your powdercoat job. Always a good idea to cover your holes when powerdercoating and cleaning out the threads still afterwards.

 

Go to home depot they sell screw removal kits, its a drill that makes a thread in side the screw and then you use a bit and screw it in and then you just turn it and it comes right out.

 

Get yourself a 3/16" reverse rotation cobalt drill bit and a center punch. Mark the center of the bolt and start drilling. Once the bit starts to bite it will pull the rest of the bolt right out. The only reason I'm telling you to do it that way is I'm sure there is some powder in there from the coating process and that's holding the bolt remains in there pretty tight. Otherwise you could have just worked it out with a pick.

Just make sure you take the coil off before you do this. I know it sounds redundant, but you broke a 6mm bolt. lol

 

Thanks for suggestions so far. I'm gonna hit Home Depot and see what I can get cause looks I need to pick up a few things.

-B

 

if you need to drill all the way through make sure to get the shards you dropped out before running the engine. i thought the valve bolts needed to be replaced after the first torquing, but i could be wrong

 

Drill it out as a last resort. If you can't use a chisel and hammer because it's too stuck, do like above stated and get a reverse bit and make sure it's centered, that should definitely do the trick. From the sounds of it, you didn't cross thread it, just over torqued it. I wouldn't see why the coil bolts are stretch bolts.

 

gl, and love the green color

 

cant tell from the pick, but try and use a dremel and cut a slot in it and use a screw driver to remove it.. I wont ask how come you put that much pressure either now or before on that small a bolt to break it off.

 

looks as if I'm going to have to go this route..I really did one hell of a job on a bolt I really don't know how I broke the thing off I can usually tell if I'm putting to much on a screw or bolt.

Thanks I appreciate it.

 

i would extreact it and re install a new one.it just looks like the head snapped from over torque.lucky its above the cover slightly ..better for extracting ..gd luck on extraction..

 

Buy a bolt extractor kit at your local autopart store and take your time. Nice color lets see a full engine bay pic.

 

Just pick up an extractor from your hardware store along with the necessary drill bit to pilot the hole.

Although things like this can give you a good scare the first few times they happen, this will be an easy fix. Imagine doing the same on a valve cover bolt in a Subaru and having to remove the broken bolt with the motor still in the car - that was a pain in the butt, but still was able to do it.

 

easy out