You know those threads where someone explains how they screwed up their car, and as you read it you're thinking, "You dumb@ss."? Well, I guess this is one of those threads.

I put in some new spark plugs tonight. There's a cable (don't even know what it is) running across the top of the valve cover, which runs through a bracket bolted to the front of the valve cover. I took that bracket off to make my task easier, but lost the bolt to that bracket somewhere in the engine compartment and was unable to find it. I decided to start the car hoping the bolt would vibrate out. But that open hole in the valve cover worried me. I had visions of oil spraying out and igniting on the turbo.

So I decided to temporarily "borrow" a bolt from somewhere else. I borrowed one of the bolts holding down the radiator overflow tank, and sure enough the threads seemed to be the same as the one I lost. I hand-tightened it as much as a I could, gave it a twist or two with the ratchet, and then *snap*!

So now I have a broken bolt in my valve cover. Edit for clarification: the head of the bolt broke off, but the "body" of the bolt is still threaded into the valve cover; it did not fall in.

(Side note: this is pretty much why I no longer wrench on my own cars. I *always* do something like this.)

Anyone wanna recommend my next course of action? I have another car, so I don't have to get the Evo running immediately.

Thanks in advance for all who took the time to read this.

 

hmmm, tough call. take the cover off first. then if you can get a drill on it, drill a hole through the middle of the broken off bolt. it may even threat out easily if it is not lodged in there. but once you have a hole through the middle go get a SQUARE extractor. the reverse drillbit ones suck. the square ones require you to hammer them in the drilled hole, and then twist out with a wrench.


you could also try taching a piece of metal to the broken off piece in there if you have a welder... but i'm guessing you don't start with option number 1.

 

Yah, no welder. I live in an apartment.

I didn't know about that square extractors existed. Good tip; many thanks!

Sounds like this'll be a weekend project.

 

make sure its a good drill bit.

 

yeah you will need a good bit good catch beaner. get something very hard like a carbide drill bit. cheap drill bits will take forever to drill through a hardened bolt like the one you have

 

some of us evo guys are gonna meet up tonight....if you want to you can come out and i can take a look at it see if i can get it out for you

 

go to sears and buy an extractor bit. they cost a few bucks...

 

Thanks for the offer. I didn't see this until a little while ago. I had my karting league tonight.

Status: I drilled on it a little bit and basically made it worse. Even if I'm able to get it out, the threads for that hole are toast. But AFAIK it's not a bolt that does anything other than hold that speedo cable in place. So now I'm choosing between Plan B and Plan C. "B" is to take the valve cover off, drill that beyatch out by any means necessary, and then work on a way to plug up that hole with a bolt run from the inside out, a few washers, maybe an O-ring or two, some silicon sealing crap, a locking nut, and maybe a cotter pin. "C" is to admit I'm a putz, tow it to CarBoy, and throw a lot of money at Jackie to get him to fix it right.

Opinions and Plan "D" advice are welcome.

 

jeez man, did you use an extractor bit to drill or did you use a regular ol' drill bit? if you messed up the threads just get it re-threaded. my plan "D" advice would be take it to someone that knows what they are doing.

 

Well I think you will find that taking the valve cover off will create more problems for you than it will solve.

Now seems like the time to capitulate and pay to have it repaired properly. If you have a friend that is skilled and will do it for free, maybe.

 

I'm leaning heavily towards getting it done right by someone who knows what they're doing.

 

OK that is truly an EASY fix, but you should without a doubt have a professional spend 30 minutes and have it done right..............Then go buy yourself a beer..

 

Hey Berserker, you can rethread the hole if you want. I don't really know what they are called. If you go to like Autozone or Kragen, they should carry them. When I stripped my Hotside when i was putting the O2 Housing on, I went and bought those and rethreaded my hotside and the bolts went back in...

 

What you are referring to is called a tap.