PeteL

away from removing my pressure plate, and I stripped it out. Dammit.
Pissed.
Thanks for reading, just venting, but since you are here....
how can I get this thing out?

944Ross

Are you talking about hex-socket bolt on the PP? First thing I'd try is putting multiple layers of heavy aluminum foil over the head of the bolt, then pounding the bit in as deep into it as possible. Sometimes, when the gods are with you, there will be enough shape left to the socket to get a bite. "Waking up" the bolt helps (see Clark's). If you have one of those hand impact drivers, more the better.

If that fails, it gets uglier...

marky522

IS this a Hex bolt or Triple square? If its a triple square pound a slightly larger torx bit into it and when loosening it be very gradual with your application of pressure, slowly build up, it should just finally let go.

Mark

Mike C.

Or rotate the crank so that the bolt near BDC (for access) and drill the head off.

Van

+1 Measure one of the other bolts, and use a drill bit that's the diameter of the bolt shaft. In just a few minutes, you'll have the head on the drill bit, the pressure plate off and you can remove the rest of the bolt (probably with your fingers, but maybe vice-grips.)

PeteL

Yep it's a hex head. Probably going the dril route. Have new hardware waiting to go in.
May use this extra time to get a new flywheel too. It just sucks to be this close and have a lousy bolt get stuck.

Van

I'm surprised it's only 1 - I average 3 strip ones when I do clutches.

Techno Duck

I had to drill the head off one when i did the clutch on mine last summer. Went very easy.. im happy those tripe squares werent some ridiculous material. I think the reason i had a problem is i loosened all of the other bolts too far, causing the pressure plate to bind a little as it was pushing up against the flywheel / clutch disc putting excess tension on that one bolt. As soon as i drilled the head off and took the pressure plate off, i was able to remove the rest of the stud by hand . Chalk one up too inexperience.

PeteL

You are probably right! I didn't even think of that. The one bolt that is left has the plate pushing against it. If I had noticed, they got more difficult to remove as I went. I wonder if I put some bolts back in, and take some of the pressure off, I may have some luck?
Thoughts?

951Saga

Try it! I stripped one myself.

Good rule to follow; If there is a torque sequence then use the same sequence during removal. Break all the fasteners loose first then remove incrementally in order.

Please partially tighten two or three bolts down before you drill the damaged head off.

Techno Duck

I would do exactly that, thread back in and snug down 3-4 of the bolts and try again. I had this same problem the first time i took the cam tower off my n/a when i was still very much a rookie wrench. The allen head bolt closest to the firewall, and to make it even better the one recessed in the cam tower was stripping because i took out all the other bolts before that one. The head was stripped so bad even after putting the rest back in i still could not get it to budge without the wrench slipping. In a stroke of luck i hammered the allen key in and it finally broke loose. And we all know how tight those damn things are!

But even if you have to resort to drilling, its not bad. The heads are relativley shallow on those bolts so it goes quick. Just take care not to drill into the ring gear... i found that out by accident, luckily i had a spare ring gear on hand. .

Rock

F that!

I had one strip on me, just one. I ended up drilling the bolt head off as much as I possibly could. The pressure plate is a heavy **** and there is a lot of stress on that one bolt. Drill the head off as much as you can, then go to town with a pry bar and rubber mallet and that thing will come flying off, then remove the remainder of the bolt with vice grips.

PeteL

It makes so much sense now. It was probably too late at night, and too many beers when I tried to take the pressure plate off.
Great advice!
Thanks

joemis

I had a similar problem when removing the cams on my 944S2. I had 3 triple square bolts strip. Tried all kinds of screw extractors and methods. Was getting ready to drill the bolt heads off and I found this screw extractor at Sears. It grabs the outside of the bolt head. Just tapped it down over the bolt with a hammer and I had all 3 out in less than 5 minutes. I don't remember the exact cost of the tool, about $15 I think for a set of 4 or 5 in different sizes. The drill method will work also from my experience, so I think you will be alright either way.

Joe M.
1989 944 S2

joemis

For anyone interested, here is a link to the tool I mentioned in my last post:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...d=bolt+remover

I've used them on my porsche and serveral other projects and it worked every time.

Joe M.
1989 944 S2