Lizard928

dont use vice grips they are a waste of time, if you can get around the whole head a small pipe wrench is 1000x easier, however with the room on a 993 TT I didnt even suggest that as I know that it probably isnt an option

jpitman2

Which bolt is this? What will happen if the head does break off? If this is ok, do a couple of Dremel cuts until you can break it off, and remove the stem after getting the thing apart. Of course if its the water bridge, and it wont come off with broken bolts in there......dont even want to think about it.
jp 83 S Not having been there, yet.

GlenL

Scanned, didn't see this one:

Grind down the end of the allen wrench so the the corners are sharp and end is at a crisp 90 degrees to the sides. Some allen wrenches have a rounded edge you might still get some grab at the bottom of the hole.

Flott Leben

I would try the next size allen wrench first, if you can jam it it there. Then put a nice long piece of pipe over it (or breaker bar with a small enough socket). I've gotten allen heads off with vice grips before. Maybe not the best method - but if you crank down the jaw spacing, really clamp it on (turning against the angle of the teeth) and give it a good whack or two with a hammer, it might just loosen up. Good luck!

karl ruiter

I have sometimes had success using a 12 sided splined allen (similar to a trox, or what is used on 914 CV joints). This allows me to go a little bit bigger than the rounded hole but not so big that it's really a struggle to get in. I've had these in my tool box for years and years so I'm not really sure where to get them from, but you might try McMaster.com. In the worst case, an allen head makes a good drill guide.

TRUESCOTSMAN

My favorite fix for allen bolt that dont want to budge and get rounded, is to use the torx bits that plug into there own drive holder. Knock in the torx in with a hammer, usually they are slightly bigger than allen keys, and have the sharp edges which bit in to the bolt. Usually works for me..............................Jim

ViribusUnits

JB weld is a sorta multi purpouse automotive super glue.

Most auto stores I've cared to look for it in, carry it.

Course, you may end up with the allen wrench permently attached to the bolt, but at least you'll get it out.

2V4V

I have to agree with Karl and Truescotsman -Torx bit and a hammer to drive it in.

Not the optimum solution, but works incredibly well, is cheap, very time efficient, very low risk of damage to the surrounding parts.

I have had to do this on a number of occasions (esp on dirty, corroded underbody cars) and it has yet to fail.

Good Luck,

Greg

SharkSkin

If you find that the Torx bit won't hammer in tight enough, try combining that with JB weld. The splines on the Torx bit will hold enough JB weld in there to really lock it in place. Don't do it with your favorite Torx bit though...

D

993tt

Guys!

Thanks for all the tips. Now I have atleast 6 different (possible) solutions for my problem I'm going to the shop later today and see what I will find. I will post pics later so u can see what the fuzz is all about.

/E

Gareth Croeser

getting back to vice-grips, i found that, with a lot of penetrating oil and the vice-grips on seriously tight, i was able to get the hex bolt off the thermostat housing, by wiggling (i.e. loosening and tightening, repeatedly) it for ages...

heinrich

vice grips have worked well for me in the past with allens or stripped bolt heads. i have used tougher pliers, but the usual effect is that if the vice grips won't get it out, then anything else will just tear the bolt into tiny pieces.

993tt

As I said before, thanks for all the help!

Since I cross posted this in three different place (because of my panic) It's a little difficult to update them all. From now I'm only going to write in this thread (in the 993 forum):

https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...hreadid=116485

If you want update or se the pics I just taken, just follow the link. And no, the problem is not solved yet

thanks
/Erik

Flott Leben

Does anyone know, from an engineering standpoint, why Porsche used allen head bolts so extensively on our engines? Was it because they could be torqued higher, could fit flush with the surface (on some of them), etc? They sure can be a pain sometimes to get off when striped. Just interested.

Gretch

Dono, but I have a set of metric star drive tools I bought from Snap On many moons ago to service the head and manifold bolts on my Opel Kadett. They were big bucks, and I never used them again......

I know that there are two allen head bolts in the back of the block holding the damper brackets down, and the one on my drivers side is not gonna get any tighter, nor is it going to be extracted the conventional way...... ever.....