Cam cover bolt broken how to best remove?
#1
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Hi,
I'm in the middle of replacing my cam cover gaskets, cam chains and wear pads.
Of course one of the bolts broke(only one though of all on both covers)and as you can see in the picture there is quite a big piece left to get a grip on.
So far I have tapped on it with a hammer, drenched it in WD40 a couple of times and left it over night, heated it with a torch and it will not move at all.
What is the best bet here?
Heat it up more and try again or any other suggestions how to get the little bugger out?
![](http://forums.rennlist.com/upload/p1030272_1_1.jpg)
Thanks/Peter
I'm in the middle of replacing my cam cover gaskets, cam chains and wear pads.
Of course one of the bolts broke(only one though of all on both covers)and as you can see in the picture there is quite a big piece left to get a grip on.
So far I have tapped on it with a hammer, drenched it in WD40 a couple of times and left it over night, heated it with a torch and it will not move at all.
What is the best bet here?
Heat it up more and try again or any other suggestions how to get the little bugger out?
![](http://forums.rennlist.com/upload/p1030272_1_1.jpg)
Thanks/Peter
Last edited by Peter F; 03-07-2009 at 02:02 PM.
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heat the head area with a Mapp gas torch (yellow canister) it gets hotter faster douse with the PB , and use a set of vice grips on the bolt ,it should come out, use PB blaster instead of the WD40
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You're lucky, there's something to grab onto ... mine broke off perfectly flush. Then again, mine was on the top row and the cover is stiff enough that there's never been a sign of any leakage there. I just crammed in a round rubber piece to hold the washer and rubber seal in place.
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Hi Tom and Merlin,
yes you are so right, really lucky but still not able to make it move at all...
Will try and heat the head with my electric heatgun first and then move on to gas torch and see if that does the trick.
Can't beleive how it can be that stuck?
/Peter
yes you are so right, really lucky but still not able to make it move at all...
Will try and heat the head with my electric heatgun first and then move on to gas torch and see if that does the trick.
Can't beleive how it can be that stuck?
/Peter
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cover the rest of the head with a sheet or two of tin foil , you wouldnt want to drop something into the open head.
Have a fire extinguisher ready if your using heat
Have a fire extinguisher ready if your using heat
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The best penetrating oil is supposedly a 50/50 mix of acetone and ATF (Auto Trans Fluid).
http://sterkel.org/systems%2Denginee...ating_Oils.pdf
http://sterkel.org/systems%2Denginee...ating_Oils.pdf
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Andrew, Did you ever find out what kind of PSF was supposed to be used? I'm guessing it's not the Chrysler stuff, since I tried that and it separated from the acetone like salad dressing.
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#8
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Peter--
While the electric heat gun may eventually work, the idea with the MAPP gas torch is to get a lot of local heat in a hurry. You really want the aluminum to expand a bit off of the steel bolt threads. Fighting your efforts is the mass of the aluminum and it's ability to carry heat away from the local area, etc. Plus the cooling system that's built to transfer local heat from the heads. The MAPP gas torch is the way to go in my opinion.
While the electric heat gun may eventually work, the idea with the MAPP gas torch is to get a lot of local heat in a hurry. You really want the aluminum to expand a bit off of the steel bolt threads. Fighting your efforts is the mass of the aluminum and it's ability to carry heat away from the local area, etc. Plus the cooling system that's built to transfer local heat from the heads. The MAPP gas torch is the way to go in my opinion.
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Too bad they seem to be a bit confused about PSF vs ATF. I just an email to the author's email address as provided in that note Andrew linked.
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Thanks all for the comments and advice,
I will have to buy a larger gas torch I guess and will also get a bottle of a spray I tried some time ago which freezes the object you spray on and also contains some kind of penetrating oil.
(Heat the aluminum and give the remains of the bolt the freeze treatment :-) )
Hopefully I will have time to fix it this week, I'm off to Denver on business on Friday.
Thanks again/Peter
I will have to buy a larger gas torch I guess and will also get a bottle of a spray I tried some time ago which freezes the object you spray on and also contains some kind of penetrating oil.
(Heat the aluminum and give the remains of the bolt the freeze treatment :-) )
Hopefully I will have time to fix it this week, I'm off to Denver on business on Friday.
Thanks again/Peter
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Good luck Peter and go carefully..............I had a broken VC bolt DS upper left and after trying the LH drill method and no movement the extractor broke the flange on the cyl. head.
Hopefully there's enough threads left on the flange to engage some torque on the new bolt.........I'm bummed
Hopefully there's enough threads left on the flange to engage some torque on the new bolt.........I'm bummed
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Hi Malcolm,
yes that is a bummer for sure hope it works out for you.
Still havn't had time to go at this again, might have to wait until back from the US.
/Peter
yes that is a bummer for sure hope it works out for you.
Still havn't had time to go at this again, might have to wait until back from the US.
/Peter
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This should be enough. ![Smilie](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif)
![](http://www.biltema.se/Archive/Product_images/19/Huge/19-739_h.jpg)
http://www.biltema.se/products/produ...?iItemId=90741
Just remove soldering tip and it should get bolt to almost bright red temperature.
![Smilie](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif)
![](http://www.biltema.se/Archive/Product_images/19/Huge/19-739_h.jpg)
http://www.biltema.se/products/produ...?iItemId=90741
Just remove soldering tip and it should get bolt to almost bright red temperature.