Broken Valve Cover Bolt
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 2,005
Likes: 0
From: Ridgecrest CA
Broken Valve Cover Bolt
I was taking my passenger side valve cover off to repaint it when one of the t-bolts holding it on busted off in the hole. It is just below level with the head, so I can't grab it with anything.
Is there any better option than to just use a bolt extractor and be VERY careful not to get any flash in the heads/valves?
Is there any better option than to just use a bolt extractor and be VERY careful not to get any flash in the heads/valves?
Racer
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 303
Likes: 28
From: los angeles ca
Unless you have a tig welder handy and can carefully weld something to grab onto the end of the bolt. Drill it with a left hand drill bit, half the time it will come out before you get to the extractor.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,523
Likes: 1
From: grand prairie texas
It sounds like the t-bolt must of been cross threaded when it was last installed. About the easiest way is to drill and use an easy out and run a 1/4 x 20 tap thru it before you reinstall new bolt. Pack lots of damp paper towels around area to catch shavings. good luck
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 10,628
Likes: 132
From: Duvall, WA
I did this when I was about 16 on my '77 Trans Am, with a Pontiac 400 (circa 1982). I just drilled it out with a bit slightly smaller than the threads and then ran a tap into the hole. It worked fine until I sold the car in 1987, and I had the valve covers off and on at least three times a yaer for one project or another.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,950
Likes: 498
From: Chino Hills CA
If you have a dremel, you can get these very fine tip grinding bits, looks like a pin with a small abrasive ball on the end. You can grind out a slot across the broken bolt face and then use a screwdriver to remove it. Unless it was cross threaded, it should not be difficult to remove.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,795
Likes: 1
Originally Posted by wnmech
It sounds like the t-bolt must of been cross threaded when it was last installed. About the easiest way is to drill and use an easy out and run a 1/4 x 20 tap thru it before you reinstall new bolt. Pack lots of damp paper towels around area to catch shavings. good luck
it sucks most of the shavings right in to the vacuum.
also before you start drilling try to center punch whats left of the bolt
so you can drill straight in without slipping off.
good luck with that
