Broken Valve Cover Bolt
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Elder User
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 540
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From: Northern MD
Broken Valve Cover Bolt
I was replacing the lifter cover and valve cover gaskets, when the bolt facing the firewall on the valve cover snapped. There's not much room back there, so I'm wondering if anybody has any ideas. I'm hoping that I'm not screwed.
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 733
Likes: 2
did it snap so that you can't get the valve cover back on? I'd recommend a pair of vice grips. you want to be careful not to get metal shavings in the engine (duh...) if that won't work, you're probably going to need to pull the engine to drill and retap, or take it to a shop. you might get it with an easy out. thats a hard place to work from.
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Elder User
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 540
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From: Northern MD
Of course, with my luck it broke off flush at the head, so there's nothing to grab onto. I think I'll try my 90 degree die grinder and see if I cant get most of it out. If I can, I'll just drill it out an put a threaded insert in there. What's weird, is that every other bolt was barely hand-tight, and this one was seized in there.
New User
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 8
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thats not a problem this happend to me just get and easy out at lows or a hardware store and how it works is that you dill a small whole into the broken bolt (i used a dremel tool) and the easy out is basicaly a backwards screw and just unscrew it somepeople dont like easyout but it worked fine for me
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Elder User
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 540
Likes: 0
From: Northern MD
Just when I thought it was hopeless, I went to my local hardware store and picked up a 90 degree attachment for an electric drill. Using sharp bits, I was able to drill out the old bolt and install a Helicoil. I always wanted one of those attachments anyway. 
