Broken valve cover bolt

[acschilling]

I snapped the head off a bolt on the driver side valve cover. Luckily it's the "easier" side. Does anybody have suggestions on tools to use to get it out or have done the same thing and successfully removed the broken bolt?

Greatly appreciate help!

 

[FR-425]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uQb4NxclV4

Don't buy a cheap extractor.

BE GENTLE if you snap the hardened extractor off in the bolt the drama really begins.

 

[natenkiki2004]

You might get lucky and find a nub hanging out once you get the valve cover off. If so, maybe try some penetrating oil followed by some heat and a pair of vice grips? If that fails and you have a buddy with a welder, weld a nut on that sucker & try again with the heat. If THAT fails, I might try the extractor but use it as a last resort.

 

[2stroke]

Reverse (left hand) drill bits are my go-to. I have a set of easy-outs, but they are a pain to use. I just pop in a reverse drill bit, and drill the bolt out. Some times you ruin the threads, but a tap will fix that no problem. If you really want, you can weld a little tit on the top (assuming broke off flush) then weld a nut to that as natenkiki2004 said. It works, but its slower, and its really only doable with a mig.

 

[1992explorerMi]

I broke 2 off while changing that same drivers VC bottom 2 closest to the fire wall. I was lucky and when the valve cover came off there was a nub left so i threaded a nut on it welded them together through the top and applied light heat on the holes walls. Both came right out

 

[tidmarshsmiths5]

I snapped the head off a bolt on the driver side valve cover. Luckily it's the "easier" side. Does anybody have suggestions on tools to use to get it out or have done the same thing and successfully removed the broken bolt?

Greatly appreciate help!

My biggest fear! I broke two doing a water pump on a Bronco II and one someone else did and used "gasket sealer" to seal around it.

I tried everything...finally got a left hand drill bit & tap kit and worked them out. One had just enough on it to thread a nut on it and with enough PB Blaster and some torch heat finally got it out.

It took me (I am a novice, impatient and a complete moron some days) about a week.

It's on in the tools and patience. Good luck! If you can find a "buddy" that has experience it helps a bunch.

 

[2stroke]

Its just a small bolt in a relatively open area without the plenum. Whether you weld a nut on, drill and easy out, or reverse drill bit and tap, it should not be that hard. Make sure to stuff rags in the head to keep metal out. Then again the OP doesn't have to deal with rust in CO like we do further north. I cant tell you how many hundreds of broken bolts and studs I've removed in my life. Do not forget anti-seize when putting it back together. That stuff is a god send. I wouldn't use heat on this one. Its not needed, plus you risk warping the head by heating only one spot, not to mention its right next to the fuel line/fuel rail.

 

[FR-425]

[MENTION=148250]acschilling[/MENTION] OP never came back. Bump?

 

[Maniak]

just a tidbit for anyone else. .

You can replace those bolts with 1/4" x 20 (I'm pretty sure it's 20 tpi) set screws. Basically you use them like a stud and then put a nut/factory washer on it. Doing this makes it so much easier to get the gasket to stay in place and use you use an allen wrench to get the stud/set screw in.

~Mark

 

[FR-425]

just a tidbit for anyone else. .

You can replace those bolts with 1/4" x 20 (I'm pretty sure it's 20 tpi) set screws. Basically you use them like a stud and then put a nut/factory washer on it. Doing this makes it so much easier to get the gasket to stay in place and use you use an allen wrench to get the stud/set screw in.

~Mark

This