What to do about broken valve cover bolts???

[Kdubslugga]

When i got some chrome valve covers, i decided to replace the bolts with stainless steel, big mistake, when i was torqing them down i snapped 2 heads off on the passenger side and 1 on the drivers side. I just drove it like that for awhile, cause i didnt want to mess with it any more, well now, oil is leaking pretty bad in the back "of course the hardest spot to reach". I tried using a hacksaw and cutting a slit into it, but the stainless bolt just bent and snapped in half. What can i do to get those suckers out of there? I cant drill them out because there is not enough room

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

I'd think drilling and using one of those easy out things is just about all you can do? I know it's a PITA to drill back there but there's gotta be a way? I'd say you can just use some gasket maker sealer stuff and keep resealing it untill you have a need to pull the motor or something, but that's kinda ghetto.

You could at least get away with pulling just that head and tapping it out instead of pulling the whole motor, but i'd honestly rather pull a whole motor than a head.

 

[Kdubslugga]

Yeah it is a PITA, the one one the Drivers side is not bad, because its the middle one and on top, so its not leaking that much. But the passenger side sucks, because its the two in the very back, so its leaking real good

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

That sucks. Looks like a good reason to buy some new heads!!

 

[281pony]

can you take the rest of them out, and pull the valve cover off?

grab the threads with some pliers?

 

[Kdubslugga]

Yeah, the valve covers are off, i just have the broken bolts sticken up, i thought for sure i had enough to put some vise grips on it and twist it off, but nope, its just chewing away at it. And oh trust me, if money was there, id just get new heads, not an option now though

 

[blk92stangg]

if you have patience, I am pretty sure you could use a dremel with the snake attachment to slowly drill out the bolt. Not much torque with a dremel, so that extension is that much worse...but if you don't have money, usually you have time. GL

 

[281pony]

damn i know how you feel. i just spent 3 days getting a bolt out of my rocker. it stripped out, then i tried pounding in sockets, flatheads, allen wrenches, all standard/metrics, star's, odd sizes, jb welding a socket in there. nothing!

finally i spent 8 hours carefully drilling out the grade 8 bolt with a dremel sanding bit and carbide drill bits to get the head off. then i pulled off the rocker. of course, the damn bolt turned like it was in butter once the rocker came off

can you possibly grab it with some needle nose pliers? besides that i cant think of much besides an ez-out. do they even make one small enough for a bolt that size?

good luck with it..

 

[Kdubslugga]

Alright, i just spent all day trying to drill out a bolt, im not even half way through yet, no more!! I dont have the patience, i need the best tips to rig this thing up for about a year, or until i get new heads

 

[manpowermustang]

Have you tried one of those cordless screwdrivers that bend in the middle? Just my 3 cents.

 

[Daggar]

Alright, i just spent all day trying to drill out a bolt, im not even half way through yet, no more!! I dont have the patience, i need the best tips to rig this thing up for about a year, or until i get new heads

I've had similar problems though not specifically with valve cover bolts. You probably won't like my first suggestion because it includes drilling but...

Go to a machine shop and have them make you up a solid steel jig that will align with the bolt holes with small, centered holes over your broken bolts. File the broken bolts flush with the surface (if they aren't already). Bolt the jig onto the heads and use it as a guide for a Dremel with a right angle head to drill the bolts out. Use lots of oil and keep the bit well lubed.

My alternate suggestion would be (this is just a crappy temp fix) to remove the valve cover gaskets alltogether and get a can of high heat gasket sealer/maker (it looks like a large can of cheese wiz). Put good seal around the each cover and torque them half way. LET IT CURE COMPLETELY before applying the final torque. Both surfaces will have to be squeeky clean before applying sealant. Even torque on your remaining bolts can mean the difference between getting a seal and not. You gotta do it in one shot. Backing off a bolt for any reason will likely cause a leak and you'll have to start over.