I must have tightened my valve cover nut too tight and now it just spins!

The stud may be spinning somehow

but the nut is defenitely spinning when I try and get it off

I have tried vice grips By pulling the nut and turning at the same time
I have tried pushing the ratchet as i turn
I have used a screwdriver to pry the valve cover up while turning the nut

How do I get this dumb nut off? ? ? So I can get my valve cover off!

 

bump

 

did you break the studs off...

 

lol well you fcked up ...

 

ya i screwd up real good, I don't think I broke the stud because I still can't get the valve cover off.

Ya I don't get it cuz if the nuts is spinning then the stud must be spinning but nothings coming out SO I don't get it.

ooo unless the bolt thats between the block and the valve cover started spinning... ugh

I still can't come up with another way to get the nut off.

 

well.. the only thing I can think right now is to drill through that nut and stud.

 

ya that's all I'm coming up with too.

 

Pry it real hard? lol that is ridiculous I broke my stud before and I just pulled it out with my hand...

 

hmm ya its kinda wierd. I'll try some prying on the valve cover I guess then if no luck I'll try some cutting. I already broke 1 stud UGH! So this will only be one more lol I'll have to buy a few. I think its 7 ft lbs or so I think I got the hang of it now.

 

Get a little chisel and jamb it under the nut as best you can and apply as much pressure you can along the axis of the bolt while turning the nut. If you're lucky you can get the nut to catch what's left of the threads and it might come off. If not then grind/drill it off and replace the stud/nut later. Reinstall using a torque wrench so that nothing strips next time. If you used a torque wrench before then apply a little oil or anti-sieze compound to the threads before tightening the nut next time.

Pirate

 

Take a dremel with a small cutting wheel and cut the nut in half vertically. It should then fall off in 2 pieces. Then you have to replace that stud, but you'll have to do that anyway.

 

I did finally just cut and drill the nut out. The nut was stripped and spinning not the stud. But by drilling into the nut I messed up the threads a little on the stud so I need two studs and 2 nuts..no big deal.. thx all

 

this happened to me a few months back. I ended up cutting the nut in half with a dremel and replacing the stud.

 

^^^^^^I just said that.

 

HAH thanx

 

 

and .................

 

Once you replace that part, remember that the nuts on the valve cover should be torqued down to 8.7 foot-pounds in 2 or 3 steps. Don't wanna distort the valve cover now do we?

 

correct I will torque it to spec this time!