so I broke one of my valve cover bolts today. Has anyone else had this happen to them? I can't get the piece out that is stuck in the threads. It isn't sticking out of the hole at all. I even tried drilling into the piece to get it out with one of those reverse bit things that pull out broken bolts. The surface of it isn't even so I couldn't make a hole and I even broke one of my drill bits in half. Damn this is pissing me off

 

Same thing happened to me. I didn't bother becasue the other 3 bolts seem to be holding it down just fine

 

just happened to me. i havent even tried taking them out. my friend said i have to get a new valve cover. its like a vacum leak. he said its bad.

 

well you don't need a new valve cover...just a new bolt. I just can't get the old bolt out . I tried driving with just the other 4 bolts in to go pick up a new bolt from honda and when I got home there was oil that had leaked out all over the place so I'm not driving my car until I get a new one.

 

My friend did this twice on his sohc head. Both times the bolt broke down in the head. They both broke so that there was a point protruding out instead of being completely flat. I was able to use a small screw driver and get both of the bolts out with some slightly forecful persuasion. I suppose the bolts had not botomed out yet so they werent on very tight. You might be able to get lucky. Try fiddling with the broken bolt with the screwdriver.

 

just go to honda the bolt is like 5 bux i did that and got a new bolt but i wouldnt run one just four bolts

 

I did order a new bolt, but It isn't here yet. I am really having trouble getting the old one out. It is down in the threads. I've already tried notching it with a screwdriver and everything. Nothing is working.

 

HAHAHA you guys amaze me!!! I had this happen 3 times while working on my head. Go to Sears, and get something called Easy-Outs, there are 3 different types. Get the type that looks like a drill bit sorta, and it is in a orange plastic case. Basically, you drill a hole in the broken bolt. And then u insert the easy outs bit into that hole. It is threaded the oposite direction, so when you turn in, it is gripping the bolt, but unscrewing it. It has worked like a charm 3 times for me, go do it! LOL the things you guys said on how to fix it, LOL.

 

Yep...I broke one, went to sears, got the easy out...and got the thing right out

 

yea i got something made by craftsman that is the same thing. I just can't seem to get a whole drilled into the bolt. The surface is really uneven on the bolt and all it does is take chips off of the bolt or just slip around. What size drill bit did you use?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BauleyCivic &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yep...I broke one, went to sears, got the easy out...and got the thing right out </TD></TR></TABLE>

E-Z outs are great tools. Well worth the money they cost.

And BTW James you have some crappy luck sometimes man.

 

man i think my luck is worse than anybodys. Something always seems to go wrong when working on my car. .....you know....I try to pop my hood and the damn lever thing breaks off....I clean my engine bay and i mess up my plugs and wires....I broke my valve cover bolt...etc.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SOHC_MShue &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">man i think my luck is worse than anybodys. Something always seems to go wrong when working on my car. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Damn..here's an idea. Try dremmeling a small hole in the bolt or just try to E-Z out it and don't bother drilling the hole.

 

i've tried just using the easy out. It didn't work. I'm gonna work on it a little bit more tomorrow. I guess i'm gonna have to drive my old s10 pickup truck for now . I thought i could get away with driving a few days with only 4 bolts in, but apparently not. After 15 minutes of driving I pop my hood and oil has leaked everywhere.

 

Dang, did you put the gasket back in (not trying to be funny)?? I seriously don't see how it could leak that badly with 4 bolts in if theyre all properly torqued down.

 

yup it was in there.

 

Well dang. Hope you get it out man. When you get it out let me know how you did it.

EDIT: Hey I got one more plan. Try getting a very small tipped screwdriver, putting some JB weld on the end of it and let it dry to the top of the screw (being VERY careful not to JB weld that in the hole also) and then you could screw it out!

 

i have broke them 2 or 3 times and it really pissed me off but i have been lucky everytime to have enough sticking out to grab it with something and screw it out

 

thats a good idea. I may try that

 

I had this happen. I used a very small drill bit to drill a hole in the bolt. Mine was very uneven also. I had an Easy Out thingy, but if I recall correctly, I ended up using a small phillips head screwdriver to get the bolt out. I just drilled the hole and unscrewed it that way. the Easy Out bit kept popping out of the hole. It was a big pain in the ***. And remember, 7lb/ft!

 

Here's another idea...if you can cut a line across the midlde of the bolt with a dremil you could screw it out.

 

But it's under the level of the head from what I gather.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mycivicstoo(s)low &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">But it's under the level of the head from what I gather.</TD></TR></TABLE>

You're right...nevermind that last idea. to me.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bluuuurr &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Same thing happened to me. I didn't bother becasue the other 3 bolts seem to be holding it down just fine </TD></TR></TABLE> Damn thats balsy, and kinda ghetto.... I think everyone who has taken off their valve cover has broken the bolt.. I went to home depot and bought some tool that you drill into the bolt and then use the reverse bit to unscrew it... worked great but took some time... BE CAREFULL... make sure you dont get metal shavings into the head, your fuced if you do... I coverd the head with newspaper and had the shopvac on full suck right next to the drill.... sucked up all the shavings before the could even hit the newspaper.... good luck... touchy area to drill out snaped bolts

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Ricey McRicerton &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

You're right...nevermind that last idea. to me.</TD></TR></TABLE>
That's the problem. I would hope he could have figured out what to do if it was still sticking out of the head . But yeah, it sucks when it isn't. Mshue, you're just gonna have to keep trying to put a hole in it while trying not to destroy the original threads on the head. If I did it, I'm sure you can, too.