broken valve cover bolts

jtyson8602 · May 23rd, 2009, 12:50 AM

Got the motor out of my old car and Im gonna freshen up the gaskets and what not while its out, but I have a broken bolt on each valve cover. Tried tapping one out and busted the tap in it. Any suggestions on how to get it out now? nothing is sticking up above the surface so I cant grab with anything. Should I just cut out the threads and all and step up a bolt size or will I be hitting any water jackets or anything? They are just stock e7s. Yes I know I should just get new heads but thats not in the budget now.

1FUN4RD · May 23rd, 2009, 12:53 AM

Good luck if you broke an easy out in there. They are hardened steel so you will need a cobalt bit. Some oil & alot of paitents.

MOTOIMPAIRED · May 23rd, 2009, 03:09 AM

Take it to a good machine shop, auto or a tool and die shop, and they can burn the tap out for you..

jtyson8602 · May 23rd, 2009, 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by MOTOIMPAIRED

Take it to a good machine shop, auto or a tool and die shop, and they can burn the tap out for you..

do you know how they do it? I have quite a few of the tools that machine shops have, but I have never messed with anything like this as I have never broke the bolts before I have always been real careful. Is it as simple as gouging it with my plasma cutter or something like that?

89lx · May 23rd, 2009, 10:56 AM

easy fix buy a new set of heads

1slo5.0 · May 23rd, 2009, 10:57 PM

Originally Posted by jtyson8602

Got the motor out of my old car and Im gonna freshen up the gaskets and what not while its out, but I have a broken bolt on each valve cover. Tried tapping one out and busted the tap in it. Any suggestions on how to get it out now? nothing is sticking up above the surface so I cant grab with anything. Should I just cut out the threads and all and step up a bolt size or will I be hitting any water jackets or anything? They are just stock e7s. Yes I know I should just get new heads but thats not in the budget now.

You were trying to get the broken bolt out with a tap?????

MOTOIMPAIRED · May 24th, 2009, 05:49 AM

It's a machine that burns the broken tap, or in your case a bolt out of the hole. It has a rod on the end that looks like a welding rod and it basically just burns the tap out..

jtyson8602 · May 24th, 2009, 11:01 AM

Originally Posted by 1slo5.0

You were trying to get the broken bolt out with a tap?????

forgive me, easy out. just a typo

1slo5.0 · May 24th, 2009, 12:19 PM

Originally Posted by jtyson8602

forgive me, easy out. just a typo

Oh. You had me worried for a minute.

PJC Racing · May 26th, 2009, 04:17 PM

You could try welding a nut to it and then back it out, depending on how deep it is in the hole. This is how I remove almost all broken bolts.

jtyson8602 · May 27th, 2009, 01:07 AM

Originally Posted by PJC Racing

You could try welding a nut to it and then back it out, depending on how deep it is in the hole. This is how I remove almost all broken bolts.

its set about 1/16th of an inch down into the head. I can tig something on but nothing that wont just bend or break right away. not much room for a good weld there

PJC Racing · May 27th, 2009, 07:22 PM

A 1/16" isn't much. The key is to use a larger bolt than the application, 3/8" or 10mm, to allow you a little room to get a good bead. You can prep the surronding area with torch head grease (I forget what the real name is) to help prevent the bead from sticking to the head. Just a thought.

May 23rd, 2009, 12:50 AM	#1
jtyson8602 Regular 1986 LX none yet Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Albuquerque New Mexico Posts: 277 iTrader: 0 reviews	broken valve cover bolts Got the motor out of my old car and Im gonna freshen up the gaskets and what not while its out, but I have a broken bolt on each valve cover. Tried tapping one out and busted the tap in it. Any suggestions on how to get it out now? nothing is sticking up above the surface so I cant grab with anything. Should I just cut out the threads and all and step up a bolt size or will I be hitting any water jackets or anything? They are just stock e7s. Yes I know I should just get new heads but thats not in the budget now.

May 23rd, 2009, 12:53 AM	#2
1FUN4RD MMs Ford Racing Nut Swinger 2007 MUSTANG GT Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: CENTRAL IOWA Posts: 4,367 iTrader: 3 reviews	Good luck if you broke an easy out in there. They are hardened steel so you will need a cobalt bit. Some oil & alot of paitents. __________________ www.1fun4rd.blogspot.com

May 23rd, 2009, 10:56 AM	#5
89lx Regular 1989 LX coupe 5.0L Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: NS Canada Posts: 496 iTrader: 0 reviews	easy fix buy a new set of heads __________________

May 26th, 2009, 04:17 PM	#10
PJC Racing Regular Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Tampa, Fl Posts: 104 iTrader: 0 reviews	You could try welding a nut to it and then back it out, depending on how deep it is in the hole. This is how I remove almost all broken bolts. __________________ 89 LX Coupe: Factory 5.0, common performance and suspension bolt-ons (306 build inprogress) 86 GT: (current 1/4 project) will have primarily Team Z suspension and chassis additions, 408 with nitrous in the works

May 27th, 2009, 07:22 PM	#12
PJC Racing Regular Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Tampa, Fl Posts: 104 iTrader: 0 reviews	A 1/16" isn't much. The key is to use a larger bolt than the application, 3/8" or 10mm, to allow you a little room to get a good bead. You can prep the surronding area with torch head grease (I forget what the real name is) to help prevent the bead from sticking to the head. Just a thought. __________________ 89 LX Coupe: Factory 5.0, common performance and suspension bolt-ons (306 build inprogress) 86 GT: (current 1/4 project) will have primarily Team Z suspension and chassis additions, 408 with nitrous in the works

May 23rd, 2009, 03:09 AM	#3
MOTOIMPAIRED Regular 1990 LX Coupe Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Orlando FL Posts: 343 iTrader: 0 reviews	Take it to a good machine shop, auto or a tool and die shop, and they can burn the tap out for you..

May 24th, 2009, 05:49 AM	#7
MOTOIMPAIRED Regular 1990 LX Coupe Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Orlando FL Posts: 343 iTrader: 0 reviews	It's a machine that burns the broken tap, or in your case a bolt out of the hole. It has a rod on the end that looks like a welding rod and it basically just burns the tap out..

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