Stripped front case bolt - FML

[IrishBeatdown]

So I overtorqued one of the bolts on the front case. I just wanted to make sure it was tight like an idiot. I really didn't even go nuts on it, but sure enough, boom. lost the head off of it. It was really the most inopportune of the bolts in the front case as well, because I can't get at it from the bottom because it is too low. Same for jacking the engine up. I work in my yard, pulling the entire engine is an asinine solution. Is it possible to run without this bolt?

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Bolt is all the way to the top left.

And if not, what the hell can I do? I feel like I stripped the worst possible hole on the entire engine.

 

[horizontalkev]

Well technically as long as the bolt threads were not stripped it should still maintain its torque and hold.. But you're risking the bolt backing out.. I had a friend who had a bolt head twist off and what he did was tack welded it to hold it in place and later grinded out the tack welds, drilled into the middle of the bolt and then welded a "T" shaped rod into it allowing him to back it out. Does that make sense? In your specific case I'm not sure I'd trust the tack welding.. The picture doesn't work for me so I can see how much room you'd have to work with.

I DONT RECOMMEND THIS, DO AT YOUR OWN RISK

 

[IrishBeatdown]

Well technically as long as the bolt threads were not stripped it should still maintain its torque and hold.. But you're risking the bolt backing out.. I had a friend who had a bolt head twist off and what he did was tack welded it to hold it in place and later grinded out the tack welds, drilled into the middle of the bolt and then welded a "T" shaped rod into it allowing him to back it out. Does that make sense? In your specific case I'm not sure I'd trust the tack welding.. The picture doesn't work for me so I can see how much room you'd have to work with.

I DONT RECOMMEND THIS, DO AT YOUR OWN RISK

I wish this was the case, the front cover isn't threaded though, so it isn't holding at all.

 

[Turbowrx 32]

Can you provide a pic of this? You might be able to unbolt the cross member, motor mounts and jack the car up to get enough clearance to possibly drill it out? Really would need to see to help more.

 

[lowell]

The M8 bolt closest to the water pump? There's no oil pressure up there so rather than pull the motor, I would clean and RTV around the edges and it'll probably be fine.

 

[iamjohn365]

try an extractor kit if won't work you're going to have to drill it out and retap it.
I would not recommend at all to leave it in there like that. if you're going to do something do it right!

 

[tater]

I would try an easy out and if that did work I would drill and tap it out. Good Luck

 

[IrishBeatdown]

I'm familiar with drill extraction and easy outs, the angle of the drill is the problem with the block not being able to jack up enough or lower enough to get at it without pulling the engine.

 

[91-GS]

Would it be possible (or smart) to put a small hole in the fender well so you could reach the bolt to drill it out?

 

[PieEyedPiper]

Can you remove the front case? Sounds like you've already got a 1 bolt head start.

From there you're just using vicegrips on your headless bolt.

 

[pearl4gtsi]

^ agreed.

Definitely more labor involved, but the absolute best way without chancing/creating any more issues

 

[IrishBeatdown]

Can you remove the front case? Sounds like you've already got a 1 bolt head start.

From there you're just using vicegrips on your headless bolt.

Front case is removed. Can't get it with vicegrips, there is nothing to grab. About to call it a day and cut a hole in the fender and then drill it out through the hole and coil it since i have a few lying around from an exhaust mani stud hole i did.

 

[PieEyedPiper]

Yikes. Can you get a picture of this thing? Mostly just so we can all visualize why we don't want to be you.

Sorry though, by the sounds of it, I thought the head snapped flush with the front case. How much clearance do you have?

 

[IrishBeatdown]

Yikes. Can you get a picture of this thing? Mostly just so we can all visualize why we don't want to be you.

Sorry though, by the sounds of it, I thought the head snapped flush with the front case. How much clearance do you have?

Heh, about 1/4" inch. I tried vice grips for all of 10 seconds, tried to grip it before realizing that wasnt an option. I grabbed a dremel with a cut off wheel and cut into it, taking time to make sure i was cutting the notch right into the middle. From there, I hit it with a torch for about 2 minutes and then took a shorty flat blade screwdriver and was able to unscrew it. Got really lucky with this one, and was insanely pleased that it came out. Success! Thanks everyone for the help, was likely going to just run it as is, but much more glad that I have the peace of mind now. If it broke off even a few milimeters more towards the block, it wouldn't have been an option, just barely got away with it. Lesson learned, don't overtorque the front case bolts.

 

[PieEyedPiper]

Good job on the fix! I'd definitely say you've done something right in the past.