Hey guys, trying to figure out how to get this Torx oil filter adapter bolt out, I've tried vice grips, tried a t60, PO stripped it out so bad that the 60 doesn't even fit, tried a 55, didn't help any and now it's pretty impossible to fit a bit in the hole without it just stripping it more. What can I do to get it out? There's nothing for anything to grab onto and the space is incredibly limited, and I don't own a welding machine. Thanks if you guys can help me out.

 

You could try to cut a slot in it and heat cycle it with a butane torch a few times, then try a big flat blade

In fact, I may try the heat cycling first and see if you can jam some other bit (including a flat blade) into the existing mangled hole

Torx bit can be very tight, thats why they have them

A cheap Inverter Arc welder is less than $100, mine does a good job, and it weighs about 5lb, havent got my big old one out since I bought it

 

Order a new adapter, and the mount bolt kit and just cut the flat bolthead off with a hacksaw. You will put the blade where the bolt head meets the adapter body

 

If you do get it out, you could have someone weld a nut to the end so you can still use it. I thought about doing that to the last one I got out. Otherwise, I'd plan on replacing the bolt. It would be a challenge to cut the bolt head off and not cut into the adapter too much. That first o-ring sits pretty close to the head of the bolt.

Here's a used one, and the torx looks to be in good shape. https://www.ebay.com/itm/195794200502

 

You might try a big pair of channel-locks on the adapter itself. There is a locating pin to stop it from turning, but that will shear off with enough torque.

 

Thanks for the tip, I read somewhere that people have been cutting into the housing itself and not just the bolt head, but, I just bought a reciprocating saw from Harbor Freight today, and ordered a new housing with the bolt in pretty ok condition from a jeep place on ebay. Fingers crossed on this one, will get back to you guys with what I figure out! Thanks for all the suggestions. I definitely did try the channel locks, I tried a pipe wrench, the metal is so soft that when I finally cut a groove into it, it was not budging what so ever even using some large chisels the thing wouldn't move. Next step is to just cut it off!

 

Did you try heat ?

That bolt has blue Loctite on it

I recently struggled unsuccessfully with some Jeep fasteners, until I heat it, then it came undone like butter, i then saw blue loctite

 

Can you use the old style bolt with the 5/8" head on the later engines?

Or, just install the Torx bolt without the Loctite would likely be just fine.

 

I'm in this same situation with my 99. The head of the bolt is useless at this point. I bought a huge pair of channel locks from harbor freight thinking I could get on the edge of the bolt head but the motor mount is in the way! I could only get my dremel at an angle where it would be cutting a slot across the head of the bolt so that's useless. Did any of you guys successfully cut the head off the bolt and what did you use? I'm at my wits end here...this is the worst thing I think I've ever had to work on aside from replacing the exhaust manifold (8 hour job that time!). Any advice or help very much appreciated. This job has kicked my *** like 5 times now! (attempts)

 

Stop being a big baby get yourself a $100 Invertor welder, weld a nut on, it should come off first go

make sure you have a new o-ring kit, as the old one will be fried.

You could order a new bolt, and/or grind the wleded nut off, cut a slot, no real reason it wont work

Those cheap invertor welders work great for all sorts of things, (and are very small for storage)

how much is 8hrs of your time worth ?

 

Oh man, so here's the update on how I managed to fix mine. The entire filter housing had to get cut through carefully with a reciprocating saw because it was NOT budging. I had to cut through the entire housing using a chicago reciprocating saw from Harbor Freight, carefully to not cut the block, and even then still had to chisel the threaded part out after it was completely mangled. It took a very painstakingly long time. Be extremely careful if you go this route. My dad being a welder in the Navy, welded a nut onto it and it still was not budging even after putting it up on a lift with a huge pipe/breaker bar combo. A year later it's running great! Nothing broken or cut on the block thankfully! As a precaution, I went to the junkyard and sourced an older Oil Filter housing with the nut on it to prevent this in the future. I never want to deal with the torx ever again after this experience, and will do whatever it takes to avoid it, even if I have to weld a nut onto a torx one before installing in the future.

 

Thanks for the reply, that sounds brutal! I can't believe with a nut welded on it, you till couldn't get it off...that's insane. I actually talked to my brother this morning and he has a mig and stick welder. He might be able to give it a shot but he's really out of practice. It's been like this a year, so yeah not really a big rush. I actually have a new housing and 2 new bolts. One of them has the 9/16 hex instead of that GARBAGE torx so that's the one I'll be using if I ever do get it apart. In my case I have the AC hose in the way too that I have to try to work around..found I could gain a little working room by removing the coolant reservoir though. This is the first I've heard of someone welding a nut on and still having to cut it all apart so that's a little concerning. This jeep has spent it's entire life in rusty old pennsylvania so it's no wonder the head rounded out.

 

This is why I bought a special custom tool to do this job. I can't imagine if it stripped how much of a PITA this job would be then.

 

show us yr special custom tool please bro

 

Yes, hindsight is always 20/20. I spent probably over $100 on different torx bits, go thru sockets, special huge "allen" style torx tool..... BUT..what I MISSED was that this job is all about an initial IMPACT and not just trying to turn the bolt off. I did have a couple good grips in the beginning before the POS rounded out...but it was a slow torque I was putting on it and not a smack or blunt impact. That's how I believe I totally F'ed mine up.