Okay, so I found out the hard way when replacing my valve cover gasket that the Haynes manual torque was much too high the bolts holding down the valve cover. I saw on here after the matter, that other people have had the same problems. I'm just wondering now how to get the snapped end out of the valve cover, if I should just drill it out or what. My only concern is damaging the threads inside of it. Thanks for any help

 

yeah if you look closely it says to use inch pounds for the valve cover bolts, not foot pounds. i made the same mistake. I only broke one bolt though. That one broke with the bolt still sticking out the the head enough for me to grab with my fingers, came out no problem. If you can grab them with vice grips, thats the way to go. Also try using a precision flat head screw driver (real small) and a small hammer to try and spin the broken bolt out.

 

A small punch and a hammer will work too if you do not have enough bolt to grab onto with vicegrips. Tap on the broken bolt counter clockwise.

 

it says ft-lbs (unless otherwise indicated) on mine but thanks for the help, i'll try that

 

i broke one today too... off in to my new 0331 head i wasnt even back to my final "tighten" pass when it broke.

 

It may say pound-feet, but it should be a very low number - most of the time, I've seen 6-7 pound-feet (which would be 72-84 pound-inches.)

The punch & hammer idea can work, but it takes patience and a small punch. Else, get a left-handed drill bit (about 1/8") and a centre drill or a centre punch, use either of the "centre" parts to start the drill in the centre of the screw (no sense buggering up the threads if you can avoid it,) and then use the LH drill to back it out - chances are, it will get a grab. At that point, slow the drill down and walk it back out.

If that doesn't work, get a 1/4"-20 Heli-Coil kit and just drill the damned thing out, then run in the thread repair insert (easier than keeping track of the odd-size screw.)

Replace with CRES - I've noted a relatively great amount of corrosion on those screws, and that can lead to low-strain failure. (Most of the time when I take screws out of something on my rig, I replace them unless they run in an oil bath. I'm just cranky that way.)

The screws seem to usually be 1/4"-20x1" from what I've seen, but there may be differences in length for various valve covers. Get 1/4"-20x3/4", 1", and 1-1/4" - you'll use them somewhere, if not on the valve cover.

I usually apply LocTite #222 to the threads, run them down finger tight, and add about 1/2-turn with a wrench. Since I use LocTite #518 on the gasket (and a cork gasket, where I can,) that seems to handle things nicely.