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Snapped Valve Cover Bolts

  • Thread starter Thread starter snackie
  • Start date Start date
S

snackie

Guest
Well, I'm a little panicked. I'm resurrecting an '81 GS650G and I was about to check the valve clearances when disaster occurred. I was removing the valve cover bolts and 2 snapped (see photos).
My first thought is to grab them with vise grips but they're only a few threads visible. My other thought is to cut a notch with a dremel and turn with a screwdriver.
Of course, they're inner bolts and under the frame making it that much harder to get to them and remove them.

Any and all suggestions are welcome.

Thanks for your help!!!!!!!!!!
 
I would try some PB blaster followed by a slot cut with a dremel. Sometimes with the heat of the dremel cutting is enough to break the threads free.
Maybe vise grips on the outside of the flat screwdriver slot would help extraction while turning the screwdriver. Easy-snap if that doesn't work.
 
Carter Turk said:
I would try some PB blaster followed by a slot cut with a dremel. Sometimes with the heat of the dremel cutting is enough to break the threads free.
Maybe vise grips on the outside of the flat screwdriver slot would help extraction while turning the screwdriver. Easy-snap if that doesn't work.
Click to expand...

Thanks but what is "Easy-Snap"?
 
Patience is the key here. Try to clean the gunk from around the threads, then hit a few times with the PB Blaster over the course of a few days. I might even tap it a time or two, SOFTLY, on the screw itself, not the head. Maybe put a heat gun, not a torch, on it. Direct the heat at the head, not the bolt. Then cut a slot in it and work it back and forth. Don't try to take it all the way out until you're sure it's free. Good luck.
 
Before any of that, wad up some paper towels, or paper shop towels, and stuff 'em in the head/cam cavities, don't want any debris in there!
 
You have several options:
1. Weld a nut on to the broken off bolt
2. Cut a slot in the top with a dremel tool and use a flat blade screwdriver
3. Drill a pilot hole in the center of the bolt and then use a left hand drill bit to remove it. There is a tool available called a Quikcenter that makes it easy to drill the center of the bolt.
4. Drill out the bolt and install a threadsert or helicoil.

For drilling holes with limited clearance you can use a right angle drill. I would not recommend a screw extractor or easy out because most of the time they will snap off in the bolt and they are really a pain to remove. Using PB Blaster and some heat is also a good idea.
 
dremel first

dremel first

I'm gonna try the dremel first. If that fails, I'll see if someone can weld a nut on there. BTW-it's 2 bolts that snapped when I was removing them, double fun.

Thanks all.
 
Easy snap=easyout, at least with the spiral style on 6mm bolts or maybe I'm just impatient. I doubt personally I could wait a few days for PB blaster to penetrate.
I couldn't cut a slot with a dremel and wait 2 days to try and turn it. Good call covering the engine internals, kind of like a dentist working on a tooth.
 
Just so you know, while PB Blaster is a decent product, a 50/50 mix of ATF & acetone works better for loosening bolts. Ray.
 
Deep creep from Seafoam is great stuff too. I had a vavle bolt snap recently and after much deep creep I took a small chisel and lightly tapped on remains of bolt till formed small groove on side and kept tapping till bolt broke loose. Took a while, but was easy to do and no shavings to worry about. terrylee
 
you can also try brake fluid. brake fluid penetrates rust extremely well. im a mechanic and thats what i use at work most of the time. works like a charm. especially when working with frozen dissimilar metals. also heat it up with a mini torch a little and if you can grab it really good and tight with some good vice grips that should be the ticket right there. brake fluid, let sit for 10 mins, heat it up a little bit, a little more break fluid, sit for 10 mins, heat it up a little more, then turn with vice grips back and forth to work her out. just dab off the brake fluid with a rag before heating and heat the head not the bolt as someone said before. good luck!
 
rapidray said:
Just so you know, while PB Blaster is a decent product, a 50/50 mix of ATF & acetone works better for loosening bolts. Ray.
Click to expand...

What was your source for getting Acetone? Nail polish remover? Thanks!
 
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