Stripped bolt HELP!

2000aleroff · 05-20-2009, 06:06 PM

the bolt on the rear valve cover that is blocked by the ignition coil mount got stripped and i cant get it off, does anyone have a way to get to it with out pulling the engine and drilling the bolt?????????

heineck · 05-20-2009, 06:07 PM

try to get the top with vice grips thats wat i did, loosen up all the other ones first tho

2000aleroff · 05-20-2009, 06:11 PM

its very difficult to get to it with vice grips, but ill keep trying. i have all the other ones unscrewed

heineck · 05-20-2009, 06:23 PM

mine was out a little bit when it stripped, good luck though

2000aleroff · 05-20-2009, 06:27 PM

im taking the whole head off and then ill get it out

Gr1m · 05-20-2009, 07:13 PM

damn dude that sucks gonna need new head gasket and head bolts if you do that

2000aleroff · 05-20-2009, 07:40 PM

no i found out that i dont have to take it apart right now. i will soon... but i got the LIM off anyways and im replacing the sealant that seems to have not worked from the last time i got it fixed.........

Redog · 05-20-2009, 08:02 PM

How bad is the bolt stripped?

You could see if a smaller socket will fit on it. Might have to bang it on.

Valve cover bolts are 10mm?, use the next size down in standard

2000aleroff · 05-21-2009, 12:40 AM

no its the 5/16th one, and i tried going down a size but it wouldnt fit. i dont need to fix it now but ill find a way around it when i need to

Redog · 05-21-2009, 01:43 AM

OK in mm size what's smaller than 5/16? 5mm, 4mm?

Use one of those not the next standard size down, or is that what you tried already?

lonnie · 05-21-2009, 10:39 AM

You could save so much time just drilling it out and retapping. You may have to get some one to weld something to it then use it to turn the bolt out....that is if there is enough room.

Noseminer · 05-21-2009, 02:24 PM

There are socket set out there for stripped bolts that will get it out pretty easy. Just inquire at your local parts store, they should carry something like that and they also come in handy if it ever happens again.

Alerosaint · 05-21-2009, 02:34 PM

Get a stripped bolt socket from sears...I used that on a stripped head bolt on a 2.4

doubleN0alero · 05-21-2009, 02:43 PM

What about that "gator grip" thing? I thought thats what its purpose was...you can get one of those at any cvs.

01GrandAm · 05-25-2009, 04:26 PM

Almost 99% of the bolts on the car are metric, which could be part of your problem. Valve cover bolts are 8mm

zzyzzx · 05-25-2009, 08:30 PM

Pics? If the head is stripped but still intact, I would think that another way to get it out would be if you can get a Dremel to cut a slot in it and use a flat head screwdriver. I once broke off a valve cover bolt head and it broke off so jagged that I was able to just stick a flat head screwdriver into it and unscrew it. Sometimes you just get lucky like that. If the bolt head is 10mm it's probably a M6 bolt.

Gr1m · 05-25-2009, 09:04 PM

i took my top end off to do my headers the past weekend and i snapped the rear valve cover bolt in the LIM itself, luckily i have a right angle drill and a steady hand and was able to get it out with no problems.

05-26-2009, 12:17 PM

Irwin's bolt grip

http://www.irwin.com/irwin/consumer/...IrwinCat100511

Cliff8928 · 05-26-2009, 12:29 PM

Those Bolt Grips work very well, I have a set of 10 of them. I got them at AutoZone.

Worked great with the impact gun to get a stuck rounded off bolt out of the block on my 3400.

Redog · 05-26-2009, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doubleN0alero

What about that "gator grip" thing? I thought thats what its purpose was...you can get one of those at any cvs.

Used it once to get a stripped bolt out on the Delta's manifold, didn't work