Valve Cover Bolt fails to bottom out....

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RichardJ916

RichardJ916

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Yesterday after replacing New Valve Covers - New Gaskets one of the rear bolts only goes into the hole about 1/2 way to 3/4 of the way in before getting tight. I don't want to break it off inside so I have stopped trying to tighten down. I have 2 choices one is to go to the hardware get a shorter bolt - put a stud in with lock tight and run a nut on it. It's the rear bolt on the drivers side under the Master cylinder so I am sure ii would be kinda hard to clean it out with re threading it. What would you guys tell me to do....
I can put a pick done inside of the hole and there is nothing inside of the hole.


Thanks
 
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Have you tried a different bolt in that hole. Could be a bent or otherwise bad bolt. If you need to run a tap through that hole, You can move the master cylinder out of your way without opening the fluid system or spilling a drop.
 
If you have the depth in the holes, maybe run to the hardware store for a 1/4"-20 "bottoming" tap. Tap and vacuum the chips out.
 
RedFish said:
Have you tried a different bolt in that hole. Could be a bent or otherwise bad bolt. If you need to run a tap through that hole, You can move the master cylinder out of your way without opening the fluid system or spilling a drop.
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Yes have tried 2-3 different bolts. All go in about 1/2 way before getting tight...
 
Daves69 said:
Check your hole depth with the correct drill bit for the tap. Last thing you want is to bottom the tap out and screw up the threads your making.

Make sure they don't already have inserts if you tap.
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No none in there.... I can see inside the hole a little bit...
 
Which is better.....Or fix like some have said
The ARP Bolts are half the length...


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s-l400.jpg
 
Studs and nuts are the way to go but you will have to decide if there is enough threads to hold. It doesn't surprise me that the hardest bolt to get to has some bad threads. The first few threads are bad probably from cross threading in the past. Bad threads are at the start of the hole so a shorter bolt won't do any good. You need a longer bolt but not too long. Screw a longer bolt down by hand or with very little effort with a socket. Don't force it or you will strip what threads you have left or worse, cause a crack. If the bolt head doesn't clamp the cover down tight you will need some washers to take up the gap. Studs would work best. If you go studs, remember that they don't need to be screwed in tight to work. You can screw them in 3 or 4 good turns and the tension will keep them tight.
 
toolmanmike said:
Studs and nuts are the way to go but you will have to decide if there is enough threads to hold. It doesn't surprise me that the hardest bolt to get to has some bad threads. The first few threads are bad probably from cross threading in the past. Bad threads are at the start of the hole so a shorter bolt won't do any good. You need a longer bolt but not too long. Screw a longer bolt down by hand or with very little effort with a socket. Don't force it or you will strip what threads you have left or worse, cause a crack. If the bolt head doesn't clamp the cover down tight you will need some washers to take up the gap. Studs would work best. If you go studs, remember that they don't need to be screwed in tight to work. You can screw them in 3 or 4 good turns and the tension will keep them tight.
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Thanks Toolmanmike...I thank you all for your input...I will remove the cover this weekend clean the threads out and install a stud into the damaged hole...if it will start I will put some red lock tight on it and install it as far down as I can get it in, put a nut on the top side....

Once again that's for all your input guys.
 
Are you going to be able to get the cover off later if you stud it? :D
 
If nothing has changed and those are the bolts that came out of the head, I would suspect that oil got in the bolt hole and partially filled the hole with oil. Oil is not compressible, thus the bolt goes partially into the hole and stops. You can check it with a Q-Tip. Stick a Q-Tip into the hole and if it comes out oily, keep inserting new Q-Tips until the hole is clean. 0.02...
 
Oldschool said:
If nothing has changed and those are the bolts that came out of the head, I would suspect that oil got in the bolt hole and partially filled the hole with oil. Oil is not compressible, thus the bolt goes partially into the hole and stops. You can check it with a Q-Tip. Stick a Q-Tip into the hole and if it comes out oily, keep inserting new Q-Tips until the hole is clean. 0.02...
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That's a good print....I will check it out.
 
RichardJ916 said:
I would like to take off once in a while to check things out....It should make it easier to get the covers off if I put a stud and nut it.
Click to expand...

If it doesn't hit the master cylinder before it clears the studs that's a good thought.
 
All set now, I cleaned out the threads got a new 1/4 - 20 Bolt have the length and it is gets tight and also applied some lock tight....
Once again thanks guy for all your support and answers.
 
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