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Need some advice, how to remove rounded off rocker arm bolt?

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Old 03-30-2009, 04:25 PM
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use the metric ones. 8 mm and 5/16 are slightly different. so make sure and use hte 8 mm IRWIN version. have had many bolts round off on me and usually those take it off everytime.
Old 03-30-2009, 07:03 PM
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Got a cut off wheel ? Make a screw driver slot, or just cut the head off. The rest will be easy to remove. Make sure to turn the engine over so the valve is closed, for miminal spring pressure...
Old 03-30-2009, 09:12 PM
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Well, I'm going to cut it off. I tried the irwin extractor, and still no luck, so it's sawzall time, or at least a cutoff wheel.
Old 03-31-2009, 07:17 PM
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Did you get it ???
Old 03-31-2009, 07:26 PM
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you could get ghetto and buy an electric mig welder from home depot, real easy to use, I have one-then bring it back.
Old 03-31-2009, 07:57 PM
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The rocker arm bolt was put on the back burner when my hot water heater stopped working. Turned out to be the thermocoupler, no big deal right....

Except for the fact that f'in whirlpool decided to make the thermocoupler with reverse threads, which no one makes anymore. The damn thing is only 5 years old for pete's sake. After searching, and a phone call to Whirlpool, come to find out, they had a class action lawsuit against them a few years ago, and they are sending out the conversion kit for free.

Plus right now I'm working on plumbing the compressor out to the garage, so the car is taking a back seat. I'll worry about it another day.
Old 03-31-2009, 09:06 PM
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You better have someone hide all your big hammers, until you get through this week !!! LOL !!! Good Luck !
Wish I lived a little closer, sounds like you could use an extra hand...
Old 03-31-2009, 10:11 PM
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Originally Posted by The Alchemist
Well, if I had a welder, it would be an option, that's one tool I don't have in the garage YET.
No time like the present.
Old 04-01-2009, 07:31 PM
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Yeah, I took this week off work to tackle some of the projects that have been on hold since having the second child, and it seems like all I've done is take a few steps back.

Oh well, tomorrow's another day. I'm going out to the garage to finish plumbing the second drop, and then I'll pressure test it over night. Maybe by the weekend I'll get back to that rocker bolt.
Old 04-01-2009, 07:57 PM
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Another option, instead of using a bolt remover, would be to hammer the next smaller socket onto the bolt. If you you a craftsman socket and it breaks or cracks, just take it back, but it might actually bite enough to turn it.

Something else to consider is heating the bolt a bit. The thread lock is on the head of the bolt. With a little heat, you could melt the thread lock. I'm not talking about getting it red hot, just heat it up a bit.
Old 04-01-2009, 08:37 PM
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Yeah, one way or another, the bolt is coming out. Hell, once I finish getting the air run into there, I can just grab a cutoff too and go to town.
Old 04-01-2009, 09:19 PM
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If you need some bolts or rockers, I have a few sets of stock ones... I can give you some...
Old 04-02-2009, 11:05 AM
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Do you have a dremel? If so get a thin cut off wheel for it and cut a slot in the top of the bolt and use a Good screw driver with a hex by the grip for a wrench to remove it. Should have no problem getting this out.
Old 04-02-2009, 04:26 PM
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Fyi, here's a good deal on some low mile used rockers with bolts:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/eastern-c...l-must-go.html
>>2005 corvette ls2 rockers 10k on them $75
Old 04-02-2009, 06:22 PM
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Thanks for the suggestions and offers guys.... I'll get to it this weekend and we'll see what happens.

I may be pulling the heads to have a new valve job done and have the valve guides replaced. We'll see what happens.
Old 04-04-2009, 07:56 PM
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Have you tried to put any heat on the bolt to break it free? Worst case cook a valve seal? Hell seals are cheap.
Old 04-04-2009, 08:24 PM
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i used a universal set of snap on ones that i used for a lug lock , tapped it on and it came right off, somehthing like this should work.
rounded or snaped bolts can be fustrating
Old 04-05-2009, 12:20 AM
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Originally Posted by PAGregSS
Another option, instead of using a bolt remover, would be to hammer the next smaller socket onto the bolt. If you you a craftsman socket and it breaks or cracks, just take it back, but it might actually bite enough to turn it.
i had to do that with my drain bolt when i bought my car. now i have a socket permanently stuck on. makes oil changes a cinch.
Old 04-05-2009, 02:17 PM
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First off, a big thanks to Bills98ta, without asking, he offered to send me a couple rocker arms and bolts. That's what this hobby is all about, helping each other out. Not that the money was or is an issue, just the fact that someone was willing to help out was really nice to see.

After grinding down the head of the bolt flush with the rocker arm, I still couldn't pop off the rocker. I noticed that as I rotated the rocker ever so slightly left and right, that the bolt was rotating with the rocker as well. So I think the reason the bolt was stuck was that it was actually seized inside the rocker arm.

So I grabbed a drill bit and started to drill away, and finally got it free. The rocker arm came off and the bolt was able to be removed by hand.

Got everything back together, buttoned up and it's running perfectly.
Old 04-05-2009, 04:11 PM
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excellent!



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