Valve cover bolt snapped!!

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Oct 19, 2012 | 10:02 PM

ls1 down under

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From: Gold Coast, Australia

Valve cover bolt snapped!!

I had noticed oil seeping on the edge of the valve cover onto top of head on the front end on left side (when looking at engine) so I decided to check the tension of the valve cover bolt and yep ******** here over tightened the bolt and snap. She snapped clean off and flush too so no chance of grabbing the broken bit out of the bolt hole in the head!! So my questions are, will this cause a disaster ? Is it urgent to get it fixed? Best way to fix? And of course was it the tension of the bolt causing the slight leak in the first place or something else?

Oct 19, 2012 | 10:31 PM

miatainthe10s

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From: Dela-Where?

Take a nut that will tread onto the original bolt. Place it over the broken flush bolt and weld down through the center. Then unscrew.

Oct 20, 2012 | 12:14 AM

ls1 down under

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Will it cause much concern ? Should it be fixed straight away or depend in size of leak it creates?

Oct 20, 2012 | 04:24 AM

Ws6Dnero

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From: Memphis, Tn

can u pry the rubber out so u can grab more of the bolt

Oct 20, 2012 | 05:13 AM

therabidweasel

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I would say it depends on the leak, but you should probably fix it. I expect that the crankcase pressure will blow your VC gasket out of its home in short order.

Worst case you'll have to helicoil it. Shouldn't be a issue

Oct 20, 2012 | 03:12 PM

RedRallyeZ

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From: Sugartit, South Carolina

i had the same situation years ago. I just used a reverse threaded tap to get it out. Now obviously mine wasn't one of the back two bolts, but luckily mine happened right before my H/C swap.