HELP! Valve Cover Bolts-SHEARED OFF

Hello all,
My engine was smelling of oil (95 XJ Sport, 4.0L), so I took a look at the valve cover bolts. Well, they were all loose, some more than others, so I went ahead and started tightening them. I got all of them pretty tight (seems like they could all go down more, but I don't want to strip them), except for two which sheared off, leaving some of the bolt in the holes. What's the best way for getting these out?!?! I may try drilling them out, but I'm thinking that once I get the drill bit in the bolt and then start to unscrew it that the drill bit will unscrew from the bolt and the bolt won't come out. Any ideas? Also, once/if I get these out, how tight should I expect to tighten the bolts? Thanks for your help!!

Matt

A Haynes manual will give you the torque specs (I'll look when I get home if you don't have one). Make sure you don't confuse ft/lbs. with in/lbs. or whatever it is. Those bolts are small and can't take much. As far as removing them, if you actually remove the valve cover, the bolt will probably be sticking up enough to grab with some pliers or vice grips. Othersise, drill with a smaller bit and then use one of those screw removal bits and hammer it down slightly into the hole you created and then unscrew it (don't know what the official name for the removal piece is called).

most lowes/home depots will have a stud extracter kit, works great. its normally in the drill bit aisle. im sure it would work perfect for this application. we have all been there my freind.

The only way to fix this is to drill them out, and hopefully NOT trash the threads in the head while doing so.

Valve cover bolts are NOT supposed to be very tight. They are small, and NOT under any real pressure or force, so getting rambunctious with them is not necessary. It looks like you just found that out, the hard way

I don't remember the torque spec. off the top of my head, but it's going to be on the order of 5 ft-lbs, or thereabouts. I just tighten them up "wrist tight" with a 1/4" drive rachet and socket, and that's it.

So....drill them out, and if necessary, rethread the holes with helicoils, and put in new bolts.

Ya - look for the easy out sets, there should be one size just for the bolt you need. You can find easy outs any place. Just be sure to get the right sized drill bit to go with the easy out.

Tom Dennis

i bought a set of reverse-cut drill bits from sears last year.. worth the price if it bails you out once.... the reverse rotation and heat generated will usually walk out any pesky bolt.... within reason of course..
mike