Very stuck T45 Torx bolt...

Oskar

Oskar

A2OC Donor
Hi all

Just wanting to ask those of you experienced out there, about how to release a very tight torx bolt, as shown in the photo.

This is not an A2 (thankfully!). It is an impossibly tight T45 bolt in an alloy head of a mini r56. I sheared 2xt45 bits, and then purchased (at great cost) a Snap-on heavy duty bit, which did not fail, but essentially stripped the bolt.

I don't have access to welding equipment, and alas, you basically have to take the whole front of the car off to get to this bolt, so taking it to a garage will not be feasible (unless I pay them for the work).

If anyone has any gem ideas, i would be verrrrry happy to hear them.

Cheers

Matt
 

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Oskar said:
Hi all

Just wanting to ask those of you experienced out there, about how to release a very tight torx bolt, as shown in the photo.

This is not an A2 (thankfully!). It is an impossibly tight T45 bolt in an alloy head of a mini r56. I sheared 2xt45 bits, and then purchased (at great cost) a Snap-on heavy duty bit, which did not fail, but essentially stripped the bolt.

I don't have access to welding equipment, and alas, you basically have to take the whole front of the car off to get to this bolt, so taking it to a garage will not be feasible (unless I pay them for the work).

If anyone has any gem ideas, i would be verrrrry happy to hear them.

Cheers

Matt
Click to expand...
Can you get a stud extractor in the hole ?
 
Are you absolutely sure it is a T45 and not a spine drive socket also known as triple square or XZN sockets?
 
Yep. Here is a photo of an extracted bolt. Not sure what a stud extractor is? (or how it can be used here)
 

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Oskar said:
Yep. Here is a photo of an extracted bolt. Not sure what a stud extractor is? (or how it can be used here)
Click to expand...
These they have a reverse thread for removing stripped bolts. Normally you drill a hole but you could get these in the head already possibly??
 

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Oskar said:
Yep. Here is a photo of an extracted bolt. Not sure what a stud extractor is? (or how it can be used here)
Click to expand...
Its not a stud extractor is is a bolt extractor that you need. You drill down the middle, if you can get a drill in, then a reverse tapper insert extracts the screw. If it snaps you have to weld.

Edit as @L162LZ posted while I was posting.
 
I get ya. And they are cheap enough. Not sure about the drilling, but I think there is access. It is sooooooo tight though. It worries me it has not released so far. Welding is a good idea due to the heat also perhaps helping release. I may need to see if my local garage will come up with their kit and do it.
Can't change the timing chain until this is off, and it is scanning as having wear, so the other option of leaving it is not attractive.......

Thanks for the helpful suggestions.

Matt
 
Oskar said:
I get ya. And they are cheap enough. Not sure about the drilling, but I think there is access. It is sooooooo tight though. It worries me it has not released so far. Welding is a good idea due to the heat also perhaps helping release. I may need to see if my local garage will come up with their kit and do it.
Can't change the timing chain until this is off, and it is scanning as having wear, so the other option of leaving it is not attractive.......

Thanks for the helpful suggestions.

Matt
Click to expand...
Only issue is if you don't drill a hole so the extractor can get enough purchase (as the bolt is alloy) you might just strip it more. Worth drilling a bit if possible without damaging the head for a better chance of success
 
I would try welding a slug onto the bolt and then using a chisel to shock it out, usually the heat soak from welding would help release it but looking at the length of that bolt is a touch doubtful. Appreciate you don't have welding gear but you could see if any mobile welders or mobile engineers operate in your area
 
Oskar said:
Hi all

Just wanting to ask those of you experienced out there, about how to release a very tight torx bolt, as shown in the photo.

This is not an A2 (thankfully!). It is an impossibly tight T45 bolt in an alloy head of a mini r56. I sheared 2xt45 bits, and then purchased (at great cost) a Snap-on heavy duty bit, which did not fail, but essentially stripped the bolt.

I don't have access to welding equipment, and alas, you basically have to take the whole front of the car off to get to this bolt, so taking it to a garage will not be feasible (unless I pay them for the work).

If anyone has any gem ideas, i would be verrrrry happy to hear them.

Cheers

Matt
Click to expand...
How about a gas torch? The head is alloy, so will expand quicker than that plug. Just heat around the hole, avoiding the plug as much as possible.
Spray releasing oil into the thread area.
If you don't want to weld a nut on, drill a hole and hammer a Torx bit into it. The shock may loosen things, then try unscrewing, preferably with an impact wrench. Impact is better than swinging on a lever!

Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk
 
If it helps, I had exactly the same issue, hammered in a larger Torx tool & used my impact gun & off it came out.
 
First soak in plus gas wd40 etc, drill down bolt with cobalt drill apply lots heat , then freezer spray . Insert correct Snap on extractor and should come out. Combination of thermal shock and torsion should break it loose.
 
Hi,

1. Cut a slot in it and use a chisel/hammer or a manual impact driver with a large flat bit.
2. Use a torch if you can, using some heat-shields around it. Make sure that whatever is behind that bolt won't melt or create fumes with no escape route. Heat the surrounding thread more than you heat the bolt itself.
3. If it means taking out more stuff to get the job done then do it since you might end up taking the whole motor out instead!
4. If you end up drilling it out be careful of any debris falling behind bolt.

I hope you get it sorted. Heat and impact usually does the trick.

Evros
 
Get couple left handed drills and start with the small one to get nice centered hole then finish with biggger diameter basically you will be drilling in opposite way as normal and the friction from drilling directly through the core of the bolt will release heat evenly right next to the stuck thread when you drill deep enough the sides will be able to expand and then contract into the drill out centre and unstuck from threads plus by drilling counterclockwise you will be constantly applying force to actually unscrew the bolt out.

See this video you will understand it better.

 
It's all about access. If you can get the engine hot this will help as the aluminium will expand a little. I would use a small cold chisel and try tapping it undone.
 
Great list of suggestions. Thanks, as having any sort of solution was starting to worry me.

For now, the car is back together and moving (daughter just needed it.....). At this stage there are no codes confirming a worn chain, but from the character of the engine, especially at startup, I am thinking they will come.
A summer period when she does not need it will be when I select one (or more) of the helpful suggestions. I think drilling and forcing in a larger torx may be the way to go, along with generous heat applied to the head around the bolt. I have a compressed air impact, however that just stuffed the torx ribs in the bolt, so I need purchase, and then force.

I do like the look of a reverse drill though, but would need to be careful no flakes went anywhere but out the front, as they are likely to drop into the sump further down the bolt.

If the chain snaps in the meantime (which I doubt it will) then sobeit.
 
It’s a relatively big head on that torx, weld the biggest nut that you can fit on. The heat transfer is massive compared with any other method of heating. The issue will be not to weld too much. You can always repeat.
This will get it off.

George
 
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