Spark Plug Cover Problem

[logik]

Hi guys,

I am furious as i write this, was going to put my fist through the laptop screen :evil: :evil: .

Anyway, so i was replacing the spark plug cover and plugs tonight on the car and as you know there are 4 nuts that need to be loosed before the spark plug cover will come off. The two nuts at the top left and top right are come off with ease.

The two centre nuts come off like the other two but in order to get the spark plugs out of the engine you need to remove 2 long screws that hold the two centre spark plugs in place. Following me so far?

Ok so removed the two long screws with no hassle. Did the work grand, and was putting the screws back into place. Was tightening up the two long screws, the one on the right is slightly different to the one on the left. While tightening the centre left screw it snapped!!!

Now i have done this job a 1000 times so i was not putting too much pressure on the screw but it snapped!!! and the top of it is just sticking out of the rocker cover. I tried a plyers to grip and remove the remaining part of the screw but i cant get a good enough grip.

You see the long screws hold the spark plug in place so the coilpack cant slip off the top of the plug.

I am sure i can get the screw off Dave Johnson at Steels but how in gods name am i going to get the remaining part of the screw out?

Any ideas lads, i am worried the coilpack will come off the plug when driving meaning only firing on 3 cylinders.

Help!!

 

[tron2k3]

Can you get some mole grips around it?

 

[logik]

Tried that mate, but no go, theres about 5mm of the screw sticking up.

Only thing i can think of is drill it out...

What you reckon?

So i have no spark plug cover on the engine now and no screw holding the 2nd coilpack in place...

I dont even think a garage would be able to get it out without drilling it.

 

[tron2k3]

You have a couple of options depending the width of the screw and access, you could try and file a groove down the middle so you can screw it out with a flat head screwdriver or if you know how to weld or can get a garage to weld a bolt or bolt head on then you can unscrew it.

 

[logik]

Thanks mate, appreciate your help.

My worry with option 1 is, if you file a groove in the screw and then that does not work, the screw will be very very weak useless.

Option 2, there is only about 5mm of metal sticking up so that makes it very hard to weld without sticking to the actual rocker cover.

Might just take it to a local garage tomorrow and see what they think.

Its needs to come out anyway because i have no way to secure the coilpack otherwise.

 

[jay82]

to be honest mate think u screwed the rocker cover from the sound of things. u could get it out by drilling it, but i'd bring it to a engneering company rather than a garge. i see can i get a few numbers in work for u and ask a few lads in work for other opions. but there is a good chance of cracking or damaging the cover when drilling. could even work out better getting a new or second hand rocker cover.

 

[MilanoChris]

File the screw and use a screw driver, that's what I'd do.

 

[logik]

Ok looks like i am in the market for a second hand rocker cover.

Anyone know of any, please let me know.

 

[JDC5]

hi mate

Am sorry to hear about that!! well i've got a rocket cover for sell, I just changed to the spoon one.. so i wont be needing it any more... drop me a PM if your interested

Jimmy

 

[JDC5]

here is the picture mate

 

[j30l]

File the screw and use a screw driver, that's what I'd do.

Same here. Or keep persisting with molegrips or better still both. Or get a chisel and chisel it around an around until it winds it self out.

If you end up buying another rocker cover ill have the old one.

 

[LA-DC5 ITR]

karl I can have alum welded at work so if u like you can drop down next week & we can see if we can tack a nut onto the bit that's protruding.

 

[mikegsi]

i would go with welding a nut onto it, doesnt need a load to make it stick, just a little blast, should be able to do it without damaging the rocker cover

 

[Andywilkinson]

As an electrician i often come acroos damaged screws in terminals and other electrical appliances, and my tool of choice which can also be used as a hammer, chisel, screwdriver amongst other things :lol: is my sidecutters (snips) You can use these to slightly cut into screw, its like pliers but its grips as you cut in with the sharp edges, then slowly but with a tight grip, turn the screw

Might not help, but when on sites and desperate times call for desperate measures, it works

Other than that mate, good luck with the new rocker cover

 

[integrad]

not sure wich screw you have broke but if there is plenty of room round the broken screw could you tighten a chuck onto it from a drill and let it rip but make sure its well tight first time round.This has worked for me before if you can get on it.

 

[ollie-dc5]

What about an 'easy-out'. Drill a small hole into the centre of the snapped bolt. Screw the easy out into it, which has a left handed thread (so you have to turn it anticlockwise for it to go in). The easy out has a tapered end, so when it won't go in any further it will start to unscrew the bolt that is stuck in the hole. We use these all the time at work as we get loads of rusty bolts snapping.

Just to add, not sure if that is the proper name for it, but that's what we call it.

 

[logik]

karl I can have alum welded at work so if u like you can drop down next week & we can see if we can tack a nut onto the bit that's protruding.

Thanks very much Stu, good news is, i took it up to John Stone (jstoneracing) and he heated it up really fast so the alumimum heated faster than the steel and it came out with the first turn of the mole grips. He threw in a new screw and gave me a new spark plug cover too all for 20 euro .

Thanks lads for your help and ideas.