So I messed up installing the ZTEC heatshield..
#1
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I accidentally overtorqued the bolts that hold the heatshield down. I went to the dealer to see what they can do, but the mechanic tells me that he'll need the weekend to think about how to extract the two bolts. ![frown.gif](https://www.s2ki.com/forums/images/smilies/frown.gif)
Is there anything I can do?
I feel like such a dumbass right now..
![frown.gif](https://www.s2ki.com/forums/images/smilies/frown.gif)
Is there anything I can do?
I feel like such a dumbass right now..
![frown.gif](https://www.s2ki.com/forums/images/smilies/frown.gif)
#5
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Did you strip the threads in the bolt holes and the bolts just spin in place, or did you break the heads off the bolts?
I've never experienced your problem with the S, but I have encountered it on other cars and here's what I've done. I normally use air tools for the job, but I'm going to assume that you don't have access to them.
If the bolts are intact but are just stripped and spinning in place, you can use a cordless drill with the correct sized socket to try to back the bolts out after placing a little penetrating oil around the head of each bolt and allowing the oil to penetrate for a bit. Don't use a corded drill as it will spin entirely too fast and you will have much less control over the revolution speed and torque. The cordless drill should give you just enough speed and torque to spin the bolts fast enough so that the threads will catch in the aluminum and back the bolts out of their holes without mucking up the bolt holes too badly.
Once you've removed the bolts, you will either have to re-tap the bolt holes for the next largest size diameter bolt, or buy a "Heli-coil" brand, or equivalent, threaded insert kit for the stock sized bolts. Then drill and tap the bolt holes with the drill bit and tap provided with the kit to the correct size, applying some red "Loctite" to the *outer* threads of the Heli-coil and carefully thread the coil into the hole and *allow the Loctite to set as directed* before inserting the bolts. You only want to lock the insert in place, not the bolt.
If you've broken the heads off the bolts, you might ask your mechanic to find a reverse drill bit to drill out and extract the bolts. The bits aren't easy to find usually, but I'm fairly sure that SnapOn tools sells them. I've used them a few times and have been able to remove the broken bolt without messing up the bolt hole threads.
I've never experienced your problem with the S, but I have encountered it on other cars and here's what I've done. I normally use air tools for the job, but I'm going to assume that you don't have access to them.
If the bolts are intact but are just stripped and spinning in place, you can use a cordless drill with the correct sized socket to try to back the bolts out after placing a little penetrating oil around the head of each bolt and allowing the oil to penetrate for a bit. Don't use a corded drill as it will spin entirely too fast and you will have much less control over the revolution speed and torque. The cordless drill should give you just enough speed and torque to spin the bolts fast enough so that the threads will catch in the aluminum and back the bolts out of their holes without mucking up the bolt holes too badly.
Once you've removed the bolts, you will either have to re-tap the bolt holes for the next largest size diameter bolt, or buy a "Heli-coil" brand, or equivalent, threaded insert kit for the stock sized bolts. Then drill and tap the bolt holes with the drill bit and tap provided with the kit to the correct size, applying some red "Loctite" to the *outer* threads of the Heli-coil and carefully thread the coil into the hole and *allow the Loctite to set as directed* before inserting the bolts. You only want to lock the insert in place, not the bolt.
If you've broken the heads off the bolts, you might ask your mechanic to find a reverse drill bit to drill out and extract the bolts. The bits aren't easy to find usually, but I'm fairly sure that SnapOn tools sells them. I've used them a few times and have been able to remove the broken bolt without messing up the bolt hole threads.
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#8
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Originally Posted by hecash,Sep 24 2006, 07:48 AM
Are you speaking about decapitating or stripping one or some of the four 10 mm hex head bolts that hold the vertical heatshield between the battery and the exhaust header?
I also decapitated one of the "top" bolts that hold onto the wiring harness.
So basically there are three "half" bolts lodged in that solenoid.
![frown.gif](https://www.s2ki.com/forums/images/smilies/frown.gif)
#9
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Thanks for your help everybody, I think at this point I'm going to wait for the mechanic to get back to me.
If he doesn't, then I'm going to have to find someone else who can fix this for me.
Dean, thanks for all that great info
, but being that I'm not the most mechanically inclined person, I think I'd rather have a professional mechanic fix this for me. After all, it was my own stupidity that got me here in the first place.
If he doesn't, then I'm going to have to find someone else who can fix this for me.
Dean, thanks for all that great info
![thumbsup.gif](https://www.s2ki.com/forums/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif)
![lol.gif](https://www.s2ki.com/forums/images/smilies/lol.gif)
#10
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Originally Posted by kenstyle,Sep 24 2006, 07:01 PM
Dean, thanks for all that great info
, but being that I'm not the most mechanically inclined person, I think I'd rather have a professional mechanic fix this for me. After all, it was my own stupidity that got me here in the first place. ![lol.gif](https://www.s2ki.com/forums/images/smilies/lol.gif)
![thumbsup.gif](https://www.s2ki.com/forums/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif)
![lol.gif](https://www.s2ki.com/forums/images/smilies/lol.gif)
![lol.gif](https://www.s2ki.com/forums/images/smilies/lol.gif)
The next time you're removing/installing bolts that small, use a quarter inch drive "stubby" rachet if you don't have a torque wrench of the appropriate size. That will lessen the chance of over-torqueing/breaking the bolts, since you'll usually need to use both hands on the rachet to apply enough force break the bolts. And don't use both hands!
![biggrin.gif](https://www.s2ki.com/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
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