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- #41
my living nightmare. valve cover gasket replacement turns into engine out job
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Okay for the next guy! Since you don'y want advise at this point.
kroil penetrating oil, seafoam penetrating oil or just plain oil ATF. Works the best.
A little heat goes a long way. If getting red hot, I use P oil to cool, which helps draw in P oil.
There are issues with easy-outs. Especially small ones.
A) First is strength, which small ones snap easiest (depending on quality).
B) Second, they put outward pressure on bolt. Which can make even tight/harder to remove.
With difficult rusted in bolts;
I've had great success drilling out center, until just before starting to cut capture threads. The trick is to be dead center. To get dead center some use door hinge center tool. Most times, after center punching. I start with very small bit, drilling dimple. I move up in bit size, angling to recenter. going a bit deeper. Again up a size angling to center. As I feel i've center best I can, I'll use reverse drill bit. Which, sometimes I get lucky, and they come out as drill bit bites. If not I keep increasing size of drill bit working always to improve centering. Once almost no thread remaining of bolt, but most all captures thread remain. I get out my thread chase kit. Most times I can remove the remaining threads, with chase. If not I get my tap out. This method has worked time and time again for me.
I saw you're not looking for recommendation at this point. BUT If were me. I'd:
1) heat and cool with penetrating oil. Trying to shock by expansion & contraction. Then drawing in P oil.
2) Plug hole in back, if drill though and fill with a top-shelve penetrating oil. Soak over night.
3) Center hole, with a cutting bit.
4) Drill now center bolt hole larger and larger, with increasingly large size drill bits. I"d use A reverse bit at first hole small enough to get a bite.
5) Clean out remaining bolt threads.
kroil penetrating oil, seafoam penetrating oil or just plain oil ATF. Works the best.
A little heat goes a long way. If getting red hot, I use P oil to cool, which helps draw in P oil.
There are issues with easy-outs. Especially small ones.
A) First is strength, which small ones snap easiest (depending on quality).
B) Second, they put outward pressure on bolt. Which can make even tight/harder to remove.
With difficult rusted in bolts;
I've had great success drilling out center, until just before starting to cut capture threads. The trick is to be dead center. To get dead center some use door hinge center tool. Most times, after center punching. I start with very small bit, drilling dimple. I move up in bit size, angling to recenter. going a bit deeper. Again up a size angling to center. As I feel i've center best I can, I'll use reverse drill bit. Which, sometimes I get lucky, and they come out as drill bit bites. If not I keep increasing size of drill bit working always to improve centering. Once almost no thread remaining of bolt, but most all captures thread remain. I get out my thread chase kit. Most times I can remove the remaining threads, with chase. If not I get my tap out. This method has worked time and time again for me.
I saw you're not looking for recommendation at this point. BUT If were me. I'd:
1) heat and cool with penetrating oil. Trying to shock by expansion & contraction. Then drawing in P oil.
2) Plug hole in back, if drill though and fill with a top-shelve penetrating oil. Soak over night.
3) Center hole, with a cutting bit.
4) Drill now center bolt hole larger and larger, with increasingly large size drill bits. I"d use A reverse bit at first hole small enough to get a bite.
5) Clean out remaining bolt threads.
What 2001LC says. I have had very poor luck with Easy Outs myself.
Penetrating oil (yes Kroil ! or maybe PB Blaster ) and heat cycles. WD40 doesn't get it. Mapp gas / oxy rigs that are small from the hardware store will do it.
We have removed fasteners from rusty exhaust fittings this way. You have to get it really hot. That area is cast iron, isn't it? It will accept a lot of heat.
I'm sorry you are having such fits. I did my 2003 LC with no issue. I would proactively spray Kroil on any of these going forward.
Penetrating oil (yes Kroil ! or maybe PB Blaster ) and heat cycles. WD40 doesn't get it. Mapp gas / oxy rigs that are small from the hardware store will do it.
We have removed fasteners from rusty exhaust fittings this way. You have to get it really hot. That area is cast iron, isn't it? It will accept a lot of heat.
I'm sorry you are having such fits. I did my 2003 LC with no issue. I would proactively spray Kroil on any of these going forward.
The alternative is not to just let your valve cover leak. The alternative is install a clamp a la post 38 which will easily stop it from leaking. The torque setting on the bolt is 53 inch pounds. You deemed the clamp to be unaesthetic but it's likely that you would be the only person to see it. You're in a fight with yourself over an aesthetic issue and probably a candidate for OCD Mechanic of the Year.
Hey at least he is living up to his user name!
Didn't expect the issue to escalate upto this level. I'd probably apply silicone sealer on both sides of the gasket (I usually apply a small film of FIPG on the gasket meeting the head on the bottom perimeter of the gasket anyways) and call it done with the clamp shown in this thread. Throw in a rear main seal before you put it back together.
awesomeissquid
SILVER Star
Why not do the timing belt too at the same time! I kid…. maybe
I agree try and make lemonade out of this if you can, it seems horrible but like others have noted you can do a timing kit in a couple of hours along with the starter and rear seals, it will never be easier to access. Some understand and others will not, if you have a bent towards OCD doing this kind of thing is a requirement and not optional fyi. LC has some great advice on drilling out the problem children, that hinge drill bit is perfect for getting things started in the right direction Hinge drill bits and maybe get a left-handed drill bit to replace provided bit in the hinge jig Your issue is so extreme that I think the engine out was prudent. I am going out and spraying my hard-to-reach valve cover bolts this weekend. Wish you all the best and sharing your pain.
Why not headers too? Though knowing the OP he'll break a stud and then then strip down the block.
Now that the motor is sitting out of the truck- complete the job remove the broken bolts retap and put back together properly. (Maybe do your starter, and oil pump seals while they’re easy to get at 
)
There’s a couple of good tutorials on YouTube for removing a broken tap from a broken stud- taps/screw extractor similar type of metal. The trick is using a drill guide. OTC, SPC, Astro make a kit with drilling guides and extractors to keep the bit centered or if you have access to a lathe you can make your own.
The extractors are brittle- and if you try and drill out they can create shards like glass-
With a Diamond tipped porcelain hole saw you can grind the tap- be prepared it will take a while it’s tedious.
Here’s a lengthy video describing the process
Good luck-
)There’s a couple of good tutorials on YouTube for removing a broken tap from a broken stud- taps/screw extractor similar type of metal. The trick is using a drill guide. OTC, SPC, Astro make a kit with drilling guides and extractors to keep the bit centered or if you have access to a lathe you can make your own.
The extractors are brittle- and if you try and drill out they can create shards like glass-
With a Diamond tipped porcelain hole saw you can grind the tap- be prepared it will take a while it’s tedious.
Here’s a lengthy video describing the process
Good luck-
- Thread starter
- #53
I finally have some updates. I did get all the stuck bolts out, I had a friend bring over a "pen die grinder". It's the tiniest itty bitty bit that we were able to go into the bolts and wallow out two sides of them, and then used a punch to break out the remants of the old bolt. I dont think i could have done all that with the engine in the truck.
Anyway, I then ran a thread cleaner through the holes and they look pretty good now. So i can move on with the job.
now that I've got the engine out, I might as well do the:
I have acquired most of the parts. I will post more updates as I get further along.
Anyway, I then ran a thread cleaner through the holes and they look pretty good now. So i can move on with the job.
now that I've got the engine out, I might as well do the:
- exhaust manifolds - New OEM w/ OEM gaskets and all new OEM hardware
- starter - OEM
- obviously Valve cover gaskets , spark plug tube seals - OEM
- rear main seal - OEM, I am also replacing the bolts as well for good measure
- Radiator - went with the new CSF aluminum radiator
- engine Mounts - OEM
- Transmission input shaft seal - OEM
- Maybe timing belt- it's only got 30k miles on the current belt, i might skip it. This is already costing way too much.
I have acquired most of the parts. I will post more updates as I get further along.
- Thread starter
- #54
I also forgot to mention i am doing the spark plug tube seals . While you're in there...
Don't forget the heater tees and maybe the hoses, too...you will never have it any easier to do that job!
Why are some of you having problems with the valve cover bolts freezing and breaking? They should be under very low torque settings from the factory. Are some of you consistently overtightening them in an effort to resolve engine oil leaks around the gaskets the wrong way as they age and dry out? Or are these 100's that grew up in rust belt areas?
Why are some of you having problems with the valve cover bolts freezing and breaking? They should be under very low torque settings from the factory. Are some of you consistently overtightening them in an effort to resolve engine oil leaks around the gaskets the wrong way as they age and dry out? Or are these 100's that grew up in rust belt areas?
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Good job!
BTW: Have there been, documented reports, of transmission front seal failure?
Tip: I've developed a habit of resetting starter contacts, in remains. To often the re-builder does not set with enough pressure.
BTW: Have there been, documented reports, of transmission front seal failure?
Tip: I've developed a habit of resetting starter contacts, in remains. To often the re-builder does not set with enough pressure.
Very nice work! That sounds like a real pain. Congrats on sticking it out and making it work.
Those new manifolds look sweet. My next project as well.
Those new manifolds look sweet. My next project as well.
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Don't forget to tackle any issues with your steering rack/bushings while the engine is out!
awesomeissquid
SILVER Star
Good time to raise the front diff breather as well.