Valve Cover thread stripped - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

5150 · 03-04-2006, 04:08 PM

Hey guys,

I've managed to break two of my valve cover bolts inside the head. My dumbass attempted to drill them out, but I think I damaged the head. Any ideas on how to fix?

Bryan

LUV2XCLR8 · 03-04-2006, 04:35 PM

Well you could always just replace the heads

FRENCHBLUE72 · 03-04-2006, 05:49 PM

What did you use to drill them out you should just drill a little pilot hole in the bolt and use an easy out to get the rest out..

72armyswbtruck · 03-04-2006, 07:50 PM

Sounds like a pain in the ***, Like everything else it depends on your skill and tools. I would after making another attemp with a set of easy outs, take it to a machine shop because you don't want to damage the heads and have to have them resleaved and then retapped.

ROCKYXCAB · 03-04-2006, 07:53 PM

Get the heads off and take to a machine shop

Droppedhatch · 03-04-2006, 07:55 PM

you could always drill it out bigger and put in a heli-coil.

**Bernie** · 03-05-2006, 06:56 PM

If you can get the broken half of the bolt out, you could try a thread restoring bolt. It would be worth a try.

*Medicanman71* · 03-05-2006, 07:20 PM

OH lord dont get me started.

Thats exactly how i ended up having pretty much the entire top end of my block rebuilt...

Intake manifold bolt was out, cuz there was a broken off bolt stuck in the head where it bolted down. Was going to have it drilled out, ahh wonderfull.... PO already had tried and broke a drill bit off in it...

Heads had to be pulled, send to the shop and reconditioned.. THe shop doing the work for me got them back and what do you know, a head had a crack in it. The owner of the shop gave me a sob story as if i gave a sh!t... Said he's no longer in touch with said machine shop because of what had happened.... As i said, no my problem.. i told him to figure it out. He had big valve corvette heads that fit and i ended up getting those from him. They were "for one of his rigs" (the shop owners). I took those from him, then went to a reputable shop and had it all put back together CORRECTLY. After the 1st shop put the corvette heads on, they bolted the intake manifold back on and crushed the seals...

Last but not least, a few weeks prior to the intake manifold situation this 1st worthlesss shop switched the plugs... in doing so one fell through (they THOUGHT) - it landed in the GD collector on the headors

They fired it up, headers got warm.. plug sunk deeper into the collectors and tubes where it got jamed, they turned it off not knowing all this yet - it cooled, and busted just about every weld on the collector of the header.... so they bought me new headers too ... .

So thats what happened to me last time i had a stuck bolt in the head... good luck, i'm sure it cant be as bad as what happened to me.

bballmac42 · 03-05-2006, 11:09 PM

just be glad the placed you messed up is replaceable if need be. I on the other-hand ended up with a 1/2" hole drilled into my block where the water pump mounts. not good.

03-04-2006, 04:08 PM	#1
5150 C10 Club Tennessee Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: White House, TN 37188 Posts: 8,281	Valve Cover thread stripped Hey guys, I've managed to break two of my valve cover bolts inside the head. My dumbass attempted to drill them out, but I think I damaged the head. Any ideas on how to fix? Bryan __________________ Bryan www.gmtruckshow.com Project "Andes"-Halen's First Truck Project: Patina Burb for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Romans 13:4

03-04-2006, 04:35 PM	#2
LUV2XCLR8 The LuvShack Garage Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Maple Grove, TN (West Side) Posts: 30,474	Re: Valve Cover thread stripped Well you could always just replace the heads __________________ Owner/Op: "TN Classic Transport Carriers" The Toy: "Square Vette" 72 Hybrid Blazer Toy Barn: "LuvShack" 40 x 60 x 20 Shop Tow Piggy:"Maddy" 88 Silverado 3500 Hauler: "Feathers" 14 Aluma 8218T

03-04-2006, 05:49 PM	#3
FRENCHBLUE72 PROJECT 7DEUCE Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: GRANTS PASS OR Posts: 21,606	Re: Valve Cover thread stripped What did you use to drill them out you should just drill a little pilot hole in the bolt and use an easy out to get the rest out.. __________________ GO BIG GREEN GO DUCKS MEMBER #6377 72 k-5 daily driver 6'' lift 35'' 350-350-205 slowly getting rust free. Project "7DEUCE" check out my build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=267665 Tim Powell..R.I.P EastSideLowlife..... R.I.P..

03-04-2006, 07:50 PM	#4
72armyswbtruck Registered User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Idaho Posts: 4,033	Re: Valve Cover thread stripped Sounds like a pain in the ***, Like everything else it depends on your skill and tools. I would after making another attemp with a set of easy outs, take it to a machine shop because you don't want to damage the heads and have to have them resleaved and then retapped. __________________ "Remember, They can Kill You, but they can't eat You, That's against the law!!!!!!!!!"

03-04-2006, 07:53 PM	#5
ROCKYXCAB Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: OKLAHOMA Posts: 52	Re: Valve Cover thread stripped Get the heads off and take to a machine shop __________________ 85 Chevy 1/2 ton Extended cab conversion. http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1.../trucks014.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1.../trucks031.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1.../trucks032.jpg

03-04-2006, 07:55 PM	#6
Droppedhatch Registered User Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Benton City, WA Posts: 3	Re: Valve Cover thread stripped you could always drill it out bigger and put in a heli-coil.

03-05-2006, 06:56 PM	#7
Bernie Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Northern Illinois Posts: 516	Re: Valve Cover thread stripped If you can get the broken half of the bolt out, you could try a thread restoring bolt. It would be worth a try. __________________ Bernie

03-05-2006, 07:20 PM	#8
Medicanman71 Account Suspended Join Date: May 2005 Location: Where the Wild Things Are Posts: 696	Re: Valve Cover thread stripped OH lord dont get me started. Thats exactly how i ended up having pretty much the entire top end of my block rebuilt... Intake manifold bolt was out, cuz there was a broken off bolt stuck in the head where it bolted down. Was going to have it drilled out, ahh wonderfull.... PO already had tried and broke a drill bit off in it... Heads had to be pulled, send to the shop and reconditioned.. THe shop doing the work for me got them back and what do you know, a head had a crack in it. The owner of the shop gave me a sob story as if i gave a sh!t... Said he's no longer in touch with said machine shop because of what had happened.... As i said, no my problem.. i told him to figure it out. He had big valve corvette heads that fit and i ended up getting those from him. They were "for one of his rigs" (the shop owners). I took those from him, then went to a reputable shop and had it all put back together CORRECTLY. After the 1st shop put the corvette heads on, they bolted the intake manifold back on and crushed the seals... Last but not least, a few weeks prior to the intake manifold situation this 1st worthlesss shop switched the plugs... in doing so one fell through (they THOUGHT) - it landed in the GD collector on the headors They fired it up, headers got warm.. plug sunk deeper into the collectors and tubes where it got jamed, they turned it off not knowing all this yet - it cooled, and busted just about every weld on the collector of the header.... so they bought me new headers too ... . So thats what happened to me last time i had a stuck bolt in the head... good luck, i'm sure it cant be as bad as what happened to me.

03-05-2006, 11:09 PM	#9
bballmac42 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 60	Re: Valve Cover thread stripped just be glad the placed you messed up is replaceable if need be. I on the other-hand ended up with a 1/2" hole drilled into my block where the water pump mounts. not good.

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