Cant get the valve cover off...nut keeps spinning

[BigBoy]

I got everything off except the corner nut that tightens the valve cover. It just keeps spinning and wont tighten or loosen. I tried using a flathead to pop it off but it cant get under it, theres not enough space. What next?

 

[swanny]

If it's spinning freely while the nut is still on it you've unthreaded the stud. Have you taken off the nuts underneath the sparkplug cover?

 

[BigBoy]

yea i took everything off but the corner nut.

 

[swanny]

Can you get a vice grip on the stud and turn the nut?

 

[VTECPOWER]

Dremel time?

 

[reikoshea]

yeah, id say dremel it if you cant get it off. im willing to bet that you can get a new one out of dealer stock...those things break ALL the time.

 

[BigBoy]

i dont have a vice grip or dremel. You think it would be a bad idea to hammer it from the side to force the stud to break? I do have replacement studs. Just wondering if that might damage the threads in the head.

 

[B16RacerN2NR]

Quoted post[/post]]
i dont have a vice grip or dremel. You think it would be a bad idea to hammer it from the side to force the stud to break? I do have replacement studs. Just wondering if that might damage the threads in the head.

I've had this happen to me before. Put a screw driver or something underneath the valve cover near that stripped nut and start putting force on the cover like oyu are prying it off. At the same time take a ratchet and keep spinning the nut loose. It will eventually give.

 

[B16RacerN2NR]

Quoted post[/post]]
Make sure you don't damage the gasket surface while doing that^^^.

 

[BigBoy]

OK i finally got it off but ran into another problem. I started taking off the cam holder plate so i can replace the cam seal. The bolts were way too tight so i had to use a extension bar to get them loose. All of em came out but one of them snapped. It looks like the very top of the bottom half of the bolt is in the cam cap. DOes anyone know if the cam cap is threaded? If it is, im gonna have to take out the cams so i can spin it and take out the broken bolt. Unless theres a way to get ahold of the bolt somehow and just twist it out.

 

[BigBoy]

bolt is in the head, just barely beneath. How do i get it out?

 

[B16RacerN2NR]

Quoted post[/post]]
bolt is in the head, just barely beneath. How do i get it out?

drill it out

 

[BigBoy]

shit i managed to get it out, but in the process about 1/2 inch of the drilll bit broke off and i couldnt find it. It might be in the head somewhere. Will this be a major problem? I just drove about 50 miles and didnt notice anything.

 

[reikoshea]

could be...especially if it finds its way into the combustion chamber.

 

[BigBoy]

then what will happen?

 

[TurboMirage]

then you may as well just get a new motor.

before you ask how do i get it out...

use a pencil magnet. im sure you will find it eventually.

it may have gone down one of the oil holes though. you might have to take your pan off to find out.

FIND THAT PIECE y0.