WTF! Valve Cover Stud Lottery

[ninskrillz]

Whats up dudes,

Hit the JACKPOT tonight! The valve cover stud fuck you lottery! When Adjusting the valves on my 71, I was buttoning the last cover up. Using the box end of a wrench, I was tightening the acorn nuts, and everything was going nicely. So I kept tightening, and tightening, and tightening, not much resistance really showed up. It has these thick black seemingly rubber gaskets, so I though those were just compressing. Then all of a sudden, half of the top stud and acorn nut hit the dirt. Uh am I Hulk how did that happen. So I go to backout the bottom two to inspect the top further. Loosening and loosening and loosening and loosening. WTF. So here I am. What are my options here? Am I gonna have to pull the engine? Sacrifice a small animal to the valve cover gods? Drive the thing off a cliff? Park the bike next to the cliff and jump?

 

[DogBunny]

You sheared the top stud flush with the engine? Not sure how that's even possible. Usually if a tappet cover nut is over-tightened it will pull the steel stud out of the soft aluminum engine. But, if you did shear it, there should be room to drill it out and put a helicoil in. This requires special tools such as cobalt or carbide-tipped drills and possibly extractors. If you don't have the tools and the skill and patience, then you should let a machinist do it.

The other two studs have stripped threads? You should be able to back the studs out and replace them.

 

[ninskrillz]

The sheared stud is flush with the cover. I ordered 3 new studs. Can I just take some vise pliers to the studs to get them out?

 

[DogBunny]

Vice grips are the typical tool. Start with the un-sheared studs, they should be easier. First, do what you have to to take the cover off so you can get a really good grip on the bottom two studs.

There might be enough stud left after you remove the cover to use vice grips on the top stud, but not necessarily.

Heat will help a lot, it will expand the aluminum case more than the steel stud, making a looser fit. Use a heat gun, not a torch, point it at one of the studs, put it on low, and let it sit for ten minutes. Again, figure out your procedure on the bottom two studs before you tackle the top one.

 

[ninskrillz]

Vice grips are the typical tool. Start with the un-sheared studs, they should be easier. First, do what you have to to take the cover off so you can get a really good grip on the bottom two studs.

There might be enough stud left after you remove the cover to use vice grips on the top stud, but not necessarily.

Heat will help a lot, it will expand the aluminum case more than the steel stud, making a looser fit. Use a heat gun, not a torch, point it at one of the studs, put it on low, and let it sit for ten minutes. Again, figure out your procedure on the bottom two studs before you tackle the top one.

Suhweet thanks for the help!

 

[angus67]

Happened to me a couple months ago. Pulled the threads right out I tried to drill as straight as I could, but the stud still ended up crooked. In and out a few times, bend in a vise, then red loctite, straight enuf to seal. The others feel close to stripping, so I don't push my luck untill they decide to go.

 

[gggGary]

You may find some helpful pointers here.
http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28729

To get a straight hole put the cover on the other two studs, the cover will act as a guide. IMHO find, buy late model valve covers that accept o-rings, then get some of gggGarys silicone valve cover o-rings no need to over tighten to stop leaks with those on the job.

 

[fredintoon]

The sheared stud is flush with the cover. I ordered 3 new studs. Can I just take some vise pliers to the studs to get them out?

Hi ninskrillz,
if there's enough stud left sticking out for a vise-grip (pay full whack for a genuine vise-grip, those cheap offshore copies don't work too good) to grab onto, yes.
Failing that, get a 3/16" or 5mm LEFT HAND drill bit and drill the stud out.
With luck the backwards-turning drill bit will grab the stud and wind it out.
If that trick effs up, salvage with a helicoil or similar.
With the new studs in place go buy yourself a 1/4" square drive torque wrench, eh?

 

[ninskrillz]

When replacing the studs should I put some locking agent in with them?

 

[DogBunny]

If you bought the correct studs, then no, you don't need a locking agent. The correct studs are an interference fit on the part that goes in the engine. This means that they cannot be screwed in with your fingers, you will need to double nut the part that does not go in the engine, and then use a wrench.

This also means that when you extract your damaged ones you can expect to have to use the vice grips during the entire removal. It also means that it is pretty unlikely that a left-handed drill bit will ever grab and get one out.

I agree that it's worth buying a brand new set of genuine Vice Grip brand vice grips.

 

[DogBunny]

If you want to get fancy, there are a variety of stud removal tools. The one above slips over the stud and has a cam inside. You use a ratchet handle, and the harder you turn, the harder the cam grips the stud. But, you probably don't have enough stud left on the one that sheared for this particular tool.

 

[ninskrillz]

I've got a nice set of vice grips. I guess dremeling slots and using a flat head wouldnt be effective?

 

[DogBunny]

The vice grips should be fine on the long studs.

I thought of suggesting making a screwdriver slot on your sheared stud. But, I'm not there, so I can't see it, and I don't know your skill level, so the decision of what to do is yours. One rule to remember, is that as you try things and they fail, your options decrease, and eventually you wind up using a helicoil. In other words, you want to really think your first try, and do everything you can to make your first try work.

I think the screwdriver slot idea is a good one, except you will be left with two small crescents of metal that will be pretty easy to shear off. If it doesn't look like you can get a good Vice Grip grab, then try it.

If you are going to try it, use bits like those above that come in hand impact driver kits, available for about $10 (the whole kit) at any auto parts store. But, don't use the impact driver, put a wrench or ratchet on the bit. Either way, Vice Grips or screwdriver tip, USE HEAT.

On second thought, those tips might be too big, maybe use a smaller tip, but one that is still hex-shanked so that you can put a wrench or ratchet on it.

 

[ninskrillz]

Thanks a lot for the advice it's been very helpful.

 

[ninskrillz]

Alrighty, got some great news! The studs were stripped on the outside! Wrestled with the acorns trying to get them off, finally did and was relieved to find the bolts stripped the outside, as opposed to the extra torque stripping the inside. Heated each screw up about 3 minutes with the heat gun, and each came out without hiccup! The threads on both the inside of the head and studs looked very nice, not a single spot of oxidation or grime inside the head. SWEET! Already have 3 more studs in the mail from Mikes, should be able to bolt them back up in a couple days! Have a picture of the damage. Thanks again for all the help, especially DogBunny for giving me all the info I needed for success.

edit: guess the forum decided to turn my pic, oh well