Stripped Vanos cover bolt - am I screwed?

[nikh23]

Hey guys, I'm currently in the middle of replacing my VCG and decided to do my Vanos seals while I was in there. Everything was going smoothly until I stripped one of the 8 mm hex vanos cylinder front cover bolts. Now i have two problems. I can bolt everything back up and just forget about doing the vanos seals but that would bother me to no end. Alternatively, also the method I prefer, is to remove it and replace it with a new bolt. The underlying problem is how do i get this stripped bolt out, and does anyone have a part number for this? I looked on real oem but couldn't find anything. Thanks guys.
image027.jpg

Edit: nevermind, found the part number 11361438338. now any suggestions on how to get it out?

[Yonkers320is]

Hey guys, I'm currently in the middle of replacing my VCG and decided to do my Vanos seals while I was in there. Everything was going smoothly until I stripped one of the 8 mm hex vanos cylinder front cover bolts. Now i have two problems. I can bolt everything back up and just forget about doing the vanos seals but that would bother me to no end. Alternatively, also the method I prefer, is to remove it and replace it with a new bolt. The underlying problem is how do i get this stripped bolt out, and does anyone have a part number for this? I looked on real oem but couldn't find anything. Thanks guys.
image027.jpg

Edit: nevermind, found the part number 11361438338. now any suggestions on how to get it out?

Drill it out, with an ezout maybe? Or use a chisel, or drill two holes and use a drift and hammer to spin it out

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[nikh23]

Of course I can’t find my ez outs. Guess I’ll run down to Home Depot and buy another set. Luckily the local dealer can get me the plug by tomorrow for 5 Times more than it costs at Fcp or ecs


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[jp5Touring]

Weld a nut to it. Couple tacks and put a wrench on it.

[JimLev]

Go the Harbor Freight and buy a set of left hand drill bits. Use them in your drill in the reverse direction. That should help to unscrew it as your drilling a hole in the stud.
Can't really see the location of the stud, got room to get a drill in there?

[nikh23]

Go the Harbor Freight and buy a set of left hand drill bits. Use them in your drill in the reverse direction. That should help to unscrew it as your drilling a hole in the stud.
Can't really see the location of the stud, got room to get a drill in there?

The above picture was from Beisan. Here are the pictures of it currently. Don’t have a welder unfortunately so that’s out. Tried hammering in a slightly larger Allen as well as a Torx. Both just stripped it further. I thinking using a left handed bit/screw extractor is my only option.




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[Akash3230]

You could buy a left hand thread bolt and a left hand tap. First use the left hand tap to create threads inside then tighten the bolt to remove it.


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[Yonkers320is]

Damn that looks ugly.....can't hit on the edge with a chisel or druft and slowly spin it out? Or like someone said, left hand thread and a bolt, when you tighten ot, it should loosen the broken bolt

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[Mach540]

That should be easy. I'd Dremel a slot in it with a little cutting disc. Then, get a piece of brass or copper or even an aluminum bar, hold it on the bolt head with a vice grip, and whack the snot outta it with a fist maul. Then put a chisel in the slot and tap it around and out.

Are they left or right hand threads?

[JimLev]

Oh, that part. A left hand drill bit would be too small for that big hole. Either what Mach said or a big easyout.
That plug should be a right hand thread (to tighten it), the allen inside is a left hand thread.

[nikh23]

That should be easy. I'd Dremel a slot in it with a little cutting disc. Then, get a piece of brass or copper or even an aluminum bar, hold it on the bolt head with a vice grip, and whack the snot outta it with a fist maul. Then put a chisel in the slot and tap it around and out.

Are they left or right hand threads?

Can you elaborate a bit? I’m not understanding properly. Dremel a slot on the face but where would you put the bar? They’re right hand threads

Went to HF and picked up some left hand bits, screw extractors and some punches and chisels.


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[Mach540]

Basically Dremel a screwdriver slot in it. (Actually just half of it. It's a large face) And use that slot with a chisel to tap it out.
The hammer part is to shock the threads so they loosen up. It's a great trick to use any time you might be concerned that a bolt is going to give you problems. I use a brass bar to prevent damage, and whack it to send a shock wave thru the bolt.

[djb2]

If you don't have a cut-off wheel handy, drill two holes and use a pin spanner (or abuse needle-nose pliers with an adjustable wrench) to unscrew the plug. When you can do it, this works far better than a round-bottom slot.

I would reinstall the modified plug and replace it later rather than make a special trip to dealer. If I'm in a hurry, a trip to the boneyard is often more effective than paying 170% of list at the local dealer and then having to return to pick it up a few days later. The boneyard charges $1.09 per bolt (if you aren't buying a part which it might conceivable be related to), which is a bargain in this case.



The fall-back is to drill a hole through the metal plug and the plastic plug large enough to unscrew the left-hand bolt holding the helix cup. Then remove the VANOS unit and take it to a bench to work on it.

[nikh23]

Was finally able to get it off using the methods you guys suggested. Used the dremel to slot out a portion of the face, hammered in a cold chisel perpendicular to the bolt, then flattened out the chisel and slammed it with a hammer. Got it to turn 1/4 turn and the rest I could get out by hand. I appreciate all the help, now I just have to get s replacement and I can finish the job.

That’s a good idea djb2. My problem is mostly time, the car is my daily and I’m new to the area so I’m not familiar with the junkyards in the area
And can’t spend too much time going from yard to yard to look for bmws. Anybody in the Bay Area know of any yards that do? Particularly in north or east bay?


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[djb2]

Where do you live? Your profile says NYC, but it sounds as if you have moved.

In the SF bay area there are a half dozen Pick-n-Pull yards. They are well organized, tidy, well drained and always have a good selection of BMWs. They have an online inventory, but it's easier to use Row52.

[nikh23]

Where do you live? Your profile says NYC, but it sounds as if you have moved.

In the SF bay area there are a half dozen Pick-n-Pull yards. They are well organized, tidy, well drained and always have a good selection of BMWs. They have an online inventory, but it's easier to use Row52.

Took some more of your advice. Had a bit of time and instead of going to the dealership to pick up my deliverer part I went up to Fairfield to the pick and pull. Picked up the bolt that I needed for a buck and scored some facelift xenon headlights with all mounting tabs intact for cheap. Wish we had more of these salvage yards out in nyc area. Thanks again to everyone for the suggestions. Now time to go break in these seals and polish up some headlights


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[ECSTuning]

O man, glad you got that undone. Stripping that little screw plug is way way too common, I'm tempted to have my techs do a DIY on removing it if it's stripped.

-James

[nikh23]

O man, glad you got that undone. Stripping that little screw plug is way way too common, I'm tempted to have my techs do a DIY on removing it if it's stripped.

-James

It was definitely nerve racking, especially since everything up to that point was going so smoothly. Regardless, used the advice from the boards and took it as an opportunity to learn a new skill


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