Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: anddyy88 on 19 February 2014, 15:50:45

Title: snapped cam cover bolt, how to fix?
Post by: anddyy88 on 19 February 2014, 15:50:45
changed the cam cover gaskets the other day, all went well until it came to tighten the bolts up, i snapped one due to the torque wrench being faulty >:(

bought a new wrench and fitted the rest for now as i need the car for work.

hows best to fix this?

can the cam holder thing be changed to new or one from the scrap yard or am i gonna have to try and drill it out, tap a new thread and put a bigger bolt in?
Title: Re: snapped cam cover bolt, how to fix?
Post by: 05omegav6 on 19 February 2014, 15:58:43
Is it on the inlet or exhaust side :-\ what torque did you tighten them to :o

I might be wrong, but aren't the cam caps matched to the head/cam :-\ that said people seem to swap cams without issue, so it could be an option...
Title: Re: snapped cam cover bolt, how to fix?
Post by: Kevin Wood on 19 February 2014, 16:03:58
Cam bearing caps are line-bored in the head, so under no circumstances can they be swapped, I'm afraid. You will have all sorts of bother if you go down that route.

You will have to try to extract the old bolt from the cam cap. Hopefully, it has failed under the head of the bolt, leaving a stud that you can get a grip on. These only require 8nm of torque, which is barely hand-tight.

Title: Re: snapped cam cover bolt, how to fix?
Post by: anddyy88 on 19 February 2014, 16:12:59
its on bank 135 sencond bolt in from the front of the car on bottom near exhaust.

(http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx15/sherpy/20140216_141831_zps7f800519.jpg) (http://s737.photobucket.com/user/sherpy/media/20140216_141831_zps7f800519.jpg.html)

dont know what i tightned it up to didnt feel very tight at the time, but when i done the rest with the new wrench it was defo well too tight :'(
Title: Re: snapped cam cover bolt, how to fix?
Post by: JamesV6CDX on 19 February 2014, 16:13:27
Yep you'll need to whip the bearing cap off
(2 bolts once cam over off)

If you like, post it to me, I'll rethread it for you :y
Title: Re: snapped cam cover bolt, how to fix?
Post by: anddyy88 on 19 February 2014, 16:17:49
cheers for offer, but need the car for work and knowing my luck with post it would go missing.

does the cap have to go back on the exact way it comes off, ie i need to mark it, so it goes back on same way.

and what torque does the cap need to be done at when being refitted.
Title: Re: snapped cam cover bolt, how to fix?
Post by: JamesV6CDX on 19 February 2014, 16:19:53
cheers for offer, but need the car for work and knowing my luck with post it would go missing.

does the cap have to go back on the exact way it comes off, ie i need to mark it, so it goes back on same way.

and what torque does the cap need to be done at when being refitted.

Yep

Also 8nm :y
Title: Re: snapped cam cover bolt, how to fix?
Post by: Andy B on 19 February 2014, 16:20:13
....
hows best to fix this?
 .....

Do you know anyone that works as a fitter/etc (I would if you could get it to me  ;)) It should be very easy to either remove the remnants are re-drill & tap.
Failing that, any local machine shop would/should be able to sort it for you.
Title: Re: snapped cam cover bolt, how to fix?
Post by: anddyy88 on 19 February 2014, 16:25:24
i know a enginnering place not far that refurbishes cylinder heads etc so gonna whip it off and see if they'll drill and tap it for me same day for me.

ive got a tap and die set here but not sure if i wanna try it myself on a part of the engine.
Title: Re: snapped cam cover bolt, how to fix?
Post by: PhilRich on 19 February 2014, 16:29:31
Chances are it wont need retapping. Once you get the broken stud moving it will probably come out by hand :y
Title: Re: snapped cam cover bolt, how to fix?
Post by: Elite Pete on 19 February 2014, 16:58:43
That looks to be standing a little proud to me. Remove the can cap and saw a slot in what is left of the bolt and see if you can remove it with a screw driver
Title: Re: snapped cam cover bolt, how to fix?
Post by: 05omegav6 on 19 February 2014, 17:01:17
That looks to be standing a little proud to me. Remove the can cap and saw a slot in what is left of the bolt and see if you can remove it with a screw driver
Thinking the same... :y no point disturbing parts for the sake of it, imho :-\
Title: Re: snapped cam cover bolt, how to fix?
Post by: Andy B on 19 February 2014, 18:41:03
That looks to be standing a little proud to me. Remove the can cap and saw a slot in what is left of the bolt and see if you can remove it with a screw driver
Thinking the same... :y no point disturbing parts for the sake of it, imho :-\

Best done with the cap off, saves swarf from the saw cut from going where it's not wanted.  ;)
Title: Re: snapped cam cover bolt, how to fix?
Post by: omega3000 on 19 February 2014, 19:18:13
changed the cam cover gaskets the other day, all went well until it came to tighten the bolts up, i snapped one due to the torque wrench being faulty >:(

bought a new wrench and fitted the rest for now as i need the car for work.

hows best to fix this?

can the cam holder thing be changed to new or one from the scrap yard or am i gonna have to try and drill it out, tap a new thread and put a bigger bolt in?

Same thing happened to my Vectra , see if you can get a pair of grips on whats sticking out .. got mine out this way or what pete said  :y
Title: Re: snapped cam cover bolt, how to fix?
Post by: anddyy88 on 19 February 2014, 19:59:29
Have tried the grips, pliers etc just not enough to get a decent hold of it, they just slip.
Title: Re: snapped cam cover bolt, how to fix?
Post by: Andy B on 19 February 2014, 21:02:18
Try using a centre pop to tap the remains undone.
Title: Re: snapped cam cover bolt, how to fix?
Post by: andyc on 19 February 2014, 22:22:43
Had the same happen to me, ended up fitting a cap from a spare engine and never had a problem, just lucky i guess

Andy
Title: Re: snapped cam cover bolt, how to fix?
Post by: minifreek on 19 February 2014, 22:27:04
Shame your not closer Andy, I wouldve got that out for you mate. Iv got a set of reverse taps here that would remove that no problem :)
Title: Re: snapped cam cover bolt, how to fix?
Post by: hotel21 on 19 February 2014, 22:28:38
As the chap above says.

Centre pop after removal and left hand drill. Chances are will cause broken stud to turn out.
Title: Re: snapped cam cover bolt, how to fix?
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 20 February 2014, 08:10:56
The cam caps are line bored but, there bloody accurate, the GMX echange refurb instructions state that a single cap per cam can be changed. So if you get stuck you have an options.

The cam caps are all marked (e.g. L1, L2 etc) and match the specific head (e.g. left or right on the V6) and must go back where they belong (the cylidner has a numebr cast into it).

As other have said, get it in a vic, slot it slightly with a hack saw and try with a screwdriver, if it wont budge then tap it round using the slot you have cut.