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      08-02-2023, 06:54 PM   #1
MVRS
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Valve Cover bolt stripped...

Long story short, while cleaning the engine I noticed some oil seeping around 2 bolts of my valve cover. Thinking they were loose I tried tightening one and over did it, now the bolt is spinning freely . Definitely killed the mood for the day and major lesson learned...

Just wanted to know if anyone had experience fixing this sort of problem?
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      08-03-2023, 04:51 AM   #2
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I've run into a few times on used cars I've picked up over the years, if you want a simple quick fix then a Helicoil will do the job, if you want to fix it permanently then Timesert is the way to go. https://www.timesert.com/
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      08-03-2023, 07:47 AM   #3
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Echo the above, I’ve used helicoil before and they work fine. Just to be clear, I get the thread are stripped but did the head snap off or are you at least able to pull the bolt out?
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      08-03-2023, 08:55 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by grannyknot View Post
I've run into a few times on used cars I've picked up over the years, if you want a simple quick fix then a Helicoil will do the job, if you want to fix it permanently then Timesert is the way to go. https://www.timesert.com/
Okay perfect, I seen some posts from the e90 forum about helicoils and it seemed like the way to go. I just wanted to ask fellow z4 owners. Appreciate the quick reply.
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      08-03-2023, 09:02 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 3002 tii View Post
Echo the above, I’ve used helicoil before and they work fine. Just to be clear, I get the thread are stripped but did the head snap off or are you at least able to pull the bolt out?
The bolt is still intact, I am able to bring it up, but not fully out. Do you remember the size or specs of the helicoil you used?
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      08-03-2023, 11:50 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MVRS View Post
The bolt is still intact, I am able to bring it up, but not fully out. Do you remember the size or specs of the helicoil you used?
Sorry I should’ve clarified I’ve used before in other scenarios but not the n52 vcg specifically. But I do know this pretty common so I’m sure between zpost and e90post (na section), someone can definitely chime in.

Quick search on zpost:
https://www.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1908085
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      08-03-2023, 12:13 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 3002 tii View Post
Sorry I should’ve clarified I’ve used before in other scenarios but not the n52 vcg specifically. But I do know this pretty common so I’m sure between zpost and e90post (na section), someone can definitely chime in.

Quick search on zpost:
https://www.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1908085
Okay, definitely will give this a look. You and grannyknot’s advice calmed the nerves a bit haha.
Really appreciate the help!
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      08-04-2023, 08:30 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MVRS View Post
The bolt is still intact, I am able to bring it up, but not fully out. Do you remember the size or specs of the helicoil you used?
Is the bolt seized or just spinning freely (galled / stripped) in that spot? Should be able to apply some tension or move it with a pair of vice grip pliers?
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      08-04-2023, 10:03 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by 86Zed View Post
Is the bolt seized or just spinning freely (galled / stripped) in that spot? Should be able to apply some tension or move it with a pair of vice grip pliers?
Spinning freely. It stripped the hole because I see some of the aluminum shavings came off the bolt. Ima try your recommendation of the pliers over the weekend. Seems like if I can get that out, it should be easy to apply the helicoil/time sert without removing the whole cover.
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      02-04-2024, 09:01 AM   #10
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I broke 2 while changing the valve cover gasket. I used a craftsman drill/extractor. The bolt is aluminum with not much torque, came out pretty easy I purchased a complete bolt set from the dealer, around $70.
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