General engine work question- stuck bolts

yellowpatrol · Post by **yellowpatrol** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 3:02 pm

This isn't Neon-specific- I'm having a lot of trouble removing some bolts on my engine and I was hoping some of you had some tips. This first bolt is the last remaining one on the oil pump.

I tried by hand and with air tools, and both ways failed. I decided to temporarily lower the engine to it's side to possibly get better torque, but it won't budge.

The other bolts are the stubby ones on the flywheel. Every time I try to turn them, the whole engine turns. I've tried keeping it in place with my foot, another wrench propped against the ground... nothing.

blue demon02 · Post by **blue demon02** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 3:36 pm

yellowpatrol wrote:This isn't Neon-specific- I'm having a lot of trouble removing some bolts on my engine and I was hoping some of you had some tips. This first bolt is the last remaining one on the oil pump.

I tried by hand and with air tools, and both ways failed. I decided to temporarily lower the engine to it's side to possibly get better torque, but it won't budge.

The other bolts are the stubby ones on the flywheel. Every time I try to turn them, the whole engine turns. I've tried keeping it in place with my foot, another wrench propped against the ground... nothing.

I can't see the pics cause I'm at work but as for the Flywheel I usualy take a big screwdriver and brace it between the teeth on the flex plate and the engine block. (Not a great solution as it could damage the teath). There is a special tool made to do it but have never used it. Would probely make life much easier.

Wenuden · Post by **Wenuden** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 4:34 pm

wow that first bolt is long as shit, duno if a lubricant would even penetrate far enough to hit the threads... only suggestion i can make is turn the motor so that you can lift straight up on the wrench, use a 2 foot breaker bar, and if that don't work, get out the cheater bars. i pray to god you don't snap that one, looks like it'd be a real bitch to remove it w/o a head.

yellowpatrol · Post by **yellowpatrol** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 5:13 pm

Wenuden wrote:wow that first bolt is long as smurf, duno if a lubricant would even penetrate far enough to hit the threads... only suggestion i can make is turn the motor so that you can lift straight up on the wrench, use a 2 foot breaker bar, and if that don't work, get out the cheater bars. i pray to god you don't snap that one, looks like it'd be a real bitch to remove it w/o a head.

I tried turning it like you said, as you can see in the pic above, but the wrench keeps sliding off the head of the bolt

I'll try the breaker bar thing tomorrow.

Oh, and as far as wedging a screwdriver in the teeth, do you have a picture of how to do this, cause every time I try it the screwdriver falls out.

Thanks for the responses.

fixitmattman · Post by **fixitmattman** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 5:26 pm

They all probably have loctite on them. If you're stuck like that, use a torch and heat up where the threads would be in the block for the oil pump, and heat up the clutch screws until they're cherry or close to it.

SlvrACR · Post by **SlvrACR** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 6:28 pm

Heat, heat and more heat

injunear · Post by **injunear** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 8:45 pm

SlvrACR wrote:Heat, heat and more heat

Absolutely...Heat is your friend when working on cars.....Learn to use it properly and you won't ever experience these propblems again.

Get yourself a torch. I use MAPP gas, but propane will probably do for most loosening jobs.....

yellowpatrol · Post by **yellowpatrol** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 9:31 am

Sounds good- I'll get to take out some of my built up aggression at the same time that I'm roasting the bolts.

What should I expect to pay for a torch?

anomalous0 · Post by **anomalous0** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 3:25 pm

$15-20 for a good quality cheapo torch, maybe a little more if MAPP gas is included. And that's a DOHC engine isn't i? rectangular exhaust ports + wider timing cover. Doh....just read your sig. SRT swap

yellowpatrol · Post by **yellowpatrol** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 8:31 pm

Whoa thank you guys who suggested heat so much. I got a torch and those suckers came right out. I only wish I knew about that sooner! Thanks a million guys.

Post by **occasional demons** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 9:02 pm

Not that it helps now

, but for others that may have similiar dificulties... When using an impact wrench, a little more torque can be had by squirting air tool oil into the gun just before hitting the bolts. I've had about 80% luck with that. But there's no doubt- the heat wrench rules

yellowpatrol · Post by **yellowpatrol** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 9:29 pm

Yeah I oiled it too cause I noticed it was really struggling.

2GN.ORG

General engine work question- stuck bolts

General engine work question- stuck bolts

Re: General engine work question- stuck bolts