HELP! Snapped thread on rocker cover.

[LeeThr]

Had a oil leak on the pug for a while and thought it was the rocker cover gasket. So few weeks ago changed it, and it hasnt stopped it, but it does seem noticably better, the puddles underneath the car are smaller. So I thought i might not have tightend the gasket backup fully, or it's settled in but needs retightening. Just got the socket set out, tightend both sides evenly, just a few turns each side a time, then the nut on the right hand side suddenly went ping and flew off, taking with it the thread that was inside it, so now the remaingng thread is now sat about level with the hole, so no chance of getting another nut on by the looks of things

Anybody got any ideas what I can do? Or what will be needed to fix it?

Cheers for any quick responses.
Lee

[binlicker]

Judging by your description of the bits you have snapped, and the fact that you managed to snap them in the first place I would say spannering isn't your forte.

Take it to a garage, they will probably charge you an hours labour to drill and extract the broken stud and whatever the cost of a new stud and nut is.

I wouldn't recommend you attempt it yourself, cylinder heads are expensive!

Edited by binlicker on Saturday 19th March 13:25

[GAjon]

Local engineers merchant or tool store and buy a set of thread extractors.
You drill down the centre of whats left of the stud, then you tap in the extractor which is left hand thread (assuming the stuck stud is RHT) as you tap the extractor in it turns the stud out.

[EDLT]

Fit a helicoil if possible or drill it out completely and tap threads for a slightly larger bolt.

EDIT- Is part of the bolt still in the hole?

[LeeThr]

It doesnt use a bolt, there's 2 studs with 10mm nuts on top.
the stud is now more or less flush with the hole it comes through on top of the cover.

Does anybody know if the stud is changeable?

[binlicker]

LeeThr said:

It doesnt use a bolt, there's 2 studs with 10mm nuts on top.
the stud is now more or less flush with the hole it comes through on top of the cover.

Does anybody know if the stud is changeable?

The stud will be changeable, it just screws into the head. If the remainder of the stud is flush with the rocker cover, pull the rocker cover back off. There 'MAY' be enough of the stud left protruding from the head to get a good quality set of molegrips on there. Tight as you can manage and see if you can turn it out with the molegrips. It will pretty much be a one shot deal though, if you don't get it first time round you will just chew the remainder of the stud up.

ETA, just read your descrpition of the studs, what pug is it?

Edited by binlicker on Saturday 19th March 13:35

[LeeThr]

binlicker said:

The stud will be changeable, it just screws into the head. If the remainder of the stud is flush with the rocker cover, pull the rocker cover back off. There 'MAY' be enough of the stud left protruding from the head to get a good quality set of molegrips on there. Tight as you can manage and see if you can turn it out with the molegrips. It will pretty much be a one shot deal though, if you don't get it first time round you will just chew the remainder of the stud up.

Right, should I pop to peugeot and get a new stud and nut? Or anybody got any better suggestions? Just stick a long bolt in?
Bear in mind, im up in North Wales, and places for this kinda thing are scarse.

[LeeThr]

It's a 206, 1.4 petrol.

[binlicker]

So are there a number of nuts round the perimeter of the rocker cover or just two in the middle of it?

Sorry never worked on a 206, just trying to get an idea of exactly what you are dealing with.

[LeeThr]

Just 2 one on each side.
The one in yellow is the one ive snapped....

[Ean218]

If there is some thread left on the bit of stud protuding the simplest way to get it out is to screw two nuts on, tight against each other, and use the lower one to screw the stud out.

[LeeThr]

I think there might be some thread left if i pull the cover back off.
Ah, I used the two nuts up against each other for removing the studs on the exhaust clamps on my dad's CBX1000.

[paintman]

Peugeot tend to use two studs that stick up from the head. Rocker cover has holes that these go through & the nuts then go on top.
The gaskets harden over time & leak like leaky things. Replacing the gasket usually cures the problem - always did with ours (we had several 205 & 306's) - but overtightening can deform the cover or as in this case snap the studs.
They are threaded into the head on a 306 & can be removed - just hope it doesn't shear off lower or its drill time!

[LeeThr]

paintman said:

Peugeot tend to use two studs that stick up from the head. Rocker cover has holes that these go through & the nuts then go on top.
The gaskets harden over time & leak like leaky things. Replacing the gasket usually cures the problem - always did with ours (we had several 205 & 306's) - but overtightening can deform the cover or as in this case snap the studs.
They are threaded into the head on a 306 & can be removed - just hope it doesn't shear off lower or its drill time!

306 uses pretty similar engines to the 206, just things like PAS pump are in different places.

From the sounds of it, its gonna be cover back off, two nuts on remaining thread, 2 spanners, one on each nut, remove stud and then try and locate another one and then spend several hours swearing at where the hell the hole for it is hiding under all the oil.

[binlicker]

Ean218 said:

If there is some thread left on the bit of stud protuding the simplest way to get it out is to screw two nuts on, tight against each other, and use the lower one to screw the stud out.

This.

The set up there looks like it works in your favour, there will probably be enough thread left under the rocker cover to get a couple of nuts on, there will almost certainly be enought stud left to get a good hold of it with some molegrips.

take the rocker cover back off, twist the remains of the old stud out and bang a replacement in. Or as you have suggested yourself, a bolt will do the trick, just make sure it isn't some obscure thread and make sure you check carefully what length you need, if the bolt bottoms out before its pulled the rocker cover tight its a waste of time.

[LeeThr]

Cheers for all the responses guys, im gonna leave it for a little while just whilst I calm down otherwise I can see this going even worse.

Been an absolutly crap week, and this just hasnt helped at all.

i'll just fix it with a bolt (if I can find one long enough) for now. Then pop to peugeot when im back in college (dealer is 2 mins away from my college) and get a proper stud and nut.

[Ozzie Osmond]

GAjon said:

Local engineers merchant or tool store and buy a set of thread extractors.
You drill down the centre of whats left of the stud, then you tap in the extractor which is left hand thread (assuming the stuck stud is RHT) as you tap the extractor in it turns the stud out.

^^^^ Yes. Do it properly or don't do it at all.

[NHK244V]

Ozzie Osmond said:

^^^^ Yes. Do it properly or don't do it at all.

Hmm
for a start if there is a thread sticking out you need a STUD extractor, you only need to drill if there is no thread left exposed.
Let get our facts straight before we start giving advice eh, remove the roccker cover FIRST then deal with what you have, if there is more tham 10mm odd of thread left exposed you may well get away with 2 nuts, the lower one locked against the upper one BUT before attempting to unwind the stud left give it a sharp tap with a hammer, that will shatter any thread lock the factory may have used to stop the stud vibrating loose or rust that may be holding it tight.
If there's mot enough thread left for 2 nuts mole grips mat well do the trick, take your time and try not to make it any worse than it alread is.
My number one top for doing up rocker covers is, use a screw driver type handle NOT a rachet, that way it's harder to overtighten and snap a stud/bolt and get yourselfe into this sort of problem, most rocker covers only need 10 or under Nm or torque to be tight enough to seal

[GAjon]

NHK244V said:

Hmm
for a start if there is a thread sticking out you need a STUD extractor, you only need to drill if there is no thread left exposed.
Let get our facts straight before we start giving advice eh, remove the roccker cover FIRST then deal with what you have, if there is more tham 10mm odd of thread left exposed you may well get away with 2 nuts, the lower one locked against the upper one BUT before attempting to unwind the stud left give it a sharp tap with a hammer, that will shatter any thread lock the factory may have used to stop the stud vibrating loose or rust that may be holding it tight.
If there's mot enough thread left for 2 nuts mole grips mat well do the trick, take your time and try not to make it any worse than it alread is.
My number one top for doing up rocker covers is, use a screw driver type handle NOT a rachet, that way it's harder to overtighten and snap a stud/bolt and get yourselfe into this sort of problem, most rocker covers only need 10 or under Nm or torque to be tight enough to seal

Stud extractor, thread extractor, screw extractor = same thing.

The OP stated the remaining thread was level with the top of the hole, so no thread sticking out to get a grip on.

I've worked in engineering for 35 years, despite that,because its such a massive field, I know I know very little.
But I do know there are lots of ways to skin a cat.
And I know for certain sure if the OP changed the gasket, like he said he did, and and re fastened it, the boys from the factory didn't come round to put thread lock on the studs.

Oh Hmm;)

See I'm to fkin thick to even get smilies to work.

[AF1]

Try a nice sharp centre pop to get it unscrewed i've removed 3 snapped rocker cover bolts this morning using this method, worth a shot! They were snapped flush/below the head.