I was trying to hoik the engine out of my beemer last night, but was stopped by 2 of the tamper proof (torx) bolts holding the gerabox on to the engine.

Some butcher has been in there before me and used a spanner or something on them and rounded the splines off them. I don't have enough room to get a grinder in there to cut the heads off, or weld a bolt head on either. Any ideas how to get them out.

If I can't get them out then I'm goin to have to put a few back in and cut the front slam panel off to make room to slide the engine and gearbox out together. (not the end of the world but a heck of a lot more work.)

Is ther room to get in and drill the heads?
Either to drill them off completely or to drill a hole for an easy out stud remover.

How about a dremel grinder, would that get in?
Gas torch?
Mole grips?
Hammer and chisel?

No it was'nt my car before

blimey you need to get up pretty early to post before ReMan

Plan 2 by the sound of it.

The likely reason the bolts are mullered is that they were v. hard to undo so you'll probably face the same problem.

But what you could try is to use a dremel with disc to cut a slot for a screw driver then use impact screwdriver if you can get enough room.

Grinding off the held, again with dremel is possible but v. time consuming and cost a fair bob in grinding discs.

Can you get on open ended saw to take the bolt head off, finishing with the above mentioned dremel grinder?

You could try those screwdriver bits for kneckered heads or those sockets for rounded bolt heads - I would not expect them to work.

You probably should heat the ear up as much as possible as that can sometimes help to release the bolt and lots of penetrating oil - not WD40 but the proper stuff.

[Edited on 16/4/08 by 02GF74]

I is just eatin me cornflakes!!

"The likely reason the bolts are mullered is that they were v. hard to undo so you'll probably face the same problem.
"
That what I reckon too

Those Urwin bolt undoers do work as mentioned above but quite expensive to try if the bolts are locked solid.

Steve

not locked solid but accessibilty is an issue. Only just enough clearance between the back of the engine and the bulkhead to fit in a socket on a breaker bar.

Not enough room to drill/grind whatever.

I think i'll have to chop the front of the car off.

Just a sugestion. Why not take the engine & box out as one lump ?
Plenty of room to do so. 3 series BMW ?

I have only last week changed a 318i lump. Yes those bolts were a barsteward.


Ronnie

quote:

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Originally posted by aerosam

If I can't get them out then I'm goin to have to put a few back in and cut the front slam panel off to make room to slide the engine and gearbox out together. (not the end of the world but a heck of a lot more work.)

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Will it go down rather than out through the top if you were to jack the body up high?

It's your donor vehicle isn't it?

Just get the big grinder out to the bodyshell and make some space above and behind the bolts.

Unless you wanted to sell the shell when you are finished?

Mike

quote:

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Originally posted by Howlor
Will it go down rather than out through the top if you were to jack the body up high?

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Don't know if this will be of any use but I've just been into Halfwits to get some bike cleaning gear and noticed that along with the usual penetrating fluids they do one called shockrelease or something like that and it says on the tin that it uses thermal shock to help release the bolts, presumeably freezes as well as penetrating fluid, I would normally use Plusgas rather than wd40 and as I said I've only just seen it so no idea if it works

Or try a cam type bolt/stud extractor that fits on a ratchet. Cheaper than a set of Irwins.
I have one somewhere. If I can find it today, I'll let you know and you can borrow it.

Here's a pic to illustare how limited for space I am.
Rescued attachment boltheadloc.JPG