When I picked up my new motor, it had shiny dust caps on the valves. Obviously within a month someone decided they'd look better on their car than mine, and helped themselves.

As a quick fix, I got some replacements from ebay. Seemed OK for a while, but when I came to check the tyre pressures today, they are welded to the valves.

I guess the valves are brass and the dust caps are aluminium! Doh! Totally forgot to put any grease on them and / or about the corrosion of / between dissimilar metals.

Any ideas on how to get them off, before I go and get 4 new valves fitted?

Cheers

Mike

at least they won't be stolen....

i got some nice anodised blue ones for my car last year, some little shits stole them while i was in the cinema

Permission granted.

A pair of mole grips should do it if you arent bothered about wrecking them. Dont clamp tighter than you have to or you will just deform the caps and maybe make it harder to turn

Hi Mike
Tut tut
"Check tyre pressures weekly......"



How about wrapping a bit of cord round like Davie Crocket and Daniel Boon did and warm upwith a bit of friction?

Grip with a bit of rubber or emery cloth and turn off?

Squirt of WD?

? 2 pairs of very, very small mole grips used skilfully and gently?
I'm ducking for cover

atb Mike

Dude - you need some phosphoric acid!

Alloy wheel cleaner will do it sprayed around the valve cap or failing that some coca cola!

give it a little while to soak in but it'll do the job....honest!

get a cutting disc in your dremell or similar,
then carefully put a slot up one side, put a flat screwdriver in and open it up, the caps will just fall off.

this happened to me, took the all of 5 mins to get em off.

It could be worse

I just spent all day yesterday swapping the gearbox on my tin-top - only to find it wasn't the problem

do I get permission as well ?

[Edited on 20/1/08 by mcerd1]

Well the wheel cleaner has been on for a while, but I can spin the valve when I turn the cap, so it hasn't eased them off.

As for checking the tyre pressures, it's got electronics for that, I just like to do it manually every now and then too!

Mrced, definitely permission to swear for you then!

Looks like cutting them off is going to be the best option. I think I'll wait until daylight and the shakes wear off before attacking them. I don't have a dremel though. Will my grinder be OK?

Cheers

Mike

Do i get permission as well, i have spent the last couple of weeks rewiring the Indy, then taping it all back together, only to find i have no spark, BUGGER.

If you want to remove dust caps, park the car down Goldspink Lane.

My dust caps came off on a regular basis all on their own.

I even fitted the spinning anti-theft ones

18 hours they lasted.

Gaz