MTFCA Forum

Will I have to drill this out or is there a trick? It’s the u joint bolt. I tried pushing on the back without luck. Video link is below.

https://youtu.be/WGYe4nuyPHI

Threads are stripped. Try turning the bolt while prying the ring away from the oil pan with a screwdriver between the parts.

Try placing long stout wire thru the holes used for wiring, tug on bolt while twisting with open end wrench.

But Jeff’s solution is better!

No room for a screwdriver or even a drywall spatula. Doesn’t even start to back out. I tried pulling using the hole on the head and still no movement. Ugh..

Remove the other 3 bolts first. Then you will have room for your screwdriver. Try starting with a small thin screwdriver Plan on purchasing a helicoil kit. I just replaced one of mine a month ago. Make sure you do not drill into your pan.

Start with a knife blade first behind the head of the bolt with just enough side pressure to start the bolt out with the wrench but not enough to break the blade, then change to a screwdriver next. Do not tell your wife what you are using the kitchen knife for. I will deny any knowledge of your existence….

Lol, I’ll give it a try. Thank you!

Get you a pair of vise grips and clamp them on the bolt head TIGHT!
Then get you a small hammer and tap on the vise grips as you try to turn out the bolt. It might just come straight out depending how stripped the threads are in the engine pan. Try not to do that but if it’s stripped that bad you can use a bolt that’s about 3/4” longer and use a nut on it when you go back together with it.

If you can get it started backing out a little at a time use the vise grips to pull it out that way and you might can save the threads in the pan. I’ve done it this way before. Those threaded holes in the pan get stripped if you try to over tighten them!! Maybe that’s what happened to begin with.
Good luck and hope this can help you.

Great idea, thanks John!

Use any or all of the above to remove the existing bolt. You don't have much space for a helicoil, and might not even find one with the correct thread. I have one which was stripped on one of my cars and I was able to grind a little off one side of a nut and use a longer bolt. In that location, it does not show unless you know where to look and crawl under the car to see it. I have had no problems with it. I drill the head and use the wire on the bolt and because of the flat side of the nut, it does not turn.
Norm

The hole goes thru. May be able to tap with a bent rod to get to into a thread to bite. Sometimes a thread chase & longer bolt will hold. Recently this stripped thread was addressed with a brilliant fix. The slightly larger metric equivalent bolt thread re-tap. Check the other side also for thread condition.

Remove first the other three bolts.
Then it will be possible to gently pull back the rear part, starting at a neighbor or even opposite hole, inserting a flat screw driver and moving it step by step towards the problematic bolt by twisting a bit back and forth, then shifting it towards the bolt, then twisting it again, then shifting ..... After that the gasket is lost/destroyed, you will have to replace it. Cut the new gasket on top to get it around the square shaped Universal Joint Pin and use sealing paste in addition.

While applying tension, turn the bolt CCW, This way you will get it out.

Then you will have to drill the hole a bit wider (to same size as on rear part) and use a longer bolt with nut.

I think this is the most decent way of repair.


(Welding the hole closed, drilling a new hole and finally tapping a new thread can only be done with removed oil pan. This is a huge job and needs some experience.)

Good luck!

Look at the back side of the hole. I believe the hole goes all the way through. From the back side, insert a pin punch and try tapping the bolt out. Don't go crazy on it and break the ear off however!! If you're very lucky, only the bolt thread may be stripped!

I would be careful doing so...

The oil pan has tappings, while the hogs head has smooth drills. What if the bolt thread is damaged while the oil pan tapping is good? When the bolt is reaching through the oil pan flange and stands out a little bit on back side (as it is on my '16 touring), it will have there still good thread on it.

In this case, forcing the bolt out with a pin punch will lead into a destroyed tapping of oil pan! I would only do so when the bolt is not reaching out on back side of flange.

I would apply axial tension to the bolt (pull while turning) - as I described before - and turn out the bolt. This allows the remaining bolt thread to find into the oil pan's inner threading and take over within 1-2 turns. This way you don't destroy more than absolutely necessary.

A "nut cracker" will get it off with no problem!

thanks for all the help. I tried most of the methods suggested and the winner was the razor blade between the bolt and case. It got it moving just enough to get a drywall spatula in there and then it worked its way out.