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View Full Version : help! screw thread rounded off!


titcharoony
17-12-2010, 15:23
changing the thermostat as i think its opening too early and not allowing the engine to get to temperature properly. however the screws on the housing are pretty much rounded off so i cant get screwdriver/torx screw bit/anything in there that wont round it off further. they seem pretty seized with the cold aswell. any tips for getting them off? lil ****ers.

only thing i can think is maybe try and grip round the edge with a set of mole grips, dont wanna knacker them tho.......
Wobba
17-12-2010, 15:31
I've destroyed many of these in my time. Crap torx bolts and shitty alloy = rounding off is likely!

Sorry to say the only way I have got them off is drilling off the head of the bolt. The thread only goes into the head itself, not the housing, so you can just pull the housing off after and get the bolt off with mole grips. Will need a new bolt.

Can try mole grips on the outside, there is a tiny lip, doubt it will work though.

You can try belting in the next size up torx as well or cutting a groove in and using a fat flat headed screwdriver on it...
Wobba
17-12-2010, 15:34
I used some pro-bolt high tensile alloy jobbies on mine:

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w102/barneywobba/The%20ITB%20Album/DSC00287-1.jpg
MatBrown
17-12-2010, 18:21
I have a spare screw mate.


Mat.
Laine_16v
17-12-2010, 18:57
Id personally buy a pack of M6 cap head screws of ebay, measure them (i expect they will be about 35mm long). SOmething like this
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/i.html?_nkw=m6+cap+head+35&_sacat=0&_dmpt=UK_DIY_Material_Nails_Fixing_MJ&_odkw=m6+cap+head&_osacat=0&_trksid=p3286.c0.m270.l1313#
titcharoony
19-12-2010, 00:45
is it ok just to drill straight through the middle of them then?
MatBrown
19-12-2010, 01:22
Yeah, just drill or grind the head off, once the housing is removed get some mole grips on the remaining stud and it will come out no probs.


Mat.
schakal
19-12-2010, 09:20
get a dremel and grind the head off !
and use hex bolts like everyone else on the planet.
titcharoony
19-12-2010, 13:54
get a dremel and grind the head off !
and use hex bolts like everyone else on the planet.
didnt realise hex bolts were one of your buttons!
schakal
19-12-2010, 23:16
:D 8)
titcharoony
25-02-2011, 14:21
after being quite ill i am back on the clio. as attempting to drill them out is impossible (any size drill bit in the work seems to do as much as a wooden drill bit), it wud seem grinding them little bastards off is my only solution. hmmm, monkey metal indeed! expect when you're trying to drill them. then it becomes 'muhammed, im ard, bruce lee'. what a ****ing joke. dont wan advice people, just felt the need to vent. :)
Wobba
25-02-2011, 14:38
I drilled the rounded ones off with drill bits for wood. Just get the right size and drill straight on the head of the bolt, one the cap of the bolt is off it will just pull off as the thermostat itself is NOT threaded.
Twincam
25-02-2011, 14:40
Hammer and chisel :D
titcharoony
25-02-2011, 16:47
i have contemplated it
Twincam
25-02-2011, 18:11
Sorry if you got the wrong end of the stick. I didn't mean chisel the top off but use the chisel to rotate the screw.

The shock loading will brake the seal then as long as there some grip left on the head it should undo

Rich
titcharoony
25-02-2011, 19:37
lol i know what u mean, was just messing. lol im gona give that a go tomoz
Wobba
26-02-2011, 13:02
You can use a junior hacksaw to make a groove as well sometimes.

Can also use a larger torx if you belt it on a mashed up bolt.
titcharoony
04-03-2011, 18:22
Sorry if you got the wrong end of the stick. I didn't mean chisel the top off but use the chisel to rotate the screw.

The shock loading will brake the seal then as long as there some grip left on the head it should undo

Rich

u say that, but it seems hammering and chiselling the heads off is only option. nothing eeming to work. i hate renaults! lol