Why I shouldn't be allowed to touch cars

[madbouncy]

Awhile back one of the bolts on my valve cover stripped the head. So I ordered a helicoil kit to fix it. Well I was doing the helicoil stuff, I drilled it, and I tapped it, so while tapping it, the tap snaps in half and now it's stuck inside the hole. I'm really glad I didn't drill all the holes in the valve before I tried tapping them. It's not sticking out far enough for me to get a hold of it with anything. I'm trying to just get enough grip on it to unscrew it. You guys have any suggestions to help get it out?

[madbouncy]

Well that's the only one of the holes that's stripped, so I'm just going to close it back up and take it to my recruiter, he should be able to get it out. Now I just hope I didn't drop anything into the engine.

[Ubernoober]

We have all been there. Well, I haven't exactly been THERE, but you know what I mean. Have no fear, good Karma will come around yet.

[MECPInstaller]

Its all just a learning curve, everyones screwed something up on their car when trying to repair. i know i have. I always say you learn from your mistakes. but if snap another thread tapper off then well let a mechanic do it lol.. just kiddingBtw how deep is the tap down into the head? if its a decent amount it would be fine for awhile i would think, acting as a new bolt. umm trying to remove it though you'd probaly have to find a hard enough drill bit to drill out the tap itself if you can't get get to it with locking pliers. Is there any of it sticking out at all or is it flush/sunk into the valve cover?

[98s14inaz]

I thought you did something serious. We have all done that at some point.

[Zyphar]

No matter what what project or repair im doing on my car, there is ALWAYS one bolt that is impossible to get out and i always round out the edges.

I also have a screw securing my valve cover down because the bolt that was in there before stripped the threads which held the cover down. Now the problem is when i take it off will it hold still... ?
Modified by Zyphar at 1:52 PM 1/5/2005