Which Way

[mack]

Trying to get the allen bolt securing the timing plate out of my spare 78 motor. The allen head is partialy stripped. I'll only get one chance at this. Which way to turn it out. I've been pouring liquid wrench on it all day hoping it will assist.

[crazy steve]

It's a standard lefty-loosy, righty-tighty bolt...

[mack]

Thanx Steve, just wanted to make sure the engine rotation didn't change anything. Like I said, I'm only going to get one try at this.

[CaptonZap]

I don't know how bad the socket is screwed, but if it were me, I would take a Qtip and lacquer thinner and clean the socket out. REAL clean.
Then take a good Allen wrench, and mix up a dab of JB Weld and put some in the socket, and some on the end of the Allen, and put the Allen into the socket. When you cleaned it you will be able to tell if there is any undamaged part of the socket at the bottom of the hole. Usually, the reason they get wallowed out is that someone let the key come out, and the outer half of the hex is the part that doesn't fit. The inner part still does. When you JB Weld the key in, make sure you push it ALL the way in.
Prop it up straight, and let it cure for 24 hours. Some gum or modeling clay stuck around the joint will keep the JB Weld from running out.
A heat lamp or incandesant bulb put close to the bolt will speed up the cure, but let it cool before trying to take the bolt out. (Epoxy gets soft when it gets warm).
If you are successful, take a flame and get the head of the bolt hot, and you can pull the key out.
Good luck. CZ

[BA80]

mix up a dab of JB Weld and put some in the socket, and some on the end of the Allen CZ

Sounds like a used care dealers solution. Used car dealers LOVE JB Weld.

Might work though.

[petejw]

give the bolt a good whac with a hammer
before trying to loosen it,
it might help break any stickiness the threads have.

[CaptonZap]

Sounds like a used care dealers solution. Used car dealers LOVE JB Weld.

Might work though.

Greg, you don't even want to know the next thing I'd try if that doesn't work! But it requires a bit of handiness and equipment that only used car dealers have, and putting it on this forum would be against the rules of, uh, never mind.
And hey! Doesn't it take one to know one? CZ

[BA80]

Heh heh.........I fix 'em after they buy 'em. You know, the one driven by a little old lady just on sunday to church.....................

[jwhughes3]

used car lots - stay away!!!

When I was fresh out of high school I worked for a time as a used car mechanic for Toyota of Hollywood (Florida near Ft Lauderdale) as one of 4 - 2 were fairly experienced and myself and another started as makeready guys who wound up doing more and more - which tells you something in and of itself.

Anyway - we got in a VW Bus from a wholesale buy - leaked oil and we were tasked with fixing it (without really spending money except labor of course) - after pulling the engine and cleaning it found it to be SPIDERWEBBED with cracks in the block all seeping oil. Got some marine epoxy and caulked every crack, dirtied the engine back up to cover the blue epoxy, and stuck it back in and wholesaled it to another dealer. Caveat Emptor. At least it didn't leak.

I learned alot in a little time and had to learn to improvise - and fix components like rebuilding the brushes in the alternator for .25 rather than replace the whole thing....

Mostly I learned NEVER buy a used car off a lot - ANY lot.

John

[mack]

got it

Got it. When it broke loose it sounded like a rifle going off. Thought the bolt must have broken off, but it all came out intact.