Rounded out Allen bolt. VR6 content| Grassroots Motorsports forum |

midknight Reader
9/8/12 4:02 p.m.

Tried to remove Bil's cracked ignition coil on a Jetta GLX VR6. Three came off easily, 4th had the allen bolt rounded off on the inside. Hmmm....too tight to get a locking wrench on the outside or get enough torque with a needle nose to remove the bolt. I'm here scratching my head. Is there a tool that will lock onto the inside wall of the bolt and get it out? Thanks for any ideas guys.

fasted58 UltraDork
9/8/12 4:04 p.m.

EZ out

Ranger50 UltraDork
9/8/12 4:28 p.m.

Hammer old coil off then remove the bolt with vise grips?

Force it, if it breaks, it needed replacing anyways.

93gsxturbo Dork
9/8/12 5:03 p.m.

Take your MIG welder and weld a nut on top of the allen screw. Then turn it out with a socket.

Take your hacksaw or dremel and cut a groove in the top of the allen screw. Use your hand held impact driver (not an impact wrench) and a flat head screw bit to spin it out.

Take a Horrible Freight (I know they had to be good for something!) TORX bit that is oversized and hammer it into the head of the allen and spin it out.

Take your dremel, grind flats on the side of the allen, hammer on a socket, spin it out.

BoxheadTim UberDork
9/8/12 11:28 p.m.

I've used the "slighly oversize Torx bit" approach a couple of times myself and it worked well.

curtis73 SuperDork
9/9/12 12:52 a.m.

... Or...

Stop buying VWs. Worked for me...

benzbaronDaryn Dork
9/9/12 2:02 a.m.

Another way is to put a notch in the head then hit it with a chisel. The torx method works well and if you do it right you won'd damage the torx head.

SkinnyG HalfDork
9/9/12 2:45 a.m.

Have you tried just drilling the head off?

petegossett UltraDork
9/9/12 6:17 a.m.

This would be a good time for a set of left-handed drill bits, and a liberal drenching with Freeze-Off.

joey48442 UberDork
9/9/12 9:48 a.m.

93gsxturbo wrote: Take your MIG welder and weld a nut on top of the allen screw. Then turn it out with a socket. Take your hacksaw or dremel and cut a groove in the top of the allen screw. Use your hand held impact driver (not an impact wrench) and a flat head screw bit to spin it out. Take a Horrible Freight (I know they had to be good for something!) TORX bit that is oversized and hammer it into the head of the allen and spin it out. Take your dremel, grind flats on the side of the allen, hammer on a socket, spin it out.

My buddies dad did this while working on some brakes. Welded an Allen wrench right in the rounded out hole. Then he cut the bolt off the wrench.

Joey

GameboyRMH PowerDork
9/9/12 10:27 a.m.

93gsxturbo wrote: Take your MIG welder and weld a nut on top of the allen screw. Then turn it out with a socket. Take your hacksaw or dremel and cut a groove in the top of the allen screw. Use your hand held impact driver (not an impact wrench) and a flat head screw bit to spin it out. Take a Horrible Freight (I know they had to be good for something!) TORX bit that is oversized and hammer it into the head of the allen and spin it out. Take your dremel, grind flats on the side of the allen, hammer on a socket, spin it out.

Good suggestions here, although I would try 3 then 4 then 1 then 2 (there's a good chance 2 will break the head and leave you SOL)

anjaloveshervw New Reader
9/9/12 12:33 p.m.

Wow, what great advice from everybody in this thread!!

93gsxturbo gave my answers, which were the oversize torx bit, and cutting a groove in the top of the head with the dremel. Both have worked for me - GOOD LUCK!

Paul_VR6 HalfDork
9/9/12 3:10 p.m.

Hammer a socket outside it.

Curmudgeon MegaDork
9/9/12 6:00 p.m.

I prefer the drill the head off approach, start with a 1/8" bit and go up till the head pops off. That doesn't risk breaking things, unlike the hammer methods.

Follow this with getting VWs out of your life.

gLockman37 New Reader
9/9/12 7:58 p.m.

yeah I'd drill the head off of it too unless the remaining bit will be flush with the head. From there heat/vise-grips should get you the rest of the way...

midknight Reader
9/11/12 12:53 p.m.

Thanks guys, was able to get another, slightly larger hex wedged in there enough to turn it. Space was the limiting factor to using a hammer, drill etc., but really appreciate your collective wisdom. I heart the message board!!!

Paul_VR6 HalfDork
9/12/12 10:16 p.m.

Its a vw coilpack a hammer cant make it worse.

shuttlepilot Reader
9/14/12 12:09 a.m.

93gsxturbo wrote: Take a Horrible Freight (I know they had to be good for something!) TORX bit that is oversized and hammer it into the head of the allen and spin it out.

Thanks, I haven't heard this one!! I have rounded out bolt holding a PCV cover on my VW too that I could not get out. 3 of 4 came out. Gonna try it this way on the weekend on that last bolt.

iceracer UltraDork
9/14/12 8:27 a.m.

All this VW love is heartening.

93gsxturbo Dork
9/14/12 11:34 a.m.

Hammering in a TORX doesnt have much benefit over hammering an Allen, but with the shape of the TORX, they are usually a little easier to get them into the bolt held, plus the star shape helps them grip better.

Anti-stance SuperDork
9/14/12 1:08 p.m.

Curmudgeon wrote: Follow this with getting VWs out of your life.

I recently went cold turkey... it feels good.

doc_speeder Reader
9/14/12 1:30 p.m.

In reply to Anti-stance:

^^^I did too. About a year ago. It felt good at first, but then the other day I went and drove a new Mk6 GTI. Shouldn't have done that. What a fantastic car. Oddly enough, I laugh at all the VW hate comments, as I can relate to most of them. But I still love those old Mk2's and 3's. It's a freakin sickness...

Paul_VR6 HalfDork
9/14/12 8:24 p.m.

There is something wrong with vw people. Probably a base genetic defect.

RoadWarrior Reader
9/14/12 8:45 p.m.

Tell me about it, I still entertain getting another MK Jetta GLI 16v...I miss it.

Anti-stance SuperDork
9/14/12 10:20 p.m.

In reply to doc_speeder:

I liked the old stuff, loved 8vs for their simplicity. I have no problem moving on to the next automotive phase of my life.