Hi,

I have bought a 2000 Fabia 1.4 16v with a failed water pump/cam belt for not a lot and have been fixing it myself. My dad was a mechanic by trade for years and when my cars went pop years ago he used to fix them and I watched/helped.

First I fitted a new water pump and new timing belt with new tensioners etc just to see how or not the engine would run. It didn't, no compression at all so I started to strip the engine to remove the cylinder head and have a professional rebuild the head. All going well until I came to remove the head bolts

I had a tool that I bought for the head bolts on a diesel Montego about 10 years ago and thought it fit ok (T55). As most of you reading this will know it didn't and it slipped, then I thought oh ****!!! :(

I now have the correct tool for the head bolts and it fits the others really well but won't fit the first bolt and I guess it has rounded! :'(

So my question is how do I get it out now??? As you know the first head bolt to take out is right in the corner with lots of nice soft alloy round it. A friend of mine in the trade for parts said to drill the centre and tap it with a left hand thread. Then when I'm trying to undo the head bolt I'm making the new one tighter and tighter.

My problem with this idea is the head bolts are so bloody tight I don't know if it would be strong enough.

HELP!!! :'(

Thanks in advance Rob in Leeds

Drill it LH thread and use a high tensile steel bolt when trying to remove it. Or mig weld a strong bolt onto the head bolt and it might shift.

You can also get a special tool which fits over the rounded bolt head, they are often used for removing broken locking wheel bolts.

Dint bother tapping it, there's not enough there to get a decent thread anyhow.. Just drill it with a 10mm drill till the head of the bolt breaks off

The thread in the cylinder head bolt hole is recessed so you won't damage it.

Yeah as Tom says drill the head off then lift the head off the stud, if you have no compression the head is probably scrap anyhow if its done valve seats or bent something and broken a valve guide.

They don't normally break guides on those heads, it's usually the roller rocker arms that take the mst punishment

OK Thanks so much for the replys

I'm going to try to drill with a 10mm bit and hope for the best, I hope the head isn't scrap!

Though for what the car has cost me even if I need to buy a head or an engine its still worth it.

http://www.flickr.com/people/gardenvespa/

Rob

Edited 18 August, 201114 yr by Rob Ormsby

Finely got round to having a go with the car today (been to Czech republic on hols)

Went well with 10mm drill nice and slow and removed all the bits with a magnet. Bolt now out and was easier than I thought it would be.

Then went to undo number 2 bolt with the new tool ..... and it slipped!!!

So back to square one!

It seemed to fit ok but as soon as put some pressure on it it just went.

What is the normal tool for undoing the head bolts on a VW 1.4 16v AUB engine?

Ta