5 replies to this topic

[norwegianminiman]

Hi all

I was working on changing the oil on my '96 SPi, and have now got myself deep in it...

when coming to loosen the sump plug, i thought it looked rather strange, seemed to have one large bolt head with a second, smaller one screwed into it. the plug came out without to much difficulty (apart from falling into the vat rapidly filling with hot oil that is...) so we had a chance to have a better look at it. The smaller of the nuts seemed to be screwed into the bigger one, the threaded part of which had strangly thin walls and was threaded on both sides.

when it came to putting the plug back in the sump, it seemed to go in without a problem, when a strange twangy-crack sound came from the end of the torque-wrench, and the head of the plug coming off... leaving half a busted (what we assume to be) Helicoil-ish thing stuck in the gearbox casing...

what we assume happened is that one of the previous owners managed to strip the threads in the 'box, before putting in a cheap helicoil with the plug/any random bolt that happened to fit in and not bothering to tell anyone.

so....

what do I do now?? how on earth do i get it out so i can actually use the car again?

[taffy1967]

So you've got a broken bolt stuck in the hole now with no head to allow you to undo it?

I guess drilling and using an easy out is one option to getting it removed again?

[AndrewJ530]

If you know how to weld, couldn't you just weld a nut onto the end of it and undo it with a wrench? or some glue like araldite if you can't weld?

Just a thought.

[dklawson]

HeliCoils don't have heads, nor are they like a bushing which have a true inside and outside. It sounds like someone tried fixing a failure with a one-piece thread insert. There are several types.

Without seeing a picture of what you've got I cannot make any intelligent suggestions. Perhaps you could post a picture or two.

[maddogmcg]

if you have a reversable drill you could try drilling it out with a left handed drill ( they do exist ) the drilling action is in the same direction as untightening a bolt ie anti clockwise ,and could get the bolt moving without drilling thro and getting metal swarf inside the gearbox .

If you manage to remove the bolt and leave the helicoil in the 'box you can prise the end of the thread away and grab it with pin nosed pliers and just pull it straight out ,it will unravel like a spring and probably take some of the gearbox thread with it

Once you get it out i have seen repair kits on mini spares site ,i think its a bigger sump plug that cuts its own thread .

Good luck

[taffy1967]

I wouldn't use one of those tapered sump plug bolts as they can crack the sump.

Getting it properly heli-coiled is the answer (mine was done a year ago). Prior to that someone had just bodged it and fitted a larger bolt, but the threads eventually failed with that too.