335i Oil Pan Bolt got snapped inside of motor...! - N54Tech.com

BenjiB707 · **335i Oil Pan Bolt got snapped inside of motor...! -** 09-29-2016, 06:48 PM

Hey I was changing my Oil pan and i was tightening the long aluminum bolt by the transmission and it snapped inside of block.. Is there a way to take the bolt out without dropping the pan again?? Thank you so much

BenjiB707 · 09-29-2016, 06:49 PM

LQQKOUT · 09-29-2016, 07:09 PM

Good new is that you can get it out. If I remember right it's one of the long ones. Unfortunately you'll have to drop the pan.

RCB · 09-30-2016, 04:24 AM

You could try a left handed drill bit with the pan on. I'm not sure if the drill bit will have enough depth on those long bolts at the back. If that doesn't work you will have to drop the pan and get a new set of bolts. Are you torquing them to the initial spec and then 90 degrees for the short bolts and 180 degrees for the long bolts?

d21spike · 09-30-2016, 05:35 AM

Try a flathead screwdriver as well. With these one time use bolts a lot of the time it can snap before it gets tightened. Had the last bolt snap on me when I did mine and it came right out.

seatte135i · 09-30-2016, 06:30 AM

You need to renew all the pan bolts and tq to spec. I've never seen a new one with blue on the head of it(like the ones in your pic). If the old bolt snaps off like that, I've always just used a pick to spin it out. But that's going to be hard with the pan still on.

d21spike · 09-30-2016, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seatte135i

You need to renew all the pan bolts and tq to spec. I've never seen a new one with blue on the head of it(like the ones in your pic). If the old bolt snaps off like that, I've always just used a pick to spin it out. But that's going to be hard with the pan still on.

Yea that's general rule. The bolts with blue paint on the head means they are one time use. Bolt stretches when it's torqued the first time and when you reuse them and tighten again it stretched past the breaking point.

yak52 · 10-04-2016, 08:13 AM

I recently did this with the large aluminum bolt from trans to motor (last one, go figure). Was ready to cry. I stuck the broken half of the bolt back in the hole and just unthreaded the portion in the block. Couldn't believe it worked, but the way it broke, it had enough grab to unthread the rest. Did it by hand after cranking it down to 40in#. Brand new bolt. Believe it had to go to 52in# and never made it past 40in#.

Yours broke very similarly, wouldn't be surprised if it worked for you too. Takes two seconds to try.

BenjiB707 · 10-17-2016, 02:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yak52

I recently did this with the large aluminum bolt from trans to motor (last one, go figure). Was ready to cry. I stuck the broken half of the bolt back in the hole and just unthreaded the portion in the block. Couldn't believe it worked, but the way it broke, it had enough grab to unthread the rest. Did it by hand after cranking it down to 40in#. Brand new bolt. Believe it had to go to 52in# and never made it past 40in#.

Yours broke very similarly, wouldn't be surprised if it worked for you too. Takes two seconds to try.

Wait can u explain it again?? So i take broken bolt and try screwing it back in? From the looks of the bolt location, i dont need to drop pan unless you did?? Also do u remember the torque settings and where I can buy a torque wrench with 6-18lbs of pressure?? I cannot find one

LQQKOUT · 10-17-2016, 03:29 AM

Just do a search on Amazon for in/lb torque wrenches. They are around $30.

deeznutz1991 · 10-17-2016, 04:36 PM

I had one break on me and it came out super easy. I used a screw extractor. This one had a drill bit on one end and a extractor on the other end. I used a foot long bit extension along with it to reach in there. It was a short screw that broke on me but it should work the same I'd assume?

Sirdaft1 · 10-17-2016, 04:38 PM

Keep the oil pan on and use a small flathead screw driver and use it to push the bolt so that it unthreads. Happened to me and it came out super easily this way.

BenjiB707 · 10-18-2016, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirdaft1

Keep the oil pan on and use a small flathead screw driver and use it to push the bolt so that it unthreads. Happened to me and it came out super easily this way.

So when you did that did it go back into the block/oil pan ? How did it come out?? You mean u pushed it back so that it falls back into the pan?? Doesnt that ruin the threads?

N54QC · 10-18-2016, 05:08 PM

I think he means that he put pressure on the bolt with the bit so that it would have tension to not slip while backing it out.