What did you do for your ZHP/ BMW / MINI today? #2

[terraphantm]

It's just making noise, right? You can still drive it until you have time to replace it... they usually last a long while when they start making noise.

Nah it degraded pretty quickly. Started as a noise, but was vibrating more than I was comfortable with on my last drive home with the car. I might just have a shop deal with it one of these days

[oclvframe]

Started a quick thermostat and expansion tank replacement this weekend.....

...f'ng remnants of this bolt are not budging....I'm weighing options on how to remove it....no amount of pb-blaster and locking pliers will get it to budge.

[slater]

...f'ng remnants of this bolt are not budging....I'm weighing options on how to remove it....no amount of pb-blaster and locking pliers will get it to budge.

was that t-stat leaking? just based on the amount of corrosion above that bolt where the gasket was, makes me suspect that bolt has had some coolant chemical warfare enacted on it.

how tight are you getting the vise-grips? i highly recommend the flat-jawed ones. get them as tight as you can, and then tighten it a little more. and more PB Blaster - spray, let sit for 5min, then go at it again. back it out s l o w l y . . .

oh ya - and prayer works better than anything else.

[oclvframe]

was that t-stat leaking? just based on the amount of corrosion above that bolt where the gasket was, makes me suspect that bolt has had some coolant chemical warfare enacted on it.

how tight are you getting the vise-grips? i highly recommend the flat-jawed ones. get them as tight as you can, and then tighten it a little more. and more PB Blaster - spray, let sit for 5min, then go at it again. back it out s l o w l y . . .

oh ya - and prayer works better than anything else.

Yes...it appears as though it has...but it couldn't have been more than a dribble because I never had a puddle nor was I needing to add any coolant. So yes, that coolant mixing with the cheap steel and the aluminum wreaked some havoc. Unfortunately, I have clamped the vice grips down and it just refuses to come out....I've sprayed pb nightly on it. Im feeling Im going to have to drill it. I was toying with the idea of welding a nut to it but not sure what that would gain me other than the bolt breaking further in to the head.

-r

[slater]

Yes...it appears as though it has...but it couldn't have been more than a dribble because I never had a puddle nor was I needing to add any coolant. So yes, that coolant mixing with the cheap steel and the aluminum wreaked some havoc. Unfortunately, I have clamped the vice grips down and it just refuses to come out....I've sprayed pb nightly on it. Im feeling Im going to have to drill it. I was toying with the idea of welding a nut to it but not sure what that would gain me other than the bolt breaking further in to the head.

-r

how about grinding flats on either side of the bolt fragment? you could gain some more leverage that way, plus it would get a little heat into the bolt.

i had to do that once - it worked well.

[BimmerDude]

how about grinding flats on either side of the bolt fragment? you could gain some more leverage that way, plus it would get a little heat into the bolt.

i had to do that once - it worked well.

thats a good idea

I would also try using a butane torch to heat up that section

[Sockethead]

You need to heat that up to get it out and you're going to have to get it pretty hot. Make sure your heating the area around the broken bolt, not the bolt itself...

[san]

Started a quick thermostat and expansion tank replacement this weekend.....

...f'ng remnants of this bolt are not budging....I'm weighing options on how to remove it....no amount of pb-blaster and locking pliers will get it to budge.

I had something similar happen to me when I changed my radiator, I took a hacksaw blade and made a groove on the broken bolt so I could use a flathead screwdriver to remove it... worth a shot if all else fails..

[Overboost]

Finally finished the folding mirror upgrade and NCS Expert coding for FA vehicle order with comfort open/closing and keyfob operation. Works like a champ!

[ELCID86]

I want winter tires lol.

They are great. We don't need them often but when we do...