Stripped bottom vacuum pump bolt...ARRRG - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

connerm · #16 09-05-2009, 09:08 PM

careful when you tighten the bolts next to the stripped one. too tight and you'll strip the threads.

Diesel911 · #17 09-05-2009, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sev

propane torches are great. minus the spark/flame, you can use them to detect vacuum leaks in the engine compartment

by the way guys, the main reason people strip these bolts is because there's so much grease on the bolts, that the allen wrench will just slip and strip the inside of the bolt. the best bet to prevent this is to use some small screwdriver and some q-tips to remove the grease before going at the bolts with a 4" allen wrench embedded in a socket. tap the socket when the allen wrench is in the bolt hole with a mallet until you're tired of it--always works for me.

While I agree that the Allen Bolt hole needs to be clean I have noticed that all of the Bolts I have removed from my Mercedes have be way tighter than on other Vehicles I have worked on.
While removing the Secondary/Spin-on Fuel Filter housing from a Junk Yard 300SD I snapped in two my Allen Socket. There was nothing in the hole it was just extremely tight.
To remove the 2 Allen Bolts I placed a Punch on the bolt heads of each and a hit the Punch with my Ball Peen Hammer. That loosened them enough to use a regular Allen Wrench on them.
Hitting the head of a Blot to loosen it was a common trick that they used at the LB Naval Ship Yard to loosen rusted and other wise stuck bolts. You just need to be careful not to deform the head.
Unfortunately I did not think to do it before I broke my tool.

Diesel911 · #18 09-05-2009, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oracle12345

yes....

used them one a few rounded upper oil pan bolts...saved me a lot of grief and time

Thanks!

Sev · #19 09-06-2009, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel911

While I agree that the Allen Bolt hole needs to be clean I have noticed that all of the Bolts I have removed from my Mercedes have be way tighter than on other Vehicles I have worked on.
While removing the Secondary/Spin-on Fuel Filter housing from a Junk Yard 300SD I snapped in two my Allen Socket. There was nothing in the hole it was just extremely tight.
To remove the 2 Allen Bolts I placed a Punch on the bolt heads of each and a hit the Punch with my Ball Peen Hammer. That loosened them enough to use a regular Allen Wrench on them.
Hitting the head of a Blot to loosen it was a common trick that they used at the LB Naval Ship Yard to loosen rusted and other wise stuck bolts. You just need to be careful not to deform the head.
Unfortunately I did not think to do it before I broke my tool.

I have removed over 100 diesel vacuum pumps from w123 and w126 models, and thus have more experience than you with this particular item. The main reason the bolts strip, is due to grease in the bolt head, not because of over-tightening.

Diesel911 · #20 09-06-2009, 02:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sev

I have removed over 100 diesel vacuum pumps from w123 and w126 models, and thus have more experience than you with this particular item. The main reason the bolts strip, is due to grease in the bolt head, not because of over-tightening.

I was not disagreeing with you.

I was implying that there is also other reasons that they can be tighter than expected and I gave an example of what happened to me and a method by which I was able to finish my job.

I have only removed a Mercedes Vacuum Pump one time. While 3 of the Screws gave a good pop when the broke loose I stripped none of them.

In the pic below in my opinion is another reason that some Allen Head type bolt heads get stripped.
The Bit of the tool in the first pic has a lot of radius on the edges and is not flat on the tip reducing the area that makes contact with the Socket in the Allen Head Bolt.
The second pic is one that I have ground down almost flat so that the bit can make full contact in the Socket in the Allen Head Bolt.

connerm · #21 09-06-2009, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel911

The second pic is one that I have ground down almost flat so that the bit can make full contact in the Socket in the Allen Head Bolt.

That's a darned good idea.

babyjames · #22 09-06-2009, 11:06 AM

A little (teeny, tiny bit) goes a LONG way. Especially when putting a steel fastener into aluminum. I use it on everything that doesn't get loctite. Slows me down a little, but will save whoever does the job next a ton of time!

Jay.

ImBroke · #23 09-06-2009, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sev

I have removed thus have more experience than you .

Wow, just slap the guy in the face. I've only removed 6, but only stripped out my first one. Do it once, and you learn.

Jeremy5848 · #24 09-06-2009, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by babyjames

A little (teeny, tiny bit) goes a LONG way. Especially when putting a steel fastener into aluminum. I use it on everything that doesn't get loctite. Slows me down a little, but will save whoever does the job next a ton of time!

Jay.

X2 antiseize

tangofox007 · #25 09-06-2009, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sev

I have removed over 100 diesel vacuum pumps from w123 and w126 models, and thus have more experience than you with this particular item.

With that wealth of experience, it seems that you would know better than to recommend the removal of the evaporator!!!

Oracle12345 · #26 09-06-2009, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ImBroke

Wow, just slap the guy in the face. I've only removed 6, but only stripped out my first one. Do it once, and you learn.

lol its ok the guy made an a$$ out of himself in another thread which I cant seem to find but tango found what I was lookin for

Diesel911 · #27 09-06-2009, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ImBroke

Wow, just slap the guy in the face. I've only removed 6, but only stripped out my first one. Do it once, and you learn.

You guys are slightly harsh.
Sev is right the Allen Head sockets need to be cleaned out to decrease the chance of stripping them.

I think what happened is that because I quoted him he though it was criticism. And, I did not mean it that way at all.

If I have not made an a$$ out of myself somewhere on the Forum already at some point I no doubt will. I think it is just human.

Sev · #28 09-06-2009, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tangofox007

With that wealth of experience, it seems that you would know better than to recommend the removal of the evaporator!!!

it's easier to remove with the evaporator out of the way, plus the radiator and the ps pump. but your intelligent comment and the exclamation marks have been noted

Sev · #29 09-06-2009, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ImBroke

Wow, just slap the guy in the face. I've only removed 6, but only stripped out my first one. Do it once, and you learn.

i didn't mean to slap anyone in the face--if that's the way i came across then i apologize. it's a fact i've disassembled w123 engines like it's nobody's business, so after a lot of repetitive attempts to remove hard to remove parts, you learn a trick or two that you can pass on.

tangofox007 · #30 09-06-2009, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sev

it's easier to remove with the evaporator out of the way, plus the radiator and the ps pump. but your intelligent comment and the exclamation marks have been noted

The evaporator is under the dash board and cannot possibly be a factor when removing the vacuum pump. Maybe you are thinking of the condensor.