stripped hex on OM617 Starter bolts! Igotit!
 

OK.
how many of you got the starter dead signs and went to change it, only to find the bolts were wallered out by a previous "mechanic" or in your attempts to use not quite the right tool or without adequate preparation and cleaning you wallered out or stripped the head of the starter bolts?
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_K...2014.14.45.jpg

whose idea was it to use 10mm allen head bolts on such an EXTREMELY difficult to reach and extremely tight bolt?

many stores sell external damaged bolt extractor sockets. like this:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_K...2014.14.59.jpg

anyway, if you use this correctly it can remove the bolt!
get the bolt clean!
get good clearance to swing a hammer.
set the 19mm version of the socket on the bolt head and pound it onto the bolt really really well.
then with good pressure and a decent hinge handle or a ratchet and a cheater. remove the bolt!
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_K...2014.12.28.jpg
easy.

i love those things. ive got a full set that have saved me more than once. i have also used the stubby eazy outs in the hex part of the bolt with success.(obviously where the external wouldnt fit)

I'm looking for a good set of those, any suggestions? It's worth it to pay a little more and get the better versions.

That must be the lower bolt? Is there room to pound a hammer? You're screwed if it was the upper bolt. Pull engine/tranny?

I can't tell you how many times I've got into my cars and found stripped hex bolts... The modulator seems to be the most popular. I bought a set of those extractors and they have paid for themselves 100 times over, love those things.

matco tools. about $100

lifetime guarantee too

Those allens sure need to be replaced with a hex head bolt. As you said its not good engineering to have allen heads there.

I have used this in the past. I got it from an old time auto mechanic. When fighting an allen bolt, dip your tool in a little valve grinding compound. It will make for a tight grip and not bugger things up.

Have yet to have a problem with one.....and I've changed lots of starters. Having a high quality allen socket that fits fully/tightly into the bolt is key.

oh, I've never damaged one myself, just found plenty on customer's cars that have been seriously trashed.

I bought a Craftsman set on sale and have only used it one time.
I wish they had the external damaged bolt extractor sockets when I worked as a Mechanic.

You have clearly answered the question I had; if they would work on Allen Head Bolts.

Nice tool that - well worth the cash.

Slightly different subject (but still tool related) - I'm surprised there aren't more of you who advocate the use of Metrinch sockets. I've found them to be very useful. (Though they aren't the strongest sockets on the planet)

I've never heard of them, they look like a modified snapon socket...

In my case I pretty much have not bought any Sockets or Wrehches since the early 1980s (Craftsman). So I simply use what I already have.

I had to deal with that issue yesterday and I am looking through old threads to see what others might have done.

(Drilling holes in the fire wall is not a new idea. I vaguely remember someone else doing it and people were not happen with him for doing that. Could have been on another forum; I can't remember.)

I removed the interior stuff and approximated where the Starter Bolts were and drilled small holes and stuck a wire threw them to see if I had drilled it so I could get at the bolts. I was off with both and had to drill others.

When I thought I had it I used a hole saw and cut holes in the fire wall. (Note you need to pay attention to what is on the other side. On the upper hole the Bodwen Cable on mine was behind where I cut the hole. However, I knew that and moved it out of the way while cutting.)

I had not taken an better measurements to pass on but I put the ruler up there when I took the picture so there is at least an approximation of where the holes go.

So the lower hole was close enough there was no issue. With the upper hole even with a wobble extension it was at too much of an angle and the allen head socket did not stay inside of the bolt head. I used a rotary file on a Drill Motor and lowered the hole.

At that point I was thinking of what others had done and they spoke of pounding in a Thorx into it. What I found is that a T55 ThorX fit pretty much the same as the allen socket but since it had a different shape I gave it a try and it worked.

I have a set of the external ezie-outs but never tied to use them as Thorx worked.
Note that I did not have the next size up from the T55 Thorx to know if that could have been pounded in with a tight fit.

So anyway of the upper bolt is stripped out you can drill a hole through the fire wall and have a good shot at removing it.

Note that I also had to drill out the Phillips head screws that held the Starter Solenoid to the Starter after which I managed to misplace the solenoid and at this time I have yet to seriously look for it. Note the Solenoid acted as if it was shot it would no longer click and I found nothing inside of the Starter that would have held it up.