When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
On my 88 my water bridge is leaking so I went to one of my favourite sites for the DIYer...dwaynesgarage. He shows step by step on how to take it off and replace O-rings and gaskets. Everything was going great until I got to the one bolt on Bank 1 side in front of intake. He said take an allen wrench with a crescent wrench and take it off. I can tell my bolts weren't ever taken off and the one PITA bolt I can't get off. I tried every way....even a ball 6mm allen which didn't help. Is there a special tool or another way? I've scratched the heck out of my intake PITA 6MM Bolt.
In some cases you can access the bolt and in others you cannot. In my case I wasn’t able to get my tool seated enough to loosen the bolt. I ended up having to remove the intake. You don’t need to completely remove it to get more access reoming all the intake bolts will allow you shift it enough to get better purchase on it
I had luck getting mine out and I'm sure it was due to just doing a top-end refresh a couple years ago. If you don't have any luck getting yours loose, you might have to take the top end off--and maybe it's a good time for a refresh. Dwayne has an excellent write-up on that too.
It's not a torx bolt...its a 6mm allen bolt. Benno I was afraid of someone was going to say take off the intake. The hex bolt doesn't seat in straight enough for a good Torq.
It's not a torx bolt...its a 6mm allen bolt. Benno I was afraid of someone was going to say take off the intake. The hex bolt doesn't seat in straight enough for a good Torq.
I know it isn't a torx, but sometimes when the hex is kind of rounded or worn a bit or the hex bit does not seat well, the next size torx can be driven into the hex hole to get a stronger bite. That's the basis of my above suggestion.
It took me about a week and a half but I finally got it using plenty of penetrating oil (every day). I also used a long 6mm allen wrench (with a little pipe on the short end of the allen with the long end down in the bolt) (and maybe tried a ball end). Use plenty of patience and stick with it. The next year I did an upper end refresh. Roger at 928srus fixed me up with all the parts.Good luck.
Easier to freeze the bolt than to heat it. Get a can of computer duster. Insert the small tube into the nozzle, turn the can upside down, get the tube close to the bolt and spray away. The liquid will quickly freeze the bolt, you should see it change color. Hopefully that will shrink the bolt enough to break the tension and you can remove it. Worked for me on my stuck (and I mean STUCK) bell-housing bolts.
I had luck getting mine out and I'm sure it was due to just doing a top-end refresh a couple years ago. If you don't have any luck getting yours loose, you might have to take the top end off--and maybe it's a good time for a refresh. Dwayne has an excellent write-up on that too.
Wow....bitter sweet thread. I guess I'm one that wasn't lucky to have my intake tolerance worth a dern to get that bolt out. I will put the bolts back in and do a intake refresh after this fall. I just don't know how the factory put that bolt in with my intake? Count yourself luck if you have great access to the PITA water bridge bolt
I took my time; hearing horror stories about water bridge bolts breaking off. Yes you have to drive the correct wrench in...it won't go in unless you tap it in...bolts are old and cruddy. Light taps are your friend...onc
Love the method using duster liquid and freezing...going to try that next time.
I got a punch or an allen wrench and did some tapping wound up over a couple weeks....i'd use PBlaster and give it a few good taps...once I got the wrench to fit well I gave it some pretty good taps...I got them all out that way...just takes a little more time but none of mine broke...good luck!
You want to break loose the bolt from all the horrible crud that's locked it in and made it part of the engine lol.
I think the best tool here is a very long good quality (= good fit) 6mm Allen on a socket, which gives you more chance to get square on the bolt. Use a long spiked tool also to clean crud out of the bolt head recess so you get a good fit. But if it's well corroded into the threads then you risk rounding the Allen bolt, or snapping it off under the bridge where the bolt enters the head. In either scenario you'd then have to get the intake off, and the amount of disassembly needed to get to all ten intake bolts (and remove fuel rails and injectors of course) makes it more reasonable to do a full intake refresh. If you end up lifting the intake and moving it back then you'll probably need to change the old hard intake gaskets anyway requiring the intake to come off completely.
Maybe if you use impact version of long 6mm hex key, that will shock the bolt out using air or electric impact?
I had similar scenario but it was the right rear bolt which snapped. I left it like that for years before doing intake refresh (wasn't losing coolant), but then it took a nut welded onto what was left of the shaft to remove it. After that I learnt my lesson and along with the new water bridge o-ring and gaskets (including paper ones which were fitted originally on my MY91 I discovered) I used all new bolts with anti-seize after cleaning out the threaded holes.
I think the best tool here is a very long good quality (= good fit) 6mm Allen on a socket, which gives you more chance to get square on the bolt. Use a long spiked tool also to clean crud out of the bolt head recess so you get a good fit. But if it's well corroded into the threads then you risk rounding the Allen bolt, or snapping it off under the bridge where the bolt enters the head. In either scenario you'd then have to get the intake off, and the amount of disassembly needed to get to all ten intake bolts (and remove fuel rails and injectors of course) makes it more reasonable to do a full intake refresh. If you end up lifting the intake and moving it back then you'll probably need to change the old hard intake gaskets anyway requiring the intake to come off completely.
Maybe if you use impact version of long 6mm hex key, that will shock the bolt out using air or electric impact?
I had similar scenario but it was the right rear bolt which snapped. I left it like that for years before doing intake refresh (wasn't losing coolant), but then it took a nut welded onto what was left of the shaft to remove it. After that I learnt my lesson and along with the new water bridge o-ring and gaskets (including paper ones which were fitted originally on my MY91 I discovered) I used all new bolts with anti-seize after cleaning out the threaded holes.
.
+1....I wouldn't put the old bolts in for the water bridge ever. I wound up using 2 different compounds on my water bridge threads....anti seize on the lower part then some red loctite on the upper part to help it seal...red loctite remains pliable in extreme heat so it doesn't freeze the bolt in place.
Again on the impact....taking several days and giving those bolts a good whap once you get an allen locked in there real well...or something similar....PBlaster and a light/med tap with a hammer daily....then back and forth little by little....you may be tempted once you break it loose to push it...don't...go back and forth over and over....each time going a little farther....takes a bit but it will work~!
Thanks for the tips. I tried using the long hex but my issue on my 88 is the intake molding. It doesn't allow for a straight purchase on the bolt. How did Porsche manage to Torq down that bolt when my intake molding doesn't even allow an hex to go straight except for 1.5" then the intake gets in the way. I would recommend looking at this bolt before starting the water bridge.
Thanks for the tips. I tried using the long hex but my issue on my 88 is the intake molding. It doesn't allow for a straight purchase on the bolt. How did Porsche manage to Torq down that bolt when my intake molding doesn't even allow an hex to go straight except for 1.5" then the intake gets in the way. I would recommend looking at this bolt before starting the water bridge.
What makes you think that, at the factory, the water bridge was installed after the intake?
Another example is below of the importance of using fresh bolts and anti-seize for the water bridge and galley covers. In this case, I used heat, cold, penetrating oil, and impact over a few days. The bolt was particularly weak, likely due to corrosion. First the bolt head snapped off, and then the shaft snapped level to the block. Started drilling it out, but am paused on that effort. I am pulling the engine anyway so will try to address it once the engine is out and I have better control. The other bolts removed from this bridge, while they came out, were dry and crusty. Had some stubborn and similarly crusty bolts on the galley covers too.
If I could do it over again, for your case, I would advocate continuing the impact over time approach, using a brass drift, along with penetrating oil. Work on other things while giving it time. If this works, it is a much better situation than drilling it out.
02-01-2020, 06:24 PM
Water Bridge one PITA bolt
