Stripped harmonic balancer bolt

yahjnby

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1998 New Beetle TDI ALH 1.9 Part owner Sencond New Beetle 98 TDI ALH and a 2002 TDI New Beetle
Trying to work on my engine and I stripped two of the Allen bolts on my harmonic balancer. I have not bothered trying the other two yet.
Anyone have experience dealing with these things when they strip. I have begun to hate Allen bolts on VW‘s with a white hot passion.
Fortunately I’m not in a rush. I’m hoping somebody here has been successful with something. I do have something that I used on stripped Valve cover bolts, but I don’t think the little screw on caps are going to fit in the space of the harmonic balancer, let alone allow me to stabilize it while I crank on it.
1998 new beetle TDI
 
Last edited:

mr.loops

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2002 jetta, 2003 Bora 1.8T
Ya you won’t be able to get a bolt extractor in there - too tight

I would grab a torx bit ( find one that is a good tight fit) and hammer it into the offending hole.


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iamatt

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2014 Jetta 6 Speed manual
I'd tack weld the bit you used on there if you can't get extractor in there.

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Tdijarhead

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Use a hammer and a piece of rod on them. I always give each bolt two or three solid wacks with this method. So far I’ve never had one strip out.

As far as the already stripped ones , tack weld as mentioned, hammering a torx or next size Allen into the hole, or hammering a socket over the head. Before trying any of those methods hit those stripped bolts a I described above, it helps to break them loose.

Of course you will want to replace all 4 with new bolts.
 

dogdots

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12mm 12 point socket driven on with a hammer will get those out. Before trying to loosen the 2 you haven't yet, place the 6mm allen socket in the head and tap several times with a hammer, then use an air or electric impact to remove them.

You can also drill off the head of the stripped ones, they are pretty soft and drill easily. The 12mm 12 point socket is the cheapest and easiest way.
 

BobnOH

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May 29, 2004
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central Ohio
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New Beetle 2003 manual
The one good thing with the socket head screws, they're easy to drill off cause they're pre-centered. They make a lot of different extraction solutions, in the mean time hit them with PB Blaster (or better) followed by hard raps as jarhead suggests, repeat.
 

Powder Hound

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I like the Irwin bit that goes around the head. They always work for these bolts. Well, they've always worked for me. There's a first time for everything...

Cheers,

PH
 

csstevej

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2001 golf tdi 4 door auto now a manual, mine, 2000 golf 2 door M/T son's,daughters 98 NB non-TDI 2.0, 2003 TDI NB for next daughter, head repaired and on road,gluten for punishment got another tdi 2001NB,another yellow tdi NB
Yeah I’ve done the socket and drilling the head off. Both work great, once you drill the head off and dampener removed the screws pretty much come out with your hand.
 

GEFP

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I've had success with using an air hammer with a punch point in the center of the bolt. Just put on a small vice grip onto the head and they turn out quite easy while hammering with the air chisel.
 

jokila

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I like the Irwin bit that goes around the head. They always work for these bolts. Well, they've always worked for me. There's a first time for everything...

Cheers,

PH
I agree with this. I have used Irwin's for this kind of purpose for many years. There is enough room.

I use a hammer to tap the extractor bit into the soft bolt head, then remove with the 3/8" socket and extension.
 

williambill

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12mm 12 point socket driven on with a hammer will get those out. Before trying to loosen the 2 you haven't yet, place the 6mm allen socket in the head and tap several times with a hammer, then use an air or electric impact to remove them.

You can also drill off the head of the stripped ones, they are pretty soft and drill easily. The 12mm 12 point socket is the cheapest and easiest way.

I second the 12mm socket method. Works REALLY well and doesn’t damage anything.
 
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yahjnby

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Mill Valley Ca
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1998 New Beetle TDI ALH 1.9 Part owner Sencond New Beetle 98 TDI ALH and a 2002 TDI New Beetle
Thanks all. I’m getting back to it this weekend, and PB blasting in the meantime. I’ll let you know what I end up trying and how it works out.
 

1854sailor

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My question is how did you strip them out? Were you using the correct size metric hex key or the closest SAE size that would fit?
 

Mongler98

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98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
When you install them don't overtorque them. It's only 18 ft lbs.
100% true here
things to note, if you use any lube like oil or antisieze _ just dont that will cause them to either fail, get stuck worse, or warp the pully.
Do not use some off the shelf bolts from hardware stores, DO not and i repeat do not use lock washers.
i have been down this path and they all lead to inevitability of chaos.

Clean dry chased threads with a tap or at least a metal brass gun brush and some brake clean and a few drops of blue thread locker at most.

DO NOT do what i did and have to repair that stuff on the side of the rode due to one of them backing out and getting behind the belt and SHEARING off the renaming 2 bots clean off (one was already gone)
 

GEFP

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My question is how did you strip them out? Were you using the correct size metric hex key or the closest SAE size that would fit?
I've stripped two sets already. It's quite easy to do using the proper metric hex key. For some reason the socket bolt just does not want to turn out after being installed for 100,000 kms.

I like some of the removal ideas presented here and I'll try them the next go around. I do have a set of Irwin bits now and will use them if I have to.

One thing that I'm going to try on my own vehicle is intake manifold studs red locktighted into the hub and blue locktight on the flanged nuts. We'll see how that lasts.
 

jokila

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I never use loctite and have never in any belt job (ive done over 50) have it come off. I don't recommend using that stuff for the harmonic balancer bolts. Just do it right and it won't come off. Don't overdo it and you will be using extractors.
 

Mongler98

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98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
there is a from the factory Loctite on those bots and MOST bolts on VW including CV bolts and intakes and just about every bolt i have taken off has had either a green or some times blue locking compound on them.
Loctite (blue) does not really add much if any at all extra torque to remove unless some cray excessive amount was used.

The key here is a DRY set of threads and bolts with clean threads. some say to add torque to thread locking compounds. You may see a lot of different opinions on this. However, Loctite suggests that there be no change in "on-torque" values. So, torque to dry spec for all Loctite Purple, Blue, Red...
 

97caron

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Lookout
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stripped head

Easiest is to drill out the bolt head until it comes off. Use 1/8" bit to start pilot hole 1/2" into bolt. Use 5/16" bit to finish job. Use good quality bits for metal drillng ie cobalt steel bit.
 

Nuje

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I've made use of one of these impact drivers you whack with a hammer before (only $12 - much cheaper than a good-quality electric/air impact gun)...not on these bolts necessarily, but no reason why you couldn't.

And if it doesn't work there, they're the only thing I've found to reliably loosen those damn screws that hold the brake rotors - so you'll have it for that. :)
 

P2B

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there is a from the factory Loctite on those bots and MOST bolts on VW including CV bolts and intakes and just about every bolt i have taken off has had either a green or some times blue locking compound on them.
According to the Bentley manual that's corrosion inhibitor, not locking compound.

Simon
 

yahjnby

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1998 New Beetle TDI ALH 1.9 Part owner Sencond New Beetle 98 TDI ALH and a 2002 TDI New Beetle
My question is how did you strip them out? Were you using the correct size metric hex key or the closest SAE size that would fit?
I use one large ratchet wrench to hold the crankshaft steady, and a 6 mm Allen socket attached to a breaker bar to break the Allen bolt loose. I did it before on a 2002, I would steadily increased pressure until with a loud metal noise they would break loose. On this 98, I Increased the pressure and then at one point they just would go gooey and give. :eek:

I gave the remaining two bolts a good whack with a hammer today as per somebody’s advice, and got one out with a battery operated impact gun, and the one that wouldn’t come out with that, I got out with my normal method using a breaker bar and an Allen socket.

I hammered an oversize torque bit into one of the remaining two and managed to get pretty good pressure, but it stripped. So next up will be either hammering on a 12 point socket Or trying to find an “Irwin bit”. If those fail I will probably break out the drillbits. :)

They came out much easier on the 2002, I guess the extra four years locked these up.:)
 

Powder Hound

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According to the Bentley manual that's corrosion inhibitor, not locking compound.
Simon
The corrosion inhibitor is the pale green coating on the entire bolt surface, including the head where it has probably faded or otherwise disappeared. The blue band in the middle of the threads is the locking compound.

Cheers,

PH
 

Nuje

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...and then some of the "big boy" bolts (e.g. wheel axle or flywheel bolts) have green (sometimes red) locking compound on them.
 

yahjnby

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1998 New Beetle TDI ALH 1.9 Part owner Sencond New Beetle 98 TDI ALH and a 2002 TDI New Beetle
DeWalt 12 pt 12mm socket hammered on for the win. :)

I've got to hand it to theDeWalt socket, still looks good after being hammered on and off twice.

I had to drill a large block off wood and screw them in as a base to hammer the socket off.


 

yahjnby

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Mill Valley Ca
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1998 New Beetle TDI ALH 1.9 Part owner Sencond New Beetle 98 TDI ALH and a 2002 TDI New Beetle
By the was, I also had the problems with valve cover bolts. I used a no name bolt extractor kit with great success.

In photo below,

winners above:
No name kit for valve cover, 12pt 12mm socket for harmonic balancer.

Losers below:
Oversize torx, Milwaukee bolt extractor kit and a weird gritty goo from auto parts store.


Thank you for the advice and help.
 

jokila

Vendor
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Dec 3, 2004
Location
Houston, Texas
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2003 Jetta GLS, Manual
The extractor kit you show is something similar i have from Craftsman and have used but never anymore. The Irwin brand is different and way better.

My complaint with that kit is:

1) You need to put a larger socket on it to make it extract. This is limiting in tight areas like the valve cover under the intake manifold especially at an angle. It just adds to the burden.

2) You cannot bear down on the extractor as you turn it because you are using a socket on it.

3) You can't keep it straight and pound on it with a hammer very well. It will want to shimmy and not go on evenly, plus it's hard to hold it to even do so.

I hit the Irwin kind (with an attached 3/8 extension) with with a hammer to make it dig into the metal otherwise it might not necessarily bite in to keep a grip. After striking it, I attach a ratchet and start turning. All of the different size extractors use the same 3/8 extension.

I've used the Irwin kind for valve cover and balancer bolts many, many times.
 

Metal Man

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Sunbury,PA 17801
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1998 NB TDI, 2006 Jetta TDI, 2014 Tiguan gas, , 2019 E Golf X2
I have used an air chisel many times to spin these out. I now mostly use the Craftsman set similar to the upper picture above.
I use a bit on a 3/8" breaker bar to loosen these, hold the crank at the center bolt and hit the bar on the allen bolt to help break it loose.

One of my best mechanics tips use valve grinding compound to help screw drivers and allen wrenches from rounding out bolts and it can save the day when you think it is already rounding out.
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/BK_7652657
 
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