Stripped harmonic balancer bolt

Grapeape

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 30, 2018
Location
Ontario Canada
TDI
05 jetta tdi
Can anyone tell me the thread size of the 4 bolts and lengths I'm doing the same thing and I want to replace them with hex head bolts.
 

Nuje

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Location
Island near Vancouver
TDI
2015 Sportwagen; Golf GLS 2002 (swap from 2L gas); 2016 A3 e-tron
You asked for thread pitch and length, and he gave you size, thread pitch, and length...that should suffice for you to go to your local Fastenal-type shop and find the right bolt.

(Note that some cars came with a shorter, 18mm-long bolt - 2003 wagon, I think, mostly.)
 

Nuje

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Location
Island near Vancouver
TDI
2015 Sportwagen; Golf GLS 2002 (swap from 2L gas); 2016 A3 e-tron
I just did a timing belt on a 2005, and the bolts were the longer ones.

One thing to be aware of is the hardness spec / metal alloy in the bolt.
I don't know what they are on these bolts, but they are torqued quite hard - 10Nm (sure, not much), but then an extra 90°. And with a 1.25 thread pitch, that adds some serious torque.
 
Last edited:

jokila

Vendor
Joined
Dec 3, 2004
Location
Houston, Texas
TDI
2003 Jetta GLS, Manual
Because I hate the Allen key heads.
In my experience the bolts are not hard to take out if they are not overtorqued(common) or loctited down.

On all of my repeat customers I never have a problem with them. Almost all of the ones that I work on that didn't previously experience my golden touch are problematic.

I don't think you need a hex head bolt.
 

terrydtdi

Veteran Member
Joined
May 16, 2006
Location
Charleston S.C.
TDI
2000 MK4 TDI Jetta 5spd
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.
I have used the Craftsman extractor set much like this set it works great every time.
 

Nuje

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Location
Island near Vancouver
TDI
2015 Sportwagen; Golf GLS 2002 (swap from 2L gas); 2016 A3 e-tron
Last job I did, two were no problem with 6mm, two stripped out. :(

The "winner" from above quoted post saved the day. :)
 

Franko6

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
May 7, 2005
Location
Sw Missouri
TDI
Jetta, 99, Silver`
If I've done one, I've done a hundred...

First off, anyone who uses Loctite on almost ANY bolt in a VW, save the oil pump center bolt for the sprocket on ALH and later, should get one of the many torque spec sheets and learn to use it.

However, there are certain bolts which will always give you a problem and the harmonic balancer bolts are such an item.

The first thing is the right tool for the right job... We employ a hand impact driver with a 3/8" drive, although you can use 1/2", then add enough extensions to bring the head of the hand impact driver past the fender. That will keep you from whacking the fender when you are swinging a 5 lb sledge on the impact tool. The wheel does not need to be removed(turn it hard right), but the inner fender skirt and the pancake pipe need to be out of the way.

Use a quality 6mm allen socket. Using the extension(s) and sledge, hammer the socket screw HARD. Usually, I give it two or three good whacks. Then, twist the hand impact driver counterclockwise and strike repeatedly until the bolt comes loose. Repeat the process for the remaining screws. The advantage of the hand impact driver over any other tool is the bit is not only turned with impact force, but driven into the bolt at the same time. That keeps the tool from rising out of the hole and stripping the allen.

However, I find often enough I am not the first one to the bolt and there is often damage to the allen socket. Although you can buy the extractor tool kit, I have yet to purchase a set.

Instead, I have found that a 45 torx bit can be driven into the stripped allen. There will be some metal driven down into the socket hole from the points of the torx bit. With the proper sized drill, remove the metal that has been pushed into the hole and then, drive the 45 torx into the hole to it's full depth. The best torx to use looks very much like the one in the picture showing the extractor set, just above, in Post #40.

The beauty of using this method is that the screw actually becomes BETTER than it was originally. A Torx socketed bolt is very hard to strip and when using the hand impact hammer, comes out quickly and easily.

The bolts, now modified as a torx, are very sturdy. If you don't mind a bit of 'RedNeck' fix, this really does the trick.

If you don't have a hand impact hammer, you are missing a tool I consider indispensable for my shop.

If I get the chance, I'll add some pictures of the 'fix'. Seriously, I hate the 6mm allen for this size of fastener and it's location. I've tried to find that same bolt as a torx, or even a triple square(XZN), but so far, I've not found it available. So, I make them! Cold Forging...
 

Nuje

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Location
Island near Vancouver
TDI
2015 Sportwagen; Golf GLS 2002 (swap from 2L gas); 2016 A3 e-tron
^^^
When I discovered the hand impact driver a few years ago, it was like the heavens opened to shine happy light on me. :D

This is the one I bought, and it's bailed my butt out of more than one or two situations - like the little T30 screw that holds the brake rotor in place.

The T45 that Frank was referencing (from photo above):
 

Franko6

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
May 7, 2005
Location
Sw Missouri
TDI
Jetta, 99, Silver`
Nuje,

Have we met? I know a bicycle repair shop owner/ employee that is on an island near Vancouver.

Yes, thanks for the 'arrow'. If it weren't for the impact driver, I'd be stopped in my tracks several times (a day). That Tekton is pretty and shiny. My driver is beat to crap with the end mushroomed from the pounding it's taken.
 

jokila

Vendor
Joined
Dec 3, 2004
Location
Houston, Texas
TDI
2003 Jetta GLS, Manual
If I've done one, I've done a hundred...

First off, anyone who uses Loctite on almost ANY bolt in a VW, save the oil pump center bolt for the sprocket on ALH and later, should get one of the many torque spec sheets and learn to use it.

However, there are certain bolts which will always give you a problem and the harmonic balancer bolts are such an item.

The first thing is the right tool for the right job... We employ a hand impact driver with a 3/8" drive, although you can use 1/2", then add enough extensions to bring the head of the hand impact driver past the fender. That will keep you from whacking the fender when you are swinging a 5 lb sledge on the impact tool. The wheel does not need to be removed(turn it hard right), but the inner fender skirt and the pancake pipe need to be out of the way.

Use a quality 6mm allen socket. Using the extension(s) and sledge, hammer the socket screw HARD. Usually, I give it two or three good whacks. Then, twist the hand impact driver counterclockwise and strike repeatedly until the bolt comes loose. Repeat the process for the remaining screws. The advantage of the hand impact driver over any other tool is the bit is not only turned with impact force, but driven into the bolt at the same time. That keeps the tool from rising out of the hole and stripping the allen.

However, I find often enough I am not the first one to the bolt and there is often damage to the allen socket. Although you can buy the extractor tool kit, I have yet to purchase a set.

Instead, I have found that a 45 torx bit can be driven into the stripped allen. There will be some metal driven down into the socket hole from the points of the torx bit. With the proper sized drill, remove the metal that has been pushed into the hole and then, drive the 45 torx into the hole to it's full depth. The best torx to use looks very much like the one in the picture showing the extractor set, just above, in Post #40.

The beauty of using this method is that the screw actually becomes BETTER than it was originally. A Torx socketed bolt is very hard to strip and when using the hand impact hammer, comes out quickly and easily.

The bolts, now modified as a torx, are very sturdy. If you don't mind a bit of 'RedNeck' fix, this really does the trick.

If you don't have a hand impact hammer, you are missing a tool I consider indispensable for my shop.

If I get the chance, I'll add some pictures of the 'fix'. Seriously, I hate the 6mm allen for this size of fastener and it's location. I've tried to find that same bolt as a torx, or even a triple square(XZN), but so far, I've not found it available. So, I make them! Cold Forging...
I have one of those impact hammers for many many years. Never used it in a very long time. I will start so thanks for the tip.
 

Nuje

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Location
Island near Vancouver
TDI
2015 Sportwagen; Golf GLS 2002 (swap from 2L gas); 2016 A3 e-tron
Nuje,
Have we met? I know a bicycle repair shop owner/ employee that is on an island near Vancouver.
Never met in person, but (a) my garage does resemble a bike repair shop when it's not a TDI workshop; and (b) we did have a few conversations over the phone when I bought an ALH head from you about five years ago. :)
 

Franko6

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
May 7, 2005
Location
Sw Missouri
TDI
Jetta, 99, Silver`
Yahjnby,

Technique... The torx bit technique you tried was incomplete. Seriously, there are several engines out there with my 'modified 6mm alllen to torx' screws that worked so well, they are still in the car after the next timing belt job. Hammer the torx in, drill out the driven metal, drive the torx again, TWIST AND HAMMER TO REMOVE! Like I said, the hand impact driver is the key, as unlike a normal impact gun, the hand impact driver is not only driven down, but twisting at the same time.

I thought I remembered the handle, Nuje. We know people by their TDIClub handle, their email and sometimes, we the trifecta to their actual name!

I suppose the cylinder head is doing well? You still own it?
 

BBWerks

Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2008
Location
Pt. Pleasant, NJ
TDI
2004 Golf 5 speed Tiptronic TDI PD BEW; 2004 Jetta 5 Speed Wagon TDI PD BEW
I second the 12mm socket method. Works REALLY well and doesn’t damage anything.
Man, this forum saved me again. The 12mm 12 point socket sure did the trick for me but I really think it was whacking the head of the bolt with an old drive shaft to an Audi transmission that I keep around that also helped and will be the first thing I do when I do the timing belt change on my other 04 Golf TDI BEW. Can't say thanks evough to this group.
 
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