[davidcjordan]

Yeah, after changing the spark plugs and reassembling everything, one of the two plastic bolts #16 snapped in half. (The bolt that holds the decorative HONDA plate).

Trying to remove it, I think it fell inside the cylinder head cover #6.

Am I screwed? I have not started the bike! I'm hoping I can just remove the cylinder head cover, have the half of the bolt sitting there, remove it and put the cylinder head cover back on using the existing gasket.

Hoping somebody can jump on here and tell me everything will be okay tomorrow afternoon when I finally have time to get to it.

Thanks in advance
amended with posts 7, 9, 15

 

[Retired60mech]

If you're lucky, it snapped up the shank and will be visible once you pull the other bolt and cover. Worst case, it snapped along the threads. The latter, you would need a screw extractor (aka an easy out).

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[Road Ranger 161]

Remove the cover, recover the bolt and reassemble and you should be fine.

 

[DDL]

If you were just getting to the plugs, the cover nor any of its bolt can get inside the valve cover. Bolt #16 just holds the cover over the plugs and plug wires. That bolt does fasten to the valve cover which would make getting the broken part of the bolt out, especially if you need to drill and re-thread. You will not want to go too deep as it would enter the cover where all of that black slick liquid gets sprayed and splashed around.

If you broke #17, you may have a part that will let you use vise grips to remove and replace with a new one. But I am puzzled as to why you needed to take the valve covers off for spark plugs without a valve check to go along with it.

None of those bolts are plastic. Some do have rubber Allen hole fillers, but nothing plastic.

 

[GLblinded]

#16 screws into #20 replace both and go.

 

[UNCLEJOHN]

I CAN HEAR IT KNOCKING FROM HERE !!

 

[davidcjordan]

Okay so here's a photo of PLASTIC bolt #16 that snapped in half.

So I came up with a brilliant idea of drilling into the bolt since it was so far recessed into the hole and try to extract it.

Well guess what happened..... Yep, drilled right through the broken bolt. Ended up piercing the case! That hole, at the end of the red arrow, shouldn't be there! I did that, all by myself.

@#$% ME!

I'm open to suggestions on how to proceed.

 

[Retired60mech]

I'm not getting what you mean?

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[davidcjordan]

I'm not getting what you mean?

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I edited the post. Only $325 for a new cylinder head cover

 

[Retired60mech]

I edited the post. Only $325 for a new cylinder head cover

Ah, that sucks. If it was mine, I would JB weld it.

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[ssncob]

It's not a pressure joint. Jb weld for aluminum and let it cure overnight, reassemble and ride. Don't sweat it.

Edit: most of the fasteners on this bike really don't need a torquing down, finger tight works just dandy. Wheel bolts, rocker arms, yes. Everything else, just firm.

 

[Pigeon Roost]

Those are basically decorative parts. if the shank of that screw is still in the bore, then I would remove it with an easy-out or slightly smaller than its diameter REVERSE drill bit. I have not seen that location from the bottom side, of course, but it might also be possible to carefully Dremel off the bottom of that cavity that you have already pierced and grab the bolt shank tthere. Or if it is flush and can not be grabbed, pierce it with a hot flat balded screw driver, then let the driver blade cool and then turn it out. If you have ruined the threads, fill it with epoxy so that you can drill and tap. If you are not mechanically skilled, find an experienced helper before making a bigger mess of the job.

prs

 

[Cobradriver]

View attachment 401325

@#$% ME!

I'm open to suggestions on how to proceed.

JB Weld quick set after cleaning oil residue with Brake Clean will be just fine, as long as not to much JB weld is used.

You can also go to any Welding shop, and have it Tig welded and never worry again.

FYI-As was posted. Just snug the new bolt back in.
As you found out 9 pounds of torque comes very fast, and can cause a headache-right.

 

[Fred H.]

It appears to me that you installed the wrong bolt in that location. There are two different length allen bolts used on the decorative cylinder head cover. The longer ones go in the bottom, the shorter in the top where the Honda emblem is. See items 15 and 18 in diagram below.

From your photo, it looks like you might be able use and extractor on the back side of the remaining portion of the bolt to remove it.

 

[davidcjordan]

To be clearer, I've attached two more photos. These are the two decorative bolts for the Honda plate across the cylinder head cover. One of them snapped in half (the one at the "H" of HONDA)

 

[davidcjordan]

@Fred H. In my screenshot from the the parts list it is bolt #16. And from your screenshot, it is #15.

 

[davidcjordan]

So, I think I'll go the JB weld route as suggested. Picked some up today along with some brake cleaner. Going to jam it into the hole from inside the engine casing outwards. Let it cure overnight, hopefully everything will be okay tomorrow.

THANKS TO EVERYBODY FOR THEIR SUGGESTIONS AND HELP!!!!

 

[Pigeon Roost]

Please let us know the outcome.

prs

 

[GLblinded]

My bad, not only do the parts diagrams differ in this one thread, but the part I thought was a threaded nut, is just a spacer. The JB weld will do, as would a drilled out bore with a closed end threaded helicoil type insert. That could be locktited in place and seal up the error nicely.

 

[techdude2000]

Those bolts are spec’d for 7lb/ft of torque, but I just snug them up.