Need urgent help, the expected BMW woes have struck (possibly far worse)

"HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute" (hondoyota) 09/25/2020 at 11:34 • Filed to: My crazy uncle's E38 is now mine, She's dead, Bmw woes

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She’s dead, Jim. (For only now hopefully)

Me and the crew had to change the AC belt. Simple enough, right ?

No.

The fucking 10mm tensioner bolt just HAD to break off in the damn block.

That, and we can’t get the fan off for shit.

The tensioner bolt is my biggest worry right now. We might have to drill into the block to get it out and I don’t know how that’s gonna work or what we’re gonna do. Send help. Please.

Darkbrador > HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute 09/25/2020 at 11:42

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Not sure why you need to remove the fan ? (I’m not a BMW afficionado)

But in any case, H elicoil is your friend ! Even a botched 10 mm bolt removal can be fixed with a helicoil insert in there. 

Michael > HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute 09/25/2020 at 11:43

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Beg/Borrow/Steal a 90 degree drill

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute 09/25/2020 at 11:46

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Just make a wooden shim and hammer it in place, should keep the round thingy tight. 

Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom > HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute 09/25/2020 at 11:54

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How did you manage this? Everybody loses their 10mm socket...

Tripper > Darkbrador 09/25/2020 at 11:58

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+1 have one in cyl #1 for the spark plug on the 02. I have also heard good things about “Time-serts”

The Snowman > HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute 09/25/2020 at 12:00

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Steel bolt in aluminum block? Weld a nut on and back it out

Moltenburn > HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute 09/25/2020 at 12:07

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As a former owner of a 2000 740i M-sport, I am praying for you. Maybe remove the front clip so you can drill that bolt directly out or enough to get a Helicoil removal tool in.

Moltenburn > The Snowman 09/25/2020 at 12:08

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no helicoil? this is a decent option

GoodIdeaAtTheTime > The Snowman 09/25/2020 at 12:13

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Hell, I’ve done it to iron blocks as well. 100% success rate. 

66P1800inpieces > HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute 09/25/2020 at 12:32

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Weld on nut if able. If not and you are trying to drill it out try to grind the bolt flat or use a centerpunch or other tool so you drill it out as close to center as possible to avoid ruining the threads. If you hit thread and need to redo it use a timesert over helicoi l.

RallyWrench > HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute 09/25/2020 at 12:38

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The fan is reverse thread. Use a thin 32mm wrench and a rubber mallet.

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom 09/25/2020 at 12:46

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No clue. Bolt started spinning and not tightening in the hole and when I removed the ratchet the bolt head was stuck in the socket. Fml

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > The Snowman 09/25/2020 at 12:47

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Im not sure we have a welding machine at my school

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > Darkbrador 09/25/2020 at 12:47

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This is sounding like what we're going to have to do...I'm just hoping we don't fuck up the drilling

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > Moltenburn 09/25/2020 at 12:48

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Removing the front clip could possibly lead to more broken things because, well, if the damn bolt can break I wouldn't be shocked if more stuff broke doing that. We might take off the underbody plastic cover and try to do it from underneath but I don't know right now, it's stuck at school for the weekend and I go back on Monday

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > 66P1800inpieces 09/25/2020 at 12:51

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I don't think we can weld it at my school so the second option is sounding like the moves. My only major fear is that we might fuck up the drilling part and then the car would really be dead. We'll see on Monday, I'm hoping for the best but this is going to be a long ass anxiety filled weekend

NYankee1927 > HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute 09/25/2020 at 12:59

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thoughts and prayers

MiniGTI - now with XJ6 > HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute 09/25/2020 at 13:17

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Might as well pull the engine at this point. It’ll be easier. 

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute 09/25/2020 at 14:07

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If you don’t have the requisite Bavarian fan clutch tool, a generic old school GM fan tool from HF or any autoparts store c an be m odified with a bit of grinding to fit your Bavarian fan for removal/installation. Once you have the fan out of the way, then I’d also remove the radiator. That should give you some room to work on that broken tensioner bolt and evaluate options for extraction. You're going to have few options until you get some room to work on the front of the motor.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com 09/25/2020 at 14:11

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Inaddition to the fan clutch tool, you may also need a (very long, but skinny) fan clutch wrench to get the bolt off. I don’t recall the size off the top of my head, but it should be  the same as most VW/Audi fan clutch bolts (the forums could surely verify).  Some retail autoparts stores, and probably a local NAPA should have an Audi/VW fan clutch wrench in stock.

The Snowman > GoodIdeaAtTheTime 09/25/2020 at 14:44

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Yeah, just even easier in different metals :)

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > MiniGTI - now with XJ6 09/25/2020 at 16:33

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In what universe would pulling the engine out of a BMW be easier than making do with a 90° drill? Or working from underneath/removing the front clip?

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com 09/25/2020 at 16:34

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This is a godsend. Thank you. We might have one of those laying around in the shop somewhere, I've been having a hell of a time finding those parts (11 5 040 and 11 5 050) so this should work better. 

MiniGTI - now with XJ6 > HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute 09/25/2020 at 19:12

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It was a joke 

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > MiniGTI - now with XJ6 09/25/2020 at 20:00

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Mannnn I was about to say

Tohru > HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute 09/26/2020 at 18:10

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Depends on if you want it removed quickly or if you want it removed properly.