on my 97 sc2 i broke a valve cover bolt will it be ok with all the rest of them tight? or how could i fix this?

 

NO!


I'm guessing the reason you haven't replaced the bolt is because it sheared halfway down and the bottom half is still in the block... If so, your best bet is probably to bore out the screw to get it out and then put a new one in...

 

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will it work enough to get it to a shop?

 

Only just... Few scenarios:


- Extreme loss in compression


- Major oil loss


- Shredded gasket


So if you're taking it to a shop (which isn't a bad idea in and of itself, but I would go with a tow truck), I would suggest taking it slow and make sure it stays cold...

 

I see you're online right now, so I thought I'd add another thing:


- Possibility of dirt or excess debris entering into your block and possibly damaging your pistons...

 

However, in all reality, the average person that this would happen to, wouldn't even notice it. It's fully driveable if you have a good gasket (or Lord forbid a silicone sealant) and the other bolts are down tight. My scenarios really are worst case scenarios... You will probably notice a loss in power because of the compression loss (if you're not using silicone) but that's about it...

 

how much would it cost to have someone fix it?

 

In all reality, you could do it yourself... But it shouldn't be that much... An hour or so of labor (and the cost of a new bolt)

 

It can be removed pretty easily with a tool called an easy out. But the bigger question is, how did you break it? You're not supoosed to torque them down very much. Only 10 Nm (89 in-lbs). If its leaking, tightening the bolts more isn't going to solve the problem. Replace the valve cover gasket with a preformed one from Saturn and properly torque the bolts in the sequence.


Also there will be now loss in power or compression loss due to a broken valve cover bolt or leaking valve cover gasket. Neither has anything to do with engine compression. A broken head bolt or leaking head gasket would cause that.Edited by: Low Saturn