Hello,

I got my MSD ignition coil pack today and was excited to get it installed.
I went ahead to remove the stock coil pack and when I got to the fourth bolt that's holding the coil, I found myself just turning the bolt and it wasn't coming out. Is there any trick in removing a bolt that's just spinning. I not sure if the spinning is caused by the stripped thread or the embedded retaining brass nut in the engine cover has broken off from the plastic and is just spinning.

Has anyone experienced this and have a solution?

Please help

Ken

 

It's confirmed, the round brass nut that is embedded into the plastic engine cover is spinning. I have no way of holding the nut down while trying to back the bolt out. At this point I gave up on changing the coil pack and just changed the wires for now :(

 

Ouch... A new valve cover is $250 bucks!

I wonder if a valve cover from a Dodge Neon would fit, or if it would be cheaper?

I don't have it in front of me to look at, but I would probably try to saw the head off the bolt.

You could choose to put it back together with only 3 bolts, or assess if you'd then be able to keep the nut from spinning and replace the bolt,.. Maybe a little JB Weld to hold the nut in place for the next go round??

You might check the market place for someone parting out an R53, or your local wrecking yard.

Best of luck.

 

Try and pry the bolt up with screwdriver while you try to remove it

 

Hello Burnsranch,

That trick didn't work because the problem isn't the thread of the bolt spinning in the nut, but it's the nut spinning with the bolt inside the valve cover molding.

I wish the nut would just break out from the valve cover, then I could JB weld it back in after I remove the bolt. But the suck is in there pretty tight and does nothing but spin. It would make a nice bearing though LOL

 

If you pry hard enough, maybe under the coil pack if you can, then one of two things will happen the bolt will come out, or you will pull the nut out. If you can get a shim under the coil pack and put the other bolts in, you might get it that way. If the brass nut pulls out, then you just JB weld it back in.

I have done that on other projects, but not sure about the mini.

 

I am afraid I might crack valve cover from the nut. I wish I know how the nut is fitted into the cover. What shape it is and whether it can be popped out without breaking something else.

 

I thought of that too, and would likely try something like that myself. -there's the risk of breaking the valve cover though, so to me it seemed safer to cut the head off the bolt. It would be easier to either safely remove the nut, or JB Weld it in once the coil pack is out if the way

 

You're faster on the reply than me,... I guess we were thinking the same thing, LOL

 

I could look into cutting the bolt head off. With the coil pack out of the way, what do you think I can do to hold the round brass nut down while I turn the bolt?

I found a couple photos of the valve cover. One of them shows the underneath. There are four pockets that house the brass nuts. I wonder how strong it is and whether it can handle prying/yanking at it.

 

I see they're round in there. I guess I had imagined that they'd be hex or square, then you'd be able to wedge a screwdriver inbetween the side of the nut and the valve cover that it's inset into.

Hmmm,... It's hard to tell from the photo, I wonder if there's enough meat on the side of the brass nut to drill a very small hole in it, then use a punch or allen key to hold it from turning while removing the bolt? Kinda sketchy though.

I'm of the opinion that 3 bolts will hold the new coil in place just fine. I'm realizing though that you probably don't want it to look ghetto when it's done.

 

BTW,.. Plastic scares me, because I feel like it only works half the time,... I.e. I'm the guy who tried to repair where the plastic hose-elbow connects to the plastic tank on my radiator last month, and well.....

My new radiator arrives Wednesday, hooray!!!

 

wow Alex, that was exactly what I thought up literally 10mins ago. To drill a hole on the side of the brass nut and use a pin to hold it while I turn the bolt. I was studying what sort of drill bit or drill I could use, but I don't think there is enough room to maneuver this... not without investing in some special tools.

You are right about the ghetto look.. Also the stock bolt has this sheath over it that will make cutting the head more difficult.

This really sucks.. This is suppose to be the easiest and fastest mod anyone could do and I am stuck with this predicament. Seeing how the brass nut may only be just glued into the plastic, I am surprised this hasn't happened to more people before.

 

If you cut the head of the bolt off, a drop of super glue between the edge of the nut and valve cover should wick itself into the seam and might give enough resistance to unscrew the remaining stud (maybe rotate it a little bit before it dries to help work it in).

I wouldn't count on the super glue holding up to heat and vibration though.

 

Was this ever fixed? I am having the same issue in 2020.

 

did you ever figure out a solution to this problem. I am having this issue now.