Is there a tool for this?

[Matty P]

Sorry for the noob question guys....

I stupidly over-tightened the nuts holding the No.2 coolant pipe to the oil cooler on my 3S-GTE. Here's a pic of the bit I'm talking about:
Coolant pipe

This caused the studs to pull through the thread in the flange, which lead to a coolant leak

Anyway, I am trying to screw the stud back through the flange so that I can put a nut on the bottom and tighten the two nuts (top and bottom) to hold the coolant pipe to the filter base.

Problem is that it is in a really tight spot and the stud is hard to grip onto.

My question is: I want to find out if there is a special socket or spanner that can be used on the star shaped end of the studs? How are they suppose to be tightened/undone?

Here is another pic of what the studs are like:
Coolant pipe studs

If I am unable to secure the coolant pipe this way, I will have to remove and replace it and reconnect the famous "hose from hell" Which I don't wanna do.....

Thanks in advance Gurus!

[BigWorm]

A small socket should do it, prolly about 6 or 8mm.
Otherwise drill out the thread & just use 2 bolts through it all.

[Darola]

Hey there, yes there are special tools if it looks like a star at the end (female torx bits), the other way to undo it, is to use a ring spanner on it, get one that fits nicely and undo that way, i have done plenty of times

if the thread is damaged u can fix it by re threading it, or drilling it and putting a slightly bigger size in (re threading for biiger size)


u could also try putting bolts in instead of studs and nuts, only if thread is ok


hope this helps

Eddie
Darola

[Matty P]

Tried the sockets and the studs are too small. Smallest socket I have is 6mm.

There's also not enough room to get two nuts onto it and do it that way....

I'll try to get hold of a female torx bit. If that doesn't work, I'll get the tread guy to come and re-thread it.

Thanks for the advice!

[mullett]

Well, you can't thread the stud through any further, there's a section of blank on it which will stop it going any further. I'd get some vicegrips in, take the stud out, and put a bolt through it.

RM.

[love ke70]

take stud out and get a replacement even...

[Matty P]

Thought about that but the thread in the flange is likely damaged from the stud pulling through it. Otherwise I would just try to screw the stud back down to where it should be and secure it with the nut.

Now I'm thinking about removing the stud, replacing with the same size bolt and secure with a nut on the bottom.

Thanks again for the advice

[bathurst-91]

2 ways to do it;

-you could simply replace it all (the pipe and screws) but that would probably be exxy.

-it appears the screws arent threaded all the way to the end (are they pressed in there?) so that makes it easy. drill out the holes of the screws on the flange to the next size up. go out and get some hightensile bolts/nuts that fit the holes and your set. use some loctite to finish up.

[Matty P]

It's not the cost of replacing the pipe that worries me - it's the fact that it would be an absolute nightmare of a job! I would have to remove the alternator and/or dump pipe to get at it and even then I would need about 5 hands to do it

I might try the bolt and nut approach and if that doesn't work, I will outsource it to someone else

[mullett]

hahah, that's the way to do it for sure. Drilling out and tapping to the next size (M8 by the look) would work, but you might not have room for a 13mm head and a bigger bolt. Either find an imperial size which is slightly bigger, helicoil it, or if you can, drill it out to 6mm, put a bolt through and a nut on the back.

RM.

[Matty P]

I should point out that the pictured part is not mine. Mine is stuck away in the engine bay wedged down between the head and dump pipe

Anyway, even the thread repair guy did not have the female torx socket (known as E sockets I believe). We managed to get it out, it was too fiddly to screw a bolt in from the bottom so we drilled it out to 6mm, put the bolt through from the bottom and tighted the nut nice and tight on the top.

Could only access 1 of the 2 studs to remove and drill, but managed to fix the one that was worst.

Tested it this arvo and the f@#$ing thing is still leaking

I've heard there is a gasket sealant which can be used to seal minor leaks like this. Is this a good way to go?

Only other option I can see is removing the turbo and dump (again) and doing the job right. (Get new pipe and gasket and make sure I don't overtighten the nuts this time).

Thanks again for the advice...

[ROTFL-ACT]

I would use a stud extracter to remove the offending stud, and if neccesary replace it with the next size up if the thread is damaged?

Unless i've missed a post where this was already mentioned hehehehe

[Matty P]

Yeah - Those options have been mentioned.

Problem is that only one of the two studs was accessible and fixing that one didn't fix the leak - so gonna have to find a dodgy fix or pull everything apart again.

[ROTFL-ACT]

cant you remove the actual part with studs etc off the engine so you've got enough space to work with it?

[Matty P]

Yes but that is a major pain because of the amount of parts I would have to remove to get it off.

I was looking for an easier fix before I start removing tubo, dump pipe etc..