Water flange - Head bolts

[smithysmoo]

Why do they keep breaking.

I've broke 2 now with the second one causing me serious grief. Still not out yet.

Anyway I'm setting my torque wrench to 20nm and I've snapped to. Only thing I can think off is I'm putting the wrong end of the bolt in ie the long end.

So can someone clear it up for me is it the long part of the bolt you screw in or the short part.

Bought new VW bolts and it deffo looks like the long end should go in first just by how the nut is shaped etc.

[Mr Ed]

Yep, should be long end first - the nut halfway down the stud has a sort of built-in washer - that goes against the flange.

I snapped one off in my head as well, then managed to snap the stud extractor in the remains of the bolt! ended up drilling out and helicoiling the b*gger to get the flange attached.

You've not got the remains of a bolt or something wedged at the bottom of the hole have you?  check the depth by shoving a bit of stiff wire or something in there and comparing it to the length of the bolt...

If there is it might be worth chopping 5mm or so off the new bolt (spin a nut on first so it cleans up the thread as it comes off again) and see if that gets you anywhere... as long as the thread at the top of the hole is good you should be OK.

[smithysmoo]

Well the bolts in side now, have drilled a pilot hole now off to get a set of extractors to see what I can do with that. Otherwise may get back to you again to see how the hell you hellicoil 

Think I may cut 5mm off the bolt anyway as can't be having this happen again its a nightmare. A small job has turned into a major one.