Top Cam belt cover

[hobbes]

On removong the top cam belt cover on my 16v the bolt that goes through the middle into the head has lost its thread.  How easy is it to replace the thread or, more importantly, how do i go about doing it.  I kinda need to drive the car at the moment however the cover keeps coming loose and rubbing on the fan belt or the cam belt itself.  Is it safe to use with out the top cover for a week or so until i can get it sorted?

Oh, i've now lost the bolt - can anyone tell me the size of the bolt?

[Conker]

I would risk driving it without the belt for a short time. The risks are that you might get your hands ripped off if you poke around in the engine bay with the engine on, and also that if the belt snaps it would flail around smashing everything asunder.

If your sensible it won't matter.

[wil0]

yeah, i wouldnt worry about it for a short period? if its the thread into the head/block, you could get a tap and die set, and tap a new thread into it. Use cutting compound and for every half turn forward turn once backwards to work the new thread. Tap a new size thread say the next size up? that means you will need to get a hex/allen type bolt that size... that might work if the thread has been stripped... it will be very long and fiddley tho, as theres very little space for access... take out the airbox and inlet feeds and you might have some more space to work with.

[DOA]

The only reason to worry about leaving it uncovered is if a stone gets inbetween the belt and the pulley (unless you really are clumsy) as that "may" cut the belt. As a note on the likelihood of  this happening, Harley davidson run their belt drives to the back wheel without covers but I suppose losing drive to the wheel isnt as expensive as fitting new valves and maybe pistons. Id love to see a timing belt smashing things assunder, more like a light session of engine bay bondage methinks lol.

As for fixing the thread, a helicoil is the easiest/nicest way of doing it assuming you can get to it easily enough, otherwise tapping it oversize as mentioned may work.

[wil0]

Yeah, its only the top half of the cover too, so its not that bad atall. my dad runs his westfield with no cover and yeah, hes done 10k in that easy, no problems.

[hobbes]

Thanks guys, as always your advice much appreciated.