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[Admin]

If you need some more, let me know and I'll get them over to you in the morning...

[Marks DTM Calib]

Not a problem thanks, doing nothing more on it until next week now........requested replacements from the supplier (had his stuff before and they were excellent last time......).

Might clean the engine bay whilst there is nothing in it!

[JamesV6CDX]

What an absolute pain in the arse

[JamesV6CDX]

Mark, if you had begun torquing the bolts down, but then had to remove them - won't you now need a new head gasket before you can refit again?

[Marks DTM Calib]

Certainly will, also been requested.....

[Marks DTM Calib]

For info, here is the mail I sent to the supplier

OK, as promised, here is some further info. Pic1:



The top bolt in the pic is one of the un-broken items which has been removed.

Middle one is a spare which I bought from you recently with a 3.0V6 set (note, much better quality and finish), had no problems with any of these.

Bottom one is a broken one, interestingly note that its the head that has broken off, its worth noting that these bolts didn't yield like any other head bolt I have ever fitted (I have fitted one hell of a lot) where you can feel them give on the third 90deg angle torque cycle.

I measured the head size and torx stamping depth on the center bolt and top bolt. The figures are as follows:

Good Bolt, Head size-12.06mm, Torx depth-8.04mm
Bad Bolt, Head size-11.54mm, Torx depth-10.90mm

The interesting point is that on the bad bolt there is only 0.64mm of material at the base of the torx stamping!

Also, here is a close up of the bolt showing the undulation in the bolt thread



I have to say that the supplier has been excellent despite this problem.

[Marks DTM Calib]

Bolts sent to the original supplier for analysis....

Still waiting for replacement bolts and gaskets.....so the saga goes on...

[Allenm]

Keep posting Mark!  Something about this car and long threads!  

[Marks DTM Calib]

Got today as holiday but, still no head gaskets and bolts.

The supplier has been very good though, hes sourced some bolts from an alternative supplier rather than sending me more of the same.

For info, heres a pic of the engien bay at the moment, and who said things on a V6 are difficult to get at, I even changed the oil filter from the engine bay!

[Auto Addict]

Been doing a bit of cleaning as well haven't we....

[Matchless]

While you wait for the bits to arrive......

That starter motor could do with a respray and the inner wings dont look to have been shampoo'd and waxed for ages.

[Auto Addict]

While you wait for the bits to arrive......

That starter motor could do with a respray and the inner wings dont look to have been shampoo'd and waxed for ages.

...and whilst your about it put a bit of grease on the bonnet catch mechanism.

[Marks DTM Calib]

...and whilst your about it put a bit of grease on the bonnet catch mechanism.

Only once the job is done, you have to sit on the slam panels to work on the bits at the back and the wife would go nuts if I got grease on the sofa!

[Andy B]

......
 you have to sit on the slam panels to work on the bits at the back  ....

 :-? How does that work? You're either sat with your back to the engine or you have your legs dangling inside the engine bay. I'm not quite sure how you would do either!  :-?  

[Marks DTM Calib]

You have your legs in the engine bay resting on the antiroll bar....coz with the inlet ducting removed theres a good 50cm space inbetween the radiator and the block.