Yikes, need help for 300D, not for my Pagoda, but still a Mercedes

[merrill]

hi, all,
need some help working on my 78 300D.  
I know it's not my pagoda but I know someone here may have an idea that will work.

I have a 6mm allen bolt that is stripped and i cannot remove.

I am trying to remove the pulleys and vibration damper so i can eventually replace the front oil seal on my.

5 of 6 allen bolts came out, one is now stripped.
before i tried to remove them i cleaned them out with a small screw driver and blew them out with cleaner.
there isnt much room, I really  can't get a vise grip on the allen head to try to turn it.

there are a few options that come to mind.
1. drill out the allen head and then hopefully remove the rest of the bolt.   The bolt is a 5/16 so I think a size smaller drill bit it appropriate.
2. drill a smaller hole in the bolt and try an easy out
3. call for help.
4, give up, put it all back together and take it to the shop.

From the BBB it looks as if the pulleys actually fit into the damper.
I was hoping I could put one of the accessory belts on the pulley and put some tension on the bolt to loosen it.

There really is not much room with the condenser still in place and the allen head deep in the pulley to try much else.

Thanks in advance,
trust me, my next project is for the pagoda!

[Rolf-Dieter ✝︎]

PM sent

[Rolf-Dieter ✝︎]

Matt,

One other option you can add to your list is to HAVE A LOOK AT THIS LINK;-

http://blog.eastwood.com/eastwood-chatter/10-tricks-to-remove-stripped-stuck-bolts/

If all fails then get an insert and an oversized screw.

Check this site --->http://www.ezlok.com/Home/index.html

[merrill]

Rolf-Dieter,
Thanks!  I will check the links!

[wwheeler]

Matt,

Yikes is right! I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that is a tough one. If it is an Allen cap screw, they are most always grade 8. That means that it is harder than most drills AND ease outs. Ease outs barely work anyway. A carbide drill ($$$) is about the only thing that will penetrate grade 8 steel.

By stripped, I take it you are talking about the socket in the head where the hex wrench fits.

I know what will work for sure but is a PITA. A EDM machine will slowly burn out the bolt and leave the threads in good shape. Problem is that you have to take the part out and to a shop.

Can you use a stud puller? The knurles on those might bite into the shallow cap screw head. But again, that bolt is grade 8 and very hard. I think you are going to have to remove the stuff in front to give yourself more room. I am not sure a shop can do much more than that. Also will help to put PB blaster on it if you haven't already. I find that putting the other screws back in could take off some of the load from the stripped screw head.

Good luck.

[Bonnyboy]

Ouch - I just broke an easy out off in a bolt last week so I feel your pain.  I hate easy outs

What has worked for me (it was a 8mm allen bolt) was to place the allen key inside the stripped out allen bolt, with as much force as possible trying to get any remnant of grip, (i used a scissor jack to apply force) then I welded the allen key to the allen bolt.  I was then able to place a tube over the allen bolt and unscrew it.  It didn't need lots of force - just more than I could give it with a stripped out head.  Be careful with the welding as I also saw that I melted the engine case a bit aropund the bolt but it was aluminium so the weld didn't stick but if you have an iron engine I would have been hooped.....maybe you could put tape around the metal around the bolt..

Good luck.

[merrill]

whew,
got the bolt out.

after much searching on the net if decided on the irwin bolt extractors

http://www.irwin.com/tools/browse/screw-bolt-extractors/bolt-extractors

took two tries once i found the correct size to use.
tapped the extractor on the allen head, then carefully turned

it took about 5 minutes and viola!  pulleys and vibration damper are off.

now to get that 27 MM monster off.

btw.  ordered replacement bolts from the classic center.  $1.84 per.

Thanks for all the tips!

[wwheeler]

Good job! I'll have to keep that tool in mind. Hopefully I'll never have to use it.

[sandcrab59]

I have diesels since 1972 and had the same problem once in a while.
I forgot how how I removed the screw.
But on putting the screws back in, put some grease in the hole this protects the hole from rust and dirt.
Then the next time just take the grease out with a pick or very small screw driver and voila you have a clean hole for the allen wrench, I have been doing that for years.

the 27MM bolt is easy.
Take a deep 27mm socket and a long 1/2 rachet and put the transmission in gear and this holds the crankshaft in place.
Other wise take the starter out and put a vise grip on the fluwheel. This holds the crankshaft.
The third option is buy the tool that fits under the bell housing and the three pins on the tool locks into the flywheel.
If you look at M/B tools( which I do not have at this moment) you will see it.
Hope this helps
Tom