HELP! i seemed to have STRIPPED the cap nut on the valve cover and it WILL NOT come off.... how can i get this thing off other than taking it to honda?
also what can i do to prevent this in the future? apparently this nut isn't hard to strip because i just had honda replace a nut that they stripped awhile back. now i stripped it.
You do need a good low-range torque wrench, though . . . . I've stripped one using my 3/8" drive torque wrench. Not very accurate at the low settings, apparently.
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Part of the problem is going to be that you've destroyed the threads on the post the nuts attaches to.
The treads are 6x1mm. Getting the nut off may require cutting it off with a dremel tool and then retapping the post to clean up the threads.
Then, you need to get your butt over to Sears and pick up STEEL replacement nuts with a 6x1mm treading.
I generally use aircraft style lock nuts (lock nuts with a nylon washer built into the top of the nut) and then count the number of turns it takes until the rubber grommets just start to get crush. I then tighten all of the nuts down to half the turn count using the torque pattern in the service manual, and then snug them all using the same pattern and the remaining number of turns.
Hope that makes sense.
Gerhard
PS You'll need to order a replacement post for the damaged one... Honda never has them is stock. I've screwed up two over the past 6 years.
Torque wrenches do not prevent stripped valve cover nuts!
The valve cover stems and nuts are CRAP!!!!!! I've stripped one with a brand new Craftsman Digitorq wrench (idiot proof with its digital readout) In fact, I even had it set 1/2 a pound under the Helms specs because I didn't want to risk stripping it.
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97 EGP Base 5spd Prelude. Engine: DC short ram, DC SS headers, AEM pulleys, Random High flow cat, Mugen sport exhaust, Apexi VAFC. Suspension: Tein SS, Tanabe front lower tie, Neuspeed front upper strut, Neuspeed rear sway, Tanabe rear upper strut, DC rear lower tie, 17X7.5 5Zigen Typhoons with 215/40/17 Goodyear F1 GS-D3s. Other: Bride Ergo II, Spoon oil cap, Magnecor wires, relocated Odyssey 680 battery, Denso iridiums, Mugen pedals, Mugen lugnuts, shortened shifter w/ Momo airleather, Rotora slotted rotors and Endless NA-Y pads, Goodridge SS lines.
I don't know what you guys are doing. I've worked on 15+ Preludes and easily done 3 times that in valve adjustments. Never had a problem when using a Craftsman torque wrench set to 105 in*lbs.
the grommits! can be a factor into this. if your grommits, the soft thing between the cap nut and the valve cover, is old then it's like rock hard. so if you take the nuts off, the grommit doens't bounce back into place. later when you put the nut back on.... the contact point is going to be different than normal and you can strip the threads because you've already gone too far.
Last edited by draven von; 04-26-2005 at 10:47 PM.
the grommits! can be a factor into this. if your grommits, the soft thing betreen the cap nut and the valve cover, is old then it's like rock hard. so if you take the nuts off, the grommit doens't bounce back into place. later when you put the nut back on.... the contact point is going to be different than normal and you can stip the threads because you're already gone too far.
That's actually why I use the aircraft nuts... since they are open on top with a nylon ring to keep them in place... you can't go so far that the thread stud hits the aluminum nut.
f*** the torque wrench
its only 7lbs
just use a 1/4th drive ratchet and put it on snug
Word. Just use common sense... you don't need to godzilla the damned things on there. Same thing with the oil drain plug. Too many people way over torque those.
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how can i get this thing off other than taking it to honda?
I did it too. Had to cut it with a dremel.
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