Head cover bolt stripped?

[Hondaluva]

While bolting on my head cover one of the bolts seemed to strip out. I was tightening all the bolts in a criss cross patteren in stages. One of the long bolts (that threads into the cylinder jug) on the front left side of the head cover started to tighten and then got looser. Next thing I know it just kept turning and this was long before I had any real torque on it. I backed the bolt out and looked at the threads and there was no metal shavings on then and no signs of any damage. So I put the bolt back in and got it to barley catch. It's basically finger tight right now.

Anybody have this probelm? Is there a soulution? Should I worry about it? It's one of about 15 bolts on the head cover. Thanks. :grr:

[mustang93]

http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=83102 read this/ have fun:p

[Hondaluva]

I was actually talking about the head cover bolts. Not the engine studs. But thanks for the link to that thread.

I have a 440 and I am running without one of the bolts on my head cover. So far it seems to be working fine Knock wood. I siliconed both sides of the rocker cover gasket before putting it back together and let it dry for a full day. Good luck on yours.


PS Mine is one of the short bolts on the opposite side.:(

[NacsMXer]

Haha, I remember that one. I had everything back together on my old 440 and was tightening one of the long bolts on the right side of the valve cover and all of a sudden, BAM!!. The bolt snapped in two right on the threads, sounded like a gunshot. It was because I was following the typo torque specs of the manual which read 17 ft/lbs instead of 7 ft/lbs. To fix it, I took it to a local machine shop and they extracted the snapped end and installed a new helicoil metal threaded insert.-Worked fine ever since. Those durn bolts are pesky little buggers that you gotta "feel" while your tightening. Next time try to use a short wrench so you wont have a false feeling of the torque you are putting on those tiny bolts.