1998 S70 GLT Radiator nut sheered off...

ashyu · Post by **ashyu** » 14 Mar 2015, 10:40

I was trying to replace the radiator on my car and while removing one of the two 12mm bolts that holds the radiator to the car, the "nut" that is attached to the car sheered off and now the bolt just keeps on spinning. The "nut" is round, so I can't even get a good grip on it to finish removing the bolt!

Any suggestions how I can get it off?

I should have used some penetrating oil first... sprayed some after the fact, but seems a bit too late now...

Post by **kahl** » 14 Mar 2015, 10:47

I would first get the radiator out of the way by cutting of the wings that juts off the radiator. This will give you room to then with a grinder or cut off wheel to remove the remaining wing. I would then use a long bolt, nut and washer when reinstalling.

ashyu · Post by **ashyu** » 14 Mar 2015, 12:23

Thanks for the advice. I don't have any of those kinds of tools... putting the car back together and will probably bring it into the shop to have them deal with it..

Darn, I was so close to finishing the radiator job too...

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 14 Mar 2015, 15:01

You aren't the first and you won't be the last. Typically it is on the left side and I think it is from acid off of the battery washing off and eating away at the captive nut and bolt.

I have used a Dremel tool with a cutoff wheel to cut the nut off and then replaced it with a standard nut and bolt with some large fender washers. It isn't easy but it can be done.

...Lee

ashyu · Post by **ashyu** » 14 Mar 2015, 17:15

You're exactly right - it was the left side under the battery that broke.

Did you use the Dremel to cut the bolt from the bottom side? I'm guessing if I could just cut off the head of the bolt on the bottom, then I could pull it through the top since the fixed nut is already free.

I haven't looked again to see if there would be enough space, but do you think it could be cut off with bolt cutters? Or possibly a hacksaw, if there was one small enough?

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 14 Mar 2015, 18:17

On the last one I did I went after it from the top and sliced the nut vertically in a couple of places until I could break it off. The clearances are tight all around it and it doesn't help that the nut is recessed.

...Lee

Post by **abscate** » 15 Mar 2015, 14:27

Same happened on my 1999 radiator replacement. I used stainless steel replacements because I had them

ashyu · Post by **ashyu** » 21 Mar 2015, 12:14

Thanks all for the suggestions. I bought a rotary tool this week and some cut off discs. I decided to cut off the head of the bolt from the bottom of the car. I had to undo the SAS pump to shift it back a little bit to get enough space to get the rotary tool in place. I used a jack to support the radiator so that it wasn't hanging off of the loose bolt. Managed to get it off with some patience and replaced it with an M8 bolt and matching nut.

I then was curious to see if the passenger side bolt would come out ok. I sprayed it with a good amount of PB blaster before I started work on cutting off the driver side bolt.

Got a few good turns and what do you know, the fixed nut sheered off too. I didn't get as many turns on this bolt before it broke though, so I didn't have much space to cut the head off, but after even more patience, I managed to get it off!

So now at least both sides have regular hex nuts and bolts, which should make things easier in the future..

Thanks again!