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zoti
Samba Member
Joined: December 26, 2007
Posts: 2057
Location: Plano, TX USA
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 Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2021 12:45 pm Post subject: What’s the trick to remove these 6mm Allen bolts? |
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I’m replacing the water pump, flushing and installing GoWesty coolant hose end kit.
Got all the bolts on the pump open but the two Allen bolts on the bypass hose from the passenger side to water pump.
I can’t get my Allen key in the top one. The engine pulley is in the way and even the lower one will not budge.
What’s the trick?
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Steve M.
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Joined: July 30, 2013
Posts: 6815
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
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| Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2021 12:51 pm Post subject: Re: What’s the trick to remove these 6mm Allen bolts? |
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Clean any gunk out of the recess in the head so the Allen wrench sits all the way down into it.
Do not use a ball type head. You want the flats to reach all the way down into the socket. A ball type will not get full contact - only on the outside circumference of the "ball"
You can try putting the short leg of the allen wrench into the socket and slip an Box End wrench over the long leg to get some more leverage on the allen wrench.
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zoti
Samba Member
Joined: December 26, 2007
Posts: 2057
Location: Plano, TX USA
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| Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2021 1:00 pm Post subject: Re: What’s the trick to remove these 6mm Allen bolts? |
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| I can’t even get an Allen wrench in the top one. The pulley is in the way. |
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4Gears4Tires
Samba Member
Joined: October 08, 2018
Posts: 3008
Location: MD
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| Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2021 1:03 pm Post subject: Re: What’s the trick to remove these 6mm Allen bolts? |
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Hah. Yeah those aren't fun. I had the slightest coolant weep there when I put the motor in and figured it needed a little tighten.
I cut down an allen key until it was the shortest it could possibly be, just the depth of the bolt head. Agonizingly little turns will do it. Eventually.
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Vanagon Nut
Samba Member
Joined: February 08, 2008
Posts: 10365
Location: Sunshine Coast B.C.
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| Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2021 1:04 pm Post subject: Re: What’s the trick to remove these 6mm Allen bolts? |
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This is a very distant memory but, a "wobble" extension may help. I recall using one during water pump R&R.
Cutting an allen head short then using a box wrench on that, may work.
Neil.
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rag63
Samba Member
Joined: March 08, 2007
Posts: 57
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| Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2021 1:06 pm Post subject: Re: What’s the trick to remove these 6mm Allen bolts? |
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A variation of the last post, cut a hex key long enough to fully insert in with a length long enough outside the hex bolt to be gripped by a box end wrench to break it loose.
Then put it in your tool box for special tools.
Cheers,
Dave |
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Steve M.
Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2013
Posts: 6815
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
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| Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2021 1:08 pm Post subject: Re: What’s the trick to remove these 6mm Allen bolts? |
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| zoti wrote: |
| I can’t even get an Allen wrench in the top one. The pulley is in the way. |
Cut it short.
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whafalia
Samba Member
Joined: January 28, 2009
Posts: 685
Location: San Francisco
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| Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2021 1:10 pm Post subject: Re: What’s the trick to remove these 6mm Allen bolts? |
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hacksaw
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4Gears4Tires
Samba Member
Joined: October 08, 2018
Posts: 3008
Location: MD
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| Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2021 1:11 pm Post subject: Re: What’s the trick to remove these 6mm Allen bolts? |
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| rag63 wrote: |
A variation of the last post, cut a hex key long enough to fully insert in with a length long enough outside the hex bolt to be gripped by a box end wrench to break it loose.
Then put it in your tool box for special tools.
Cheers,
Dave |
If I have to remove those bolts again I am doing this, but also welding the two together. Or just welding a rod onto my already cut down allen key. I found it too short (the not cut side) to use comfortably in that space.
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dgbeatty
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Joined: October 26, 2006
Posts: 702
Location: Sacramento
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| Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2021 1:15 pm Post subject: Re: What’s the trick to remove these 6mm Allen bolts? |
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First clean the recess! Next apply valve grinding compound to you your 6mm hex tool. Yes they do make an ultra short 3/8 drive 6mm socket.
BTW it is an m8 bolt with a 6mm hex drive "DIN 911"
IF the bolt is truly frozen a long sharp cold chisel will loosen it when applied to the loosening side.
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dobryan
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Location: Brookeville, MD
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zoti
Samba Member
Joined: December 26, 2007
Posts: 2057
Location: Plano, TX USA
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| Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2021 1:28 pm Post subject: Re: What’s the trick to remove these 6mm Allen bolts? |
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How hard is it to remove the main pulley?
I want to also replace the engine mounts and removing the pulley will make that easier plus give me access to the Allen head bolts.
Can it be done in the car? What’s the bolt size? |
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djkeev
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Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32563
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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Merian
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Joined: January 04, 2014
Posts: 5212
Location: Orygun
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| Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2021 5:27 pm Post subject: Re: What’s the trick to remove these 6mm Allen bolts? |
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stubby 6 mm socket - get a good one - you don't want it to round off
or...
cut off a length of a good quality 6mm hex key and put a ratcheting wrench on it
afterwards, hunt down the VW engineer who designed this and kill them
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mikemtnbike
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zoti
Samba Member
Joined: December 26, 2007
Posts: 2057
Location: Plano, TX USA
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| Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2021 5:52 pm Post subject: Re: What’s the trick to remove these 6mm Allen bolts? |
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| Merian wrote: |
stubby 6 mm socket - get a good one - you don't want it to round off
or...
cut off a length of a good quality 6mm hex key and put a ratcheting wrench on it
afterwards, hunt down the VW engineer who designed this and kill them |
I don't understand why the made it with so little space or why they didn't design the main pull with an access hole through it.
also why did they not put a hole in the bottom shields so you can easily take off the coolant drain hole. |
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4Gears4Tires
Samba Member
Joined: October 08, 2018
Posts: 3008
Location: MD
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| Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2021 5:55 pm Post subject: Re: What’s the trick to remove these 6mm Allen bolts? |
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The why's of Vanagon design are as numerous as the stars in the sky.
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djkeev
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Joined: September 30, 2007
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Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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hardway
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Joined: January 03, 2012
Posts: 415
Location: Fidalgo Island
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| Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2021 5:56 pm Post subject: Re: What’s the trick to remove these 6mm Allen bolts? |
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| I have a selection of cut sections of Allen wrenches. The one I use for that bolt is a straight piece about 14 millimeters long. I turn it with a very strong 6 millimeter box end wrench. In my case a Snap-On one. It is hard to find a good 6 millimeter box end wrench. Especially with a 12 point box end. The 12 point box end comes in very handy for restricted access jobs. |
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gears
Samba Member
Joined: October 28, 2002
Posts: 4391
Location: Tamarack, Bend, Kailua
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| Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2021 7:36 pm Post subject: Re: What’s the trick to remove these 6mm Allen bolts? |
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| 4Gears4Tires wrote: |
| The why's of Vanagon design are as numerous as the stars in the sky. |
thanks for the smile .. (I needed that today)
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