Broken bolt, sheared extractor, wasn't going to beat me.

[Dcal]

Only thing I use easyouts for:

Are for stuff that is "moving" - is turning and I need to get hold of it.

Drilled into a broken stud on a mill/drill the other day - lefthand drill bit - stud broke loose with lefthand pressure/heat/friction - tapped an easyout into it and would it out.

They are also good for taking broken bits of plastic tube and broken plastic threads out of other palstic stuff.

I just use Torx bits for things like that, but it's nice to know they have their uses.

 

[pedrobedro]

I just use Torx bits for things like that, but it's nice to know they have their uses.

Keep some old ones handy to knock into cap head Allen bolts as well when they are worn.

 

[Brad93]

Timeserts are bloody expensive.

I think you get 10 inserts with each kit.

 

[Brad93]

x25 M6 Timesert inserts are £46+Vat from wurth, so £2.20 each.

 

[Pete.]

How old is the golf?

Because the coolant bottle caught my eye.

If it says "silca" on the bottle - dump the bottle and buy a new expansion bottle (non silca one).

-----------------------------

Yeah someone in the VW factory in Germany thought it was a good idea to - put a sand fitler in the bottom of the coolant bottle - when the filter bursts - the debris fills/blocks the internal heater matrix up and you won't get any heat out of the car.

Changing a heater box on Golf will make your engine mount problem look like a walk in the park.

I have changed all the bottles on my own fleet of VAG cars. Wifeys 2015 Golf - My 2012 Passat estate - plus all our loaner Citgos/VW UPs.

I think it's a 2007. I never heard of that 'silca' thing I will let him know, thanks.

Good save @Pete.
Did the hole keep getting deeper as the number of nuts used went up?
Also did you have to get to the bottom of the easy out pilot hole before it would screw out?

I hope you gave him a clip around the ear for using an easyout and put the rest in the bin.

The hole didn't seem to get any deeper, just that sometimes the plug weld tore out of the hole and other times the nut tore off the plug. I wound the welder up to it's maximum of 160 amps in the end and it held on.

 

[Maker]

Never heard of timerserts but just had a quick look and I can see why a kit would be expensive, the inside and outside thread are timed to each other so the inserts themselves are expensive, the tool to wind them in has a lobed thread, again expensive to produce, and there's an odd sized drill, presumably an odd-sized tap, and piloted counterbore in the kit.

What's the objection to helicoils?

 

[tom2207]

I hate helicoils - I will do anything rather than use a helicoil.

Drill the next size up and rethread.

Timesert

Make a threaded insert on a lathe

Fill the hole up with weld or TIG braze and drill/rethread.

they use them in aircraft , and a lot in motor sport often its frowned on to drill and tap a hole for a bolt etc , has to be drilled and helicoiled .

But I know what you mean.

 

[Domdom]

I think it's a 2007. I never heard of that 'silca' thing I will let him know, thanks.

Definitely do, get him to check any of the VAG forums for evidence. I had one burst on a Skoda and it was a full 3 day job to replace the heater matrix, clean out the coolant hoses, fit a new water pump and get the air conditioning bloke out twice, once to degas and then to regas.

It’s a similar job on the Fords when the oil coolers leak into the coolant. Anything more complex than a basic van and the whole dash has to come out to get to the heater matrix.

 

[RWD3M]

they use them in aircraft , and a lot in motor sport often its frowned on to drill and tap a hole for a bolt etc , has to be drilled and helicoiled .

But I know what you mean.

Yep, much easier to replace a helicol than a turbine casing!

 

[colnerov]

The only place for easyouts is the bin.

 

[Pete.]

Few places on a motorbike that you can use timeserts. The usual culprits are engine side casings, brake calipers, cam carrier/valve covers etc. None have enough meat around them for anything but a wire insert.

 

[James1979]

Definitely do, get him to check any of the VAG forums for evidence. I had one burst on a Skoda and it was a full 3 day job to replace the heater matrix, clean out the coolant hoses, fit a new water pump and get the air conditioning bloke out twice, once to degas and then to regas.

It’s a similar job on the Fords when the oil coolers leak into the coolant. Anything more complex than a basic van and the whole dash has to come out to get to the heater matrix.

Was it just the mk7’s that were fitted with these? I’ve looked online and that’s all I can find reference to. Mate has a mk5 so looking for him really.

Although if it does burst it’s likely to affect me……

 

[premmington]

Was it just the mk7’s that were fitted with these? I’ve looked online and that’s all I can find reference to. Mate has a mk5 so looking for him really.

Although if it does burst it’s likely to affect me……

Not sure what they were fitted to in the VAG range.

I can tell you...

Wifeys 2015 Golf 2.0 petrol TSi GTi (had one). James1979 this is a mk7.
My 2012 VW Passat 2.0 TDi Highline estate (had one).

Three out of the four Skoda Citigos - VW UP loaners 2013 < upwards I got (had them).


I have removed lots of them from fleets of Skoda Superb - VW T5 minibuses - Taxis - (eradicated the probem en mass).


Europooh - sell pattern expansion bottles with level sensors for about £15 + VAT (do not use the cheap cap - resue the genuine VW Blue cap).

 

[pedrobedro]

Definitely do, get him to check any of the VAG forums for evidence. I had one burst on a Skoda and it was a full 3 day job to replace the heater matrix, clean out the coolant hoses, fit a new water pump and get the air conditioning bloke out twice, once to degas and then to regas.

It’s a similar job on the Fords when the oil coolers leak into the coolant. Anything more complex than a basic van and the whole dash has to come out to get to the heater matrix.

Berlingo is the same as that, I bunged some Barrs leaks in and it cured mine so I ignore it now

 

[Domdom]

Berlingo is the same as that, I bunged some Barrs leaks in and it cured mine so I ignore it now

Does your heater still work? Mine didn't and I was freezing my nadgers off through winter. I tried all the old wives tales solutions, even Persil laundry detergent but I just ended up with a load more mess, a hot running engine and a stone cold heater

 

[pedrobedro]

Does your heater still work? Mine didn't and I was freezing my nadgers off through winter. I tried all the old wives tales solutions, even Persil laundry detergent but I just ended up with a load more mess, a hot running engine and a stone cold heater

Heater is still fine, it's one of the best I've had in an old diesel. My old Nissan van you had to take a coat with you but you needed it when you got there anyway

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Yeah someone in the VW factory in Germany thought it was a good idea to - put a sand fitler in the bottom of the coolant bottle - when the filter bursts - the debris fills/blocks the internal heater matrix up and you won't get any heat out of the car.

Now, THAT'S what I call ze Cherman forward planning. "Heater not working, Sir? How strange. Just book your car into our workshops......"

 

[northwest]

Thing is, I need 2.5mm, 3mm, 3.5, 5mm, 6mm, 7mm, 8mm and 12x1 and 14x1 so setting up with timecerts for that would break me. That is just the metric sizes. I have collected up helicoils in all sorts of weird and wonderful sizes over the years so I am going to stick with them, changing is out of the question.

 

[premmington]

Now, THAT'S what I call ze Cherman forward planning. "Heater not working, Sir? How strange. Just book your car into our workshops......"

Not nice for the owner.

Labour times alone are: 6.4hrs for the heater box & 3.4hrs for the cambelt/water pump.

Then you gotta buy/supply:

Heater box and seals
Cambelt/Aux belt & water pump
Electric circulating pump for the heater
G12 antifreeze
Coolant bottle

If the car has aircon and they mostly do - you could add the plastic bulkhead plate and seals - plus refrigerant which could be the expensive R1234YF gas on a VAG after 2011.

Then you gotta add some labour to flush the sand out of the thermostat/front rad - if it is a DSG (Auto) there is another hidden thermostat near/in the gearbox. This is easier just to replace than clean.

It is an easy diagnosis - the infeed heater pipe will be red hot - but the outfeed will be cold - but sometimes you need to remove the expensive electric circulating pump to see if the plastic rota has worn away - if both pipes are cold (this is why everybody goes on a thermostat fitting spree).

----------------------

Once you have added the whole of the above up - what happens is the owners drive about in the cold with misted up windows in the winter - or trades the car out for a new one.

Then the next owner buys the car in the summer - when the winter comes they find out they have a problem. They start fitting themostats to no avail.

I have seen several cars twice - with the same problem in our workshop - but with two different owners. (Neither would pay for the repair in full - they just keep selling the problem on).

----------------------

I will ask the question again? "who thought fitting a sand bag in the bottom of the coolant expansion bottle was a good idea?"

I think what led this was - the proposed move to less toxic OAT antifreeze in the USA.

This "DexCool" gels in use - so thus the filter?

Europe went for - superior less toxic Propylene glycol - only downside with this - it degrades quicker than Ethylene glycol. So needs changing on a more frequent basis.