Intercooler screw broken. Need Advise

allstar335is · 11-13-2017, 11:21 PM

hey guys so yesterday I took off my undercarriage,bumper, and wheel wells because I noticed my intercooler was hanging to the left drivers side a bit and behond I see one of my two intercooler screws ((head of the screw)) had snapped off from corrosion issues... I haven't tried anything yet to get it out besides using pliers but they don't even have enough room to grab the screw ... Any advice on how to get it out? Skeptical on using screw extractors because the screws are about 3mm wide. Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Efthreeoh · 11-14-2017, 05:27 AM

Not sure what would be cheaper vs. taking the car to a shop with the correct tools, but there is a great tool for stud extraction. It operates like a drill chuck. I have one. Works great. Not sure the shank size of the fastener you are dealing with, but the tool I have goes down to 1/4" (6MM) studs, so it my not work for you. If you can chuck a reversible drill to the stud, that might work as well.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/w...SABEgK_r_D_BwE

OP3NAIR · 11-14-2017, 06:49 PM

Is anything at all sticking out? Even enough to grab it with a pair of needlenoses or something?
If it’s fully buried this is probably what I’d do:
Since it’s plastic, use a fine tooth saw and cut vertically along the axis of the screw.
Carefully and slowly open up the slot you cut and try to work the screw out of the now enlarged hole.
Get an M6 stud long enough to stick out of the hole after you remove the broken screw.
Slather epoxy liberally on the stud, and stuff it back in the bumper support. The epoxy will solidify and you won’t have to worry about it again. You can probably find stainless studs (or cut the head off a long bolt and make a stud)

Use a washer and nylon lock nut to reattach the intercooler.

allstar335is · 11-14-2017, 09:42 PM

Probably a millimeter is sticking out, not enough to grab with neddle nose pliers.. Tried with a small chizzle and a hammer to wack it out on an angle but no play with the broken end of the screw. Your approach seems interesting and I might give it a try.... Would to have to make a double cut to the plastic or just a single cut to remove the screw? Should the studs be the same size as the oem screw? and what about the actually thread of the screw which might not be the same on the bolt I purchase? Or that shouldn't matter because of the use of epoxy correct?

Quote:

Originally Posted by OP3NAIR

Is anything at all sticking out? Even enough to grab it with a pair of needlenoses or something?
If it’s fully buried this is probably what I’d do:
Since it’s plastic, use a fine tooth saw and cut vertically along the axis of the screw.
Carefully and slowly open up the slot you cut and try to work the screw out of the now enlarged hole.
Get an M6 stud long enough to stick out of the hole after you remove the broken screw.
Slather epoxy liberally on the stud, and stuff it back in the bumper support. The epoxy will solidify and you won’t have to worry about it again. You can probably find stainless studs (or cut the head off a long bolt and make a stud)

Use a washer and nylon lock nut to reattach the intercooler.

OP3NAIR · 11-14-2017, 09:46 PM

Should just need one cut then gently pry it open and see if you can get the screw to come loose. Once you cut it you’re going to need to bond it back together. You can either epoxy a fastener in, or fill the hole with epoxy/jb weld then try to drill and tap it. Bonding the fastener in there is a bit more surefire, as the threads on the stud and the rough inside of the hole from the old screw should grab pretty well. Since the hole is somewhat compromised If you cut it open you ideally want a fastener that fits in there without being so tight that it stretches the slot you cut. You’re relying on the hardened epoxy to keep it all together so don’t be shy with it.

allstar335is · 11-14-2017, 10:26 PM

Might give it a try.. Did this problem occur with your car? How'd you learn this technique? Do you have any other methods in mind which would allow me to use the oem screw again.. Debating using a screw extractor before you're method..

Quote:

Originally Posted by OP3NAIR

Should just need one cut then gently pry it open and see if you can get the screw to come loose. Once you cut it you’re going to need to bond it back together. You can either epoxy a fastener in, or fill the hole with epoxy/jb weld then try to drill and tap it. Bonding the fastener in there is a bit more surefire, as the threads on the stud and the rough inside of the hole from the old screw should grab pretty well. Since the hole is somewhat compromised If you cut it open you ideally want a fastener that fits in there without being so tight that it stretches the slot you cut. You’re relying on the hardened epoxy to keep it all together so don’t be shy with it.

OP3NAIR · 11-15-2017, 09:00 AM

This problem did not happen on my car, but in the past I've had to cut open housings in order to remove fasteners, so I'm not coming from left field. I wouldnt be too concerned about using the OE screw.... you can only put a screw in a plastic hole so many times before there's nothing left in there for the screw to grab on to.

Another suggestion would be to try and dremel a slot in whats left of the screw so you can get a screw driver in it and see if you can start turning it out.

11-13-2017, 11:21 PM	#1
allstar335is Private 6 Rep 57 Posts Drives: 335is Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: toronto iTrader: (0)	Intercooler screw broken. Need Advise hey guys so yesterday I took off my undercarriage,bumper, and wheel wells because I noticed my intercooler was hanging to the left drivers side a bit and behond I see one of my two intercooler screws ((head of the screw)) had snapped off from corrosion issues... I haven't tried anything yet to get it out besides using pliers but they don't even have enough room to grab the screw ... Any advice on how to get it out? Skeptical on using screw extractors because the screws are about 3mm wide. Any advice would be greatly appreciated
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11-14-2017, 05:27 AM	#2
Efthreeoh General 17204 Rep 18,695 Posts Drives: The E90 + Z4 Coupe & Z3 R'ster Join Date: May 2012 Location: Virginia iTrader: (0)	Not sure what would be cheaper vs. taking the car to a shop with the correct tools, but there is a great tool for stud extraction. It operates like a drill chuck. I have one. Works great. Not sure the shank size of the fastener you are dealing with, but the tool I have goes down to 1/4" (6MM) studs, so it my not work for you. If you can chuck a reversible drill to the stud, that might work as well. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/w...SABEgK_r_D_BwE __________________ A manual transmission can be set to "comfort", "sport", and "track" modes simply by the technique and speed at which you shift it; it doesn't need "modes", modes are for manumatics that try to behave like a real 3-pedal manual transmission. If you can money-shift it, it's a manual transmission. "Yeah, but NO ONE puts an automatic trans shift knob on a manual transmission."
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11-14-2017, 06:49 PM	#3
OP3NAIR Second Lieutenant 68 Rep 211 Posts Drives: '11 335i e93, '03 325xiT Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: NoVA iTrader: (0)	Is anything at all sticking out? Even enough to grab it with a pair of needlenoses or something? If it’s fully buried this is probably what I’d do: Since it’s plastic, use a fine tooth saw and cut vertically along the axis of the screw. Carefully and slowly open up the slot you cut and try to work the screw out of the now enlarged hole. Get an M6 stud long enough to stick out of the hole after you remove the broken screw. Slather epoxy liberally on the stud, and stuff it back in the bumper support. The epoxy will solidify and you won’t have to worry about it again. You can probably find stainless studs (or cut the head off a long bolt and make a stud) Use a washer and nylon lock nut to reattach the intercooler.
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11-14-2017, 09:46 PM	#5
OP3NAIR Second Lieutenant 68 Rep 211 Posts Drives: '11 335i e93, '03 325xiT Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: NoVA iTrader: (0)	Should just need one cut then gently pry it open and see if you can get the screw to come loose. Once you cut it you’re going to need to bond it back together. You can either epoxy a fastener in, or fill the hole with epoxy/jb weld then try to drill and tap it. Bonding the fastener in there is a bit more surefire, as the threads on the stud and the rough inside of the hole from the old screw should grab pretty well. Since the hole is somewhat compromised If you cut it open you ideally want a fastener that fits in there without being so tight that it stretches the slot you cut. You’re relying on the hardened epoxy to keep it all together so don’t be shy with it.
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11-15-2017, 09:00 AM	#7
OP3NAIR Second Lieutenant 68 Rep 211 Posts Drives: '11 335i e93, '03 325xiT Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: NoVA iTrader: (0)	This problem did not happen on my car, but in the past I've had to cut open housings in order to remove fasteners, so I'm not coming from left field. I wouldnt be too concerned about using the OE screw.... you can only put a screw in a plastic hole so many times before there's nothing left in there for the screw to grab on to. Another suggestion would be to try and dremel a slot in whats left of the screw so you can get a screw driver in it and see if you can start turning it out.
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