Help, I broke a nut tightening valve cover

[dolphinron]

I noticed I was leaking a little oil out of the valve cover and it was smoking so I decided to tighten the cover and overtightened one of the upper nuts
and it broke off in middle, the bottom half is still in there.  I'm obviously not a mechanic.  Can I continue to drive car with just five bolts holding it on?  Also, I guess I
will eventually buy new bolts and maybe gaskets has anyone posted how to do this properly on this site?  Also, any tips how to get that bolt out that is stuck half way in?  Thanks   
1973 dodge charger  440 stock.

[Tilar]

My success ratio for getting out broken and frozen bolts is probably 98%, but it's hard for me to explain how to do something like that. Chances are as long as you didn't bottom the bolt out, You might be able to take a small center punch and actually use it to back the bolt out.

If the bolt broke off flat, You might be able to take a center punch and put a small punch mark right in the center or the bolt. Then get a small left handed drill bit and while running the drill in reverse you have a good chance of backing that bolt out.

[Cooter]

IF, and only IF there's enough of it still sticking up, you can try the old Vise grip trick and see if it will back out...However, if not, then your in for a long, patient, time consuming, job...

[TylerCharger69]

I might add....since these are valve covers...I'm trying to grasp the concept of having so much torque, a bolt would actually break.  Valve covers are basically just "snugged", especially with cork-style gaskets because excessive torque values will cause them to pinch and break.  I thought I might add that in so you don't accidentally damage the new gasket.  Someone may chime in with the exact torque value on those bolts.  (I'm pretty sure) I don't have any manuals in front of me.  You may have to drill into the center of the broken bolt, and use an extractor to get it out...I think I paid around 6 bucks for a small 5-piece extraction set at Autozone or someplace cheap.

[aifilaw]

valve cover torque is 6 ft lbs.

[ACUDANUT]

 heli-coil.....and I agree with all the above.

[dolphinron]

Thanks everyone,  My friend said he has a heli coil which was mentioned, never heard of it before and I am taking it over to his house to work on.  He seems confident.  I couldn't believe it broke off in the middle like that.  After I did it I just laid my head on the ground and couldn't believe it.  They were really loose and I didn't think I was turning it that hard.  Anyway hope this solves my leaking oil problem also. 

[The70RT]

If you tightened it that tight make sure you check the flatness of the cover so you don't destroy the new gasket. You don't have to tighten them very tight or you will squish them and they will leak worse then it did.

[69rtse4spd]

If enough of the bolt is sticking up, you could put a nut that just fits over it, 5/16 should fot. Then carefuly mig the nut to the bolt, let cool & try backing bolt out. If there is not enough sticking up you might try taking a cutoff wheel or hacksaw, cutting a slot into it & try a screwdriver, this will work as long as it is not super tight. But if it is crossed threaded then you are in for a long haul, what ever way you go ,do not get in a hurry. 

[69charger440]

Been there done that. Just be careful a slowly use a small drill bit and drill the center straight. Then increase the drill bit size until you can get it out. Use a small ez-out and lightly tap it in the hole you drilled. Then it should come out.

[dstryr]

Did you actually bend the valve cover and smash the gasket?  Could it be the wrong length bolt someone put in and you broke it trying to get it to tighten down while it was actually bottomed out?  Just asking so you don't have more problems later.

[dolphinron]

I finally got it out today. I tried the vice grips no luck.  Then tried the hack saw, took a while but got a small groove but it really wasn't out enough to get a deep enough groove so couldn't turn it.  So I went to ace hardware and got the extractor drill bit and used that after drilling into bolt with a small size drill bit then a little bigger one then put the extractor bit in and out it came. Damn, I was pumped, no one around to high five. I was kinda shocked, thought I would never get it out.  Now I am just getting all the metal shavings up around the area. Thanks for the tips.   

[aifilaw]

forgot to mention, duct-tape a shop-vac to suck up the shavings as you drill...