Why Is this bolt $25? Ford 2.3 Valve Cover Bolt Problems
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- Опубликовано: 1 фев 2020
- In this video, I am dealing with an issue that it seems like a number of people have run into. While replacing the Valve Cover gasket on a 2001 Ford Ranger with a 2.3 liter engine, I had a number of the isolators for the bolts damaged beyond being able to be used, and found NO replacement options outside of finding a few replacement bolts here and there for about $25 a piece.
Not being a fan of paying $25 plus shipping per bolt and waiting for weeks for them to show up, I found a solution to the issue and in this video, I'll walk you through how I dealt with this problem.
Kyle it seems like manufacturers are doing everything they possibly can to make working on our own cars insanely expensive and complicated. Stay well and thanks for the video 😊
I went to the local junk yard and pulled a valve cover and bolts so I could do the swap with the valve cover ready to go. I did not know about this bolt system prior and your video explained jt very well. I think the reason they did this way was so the plastic valve cover would not get cracked by over torquing the bolt. Great video !
How did you managed to get the bolt off the valve cover?
@@joshuaramos9676 I just used a deep socket. Hope that helps.
It's a mazda engine. The bolts are still available from mazda for the b2300
No, they are NOT available from Mazda or Ford. They are considered obsolete and discontinued. Last cost available was $275 when they were available.
I have the 2003 ford courier here in Australia. It has the same bolt setup but the rubber grommet and sleeve bit don't lock on, and you just have to order the new grommet and sleeve bit, I'm getting a set tomorrow, about $58 for the 12bits, still a little pricey for what it is but they're not hard to find, you did good making it up though, it will work no worries by the looks of it.
Great video. I'm in the same boat with my 2003 2.3L Ranger. Only 4 of my (formerly rubber but now hard as plastic) grommets are broken and only one of them badly. The other ones are still whole, but so hardened and stiff that I can't remove them from the valve cover without breaking them. I read somewhere that the Mazda Speed 3 valve cover bolt might work and I have one on order (LFBL-10-237), but from looking at pictures I am not sure it will work. I have also thought about trying some valve cover bolts that are for the 4.0L 2003 ranger on Parts Geek.
But after seeing your video I think I may just make my own. Since all of my grommets are old and hard I may fabricate all 14. However one thing confused me about your video. At 2:41 you demonstrate how the metal collar won't come off of the bolt. But later in the video you show one of your bolts with the metal collar removed and you measure it. How did you get the metal collar off the bolt? If you can remove the metal collar, why not just use the original metal collar and bolt and then use the Lowe's grommet and the washer? If you can tell me how you got the collar off of the bolt, that is what I plan to do. That way I won't have to fabricate 14 spacer/sleeves. Thanks!
Totally defeated after finding out about these bolts. Been working on this same job today and found this video. Great job creating a solution. Any help in finding manufacture ones would be a life saver, my valve cover remains off atm.
Same here. What did you do?
You won’t find any from parts stores or manufacturers. Trust me. I’ve looked vigorously for 3 weeks now. Go buy washers at ACE hardware
@@h4drummer I'm thinking just break off the old hardened grommet and washer leaving you with just the bolt and metal collar/sleeve. Then slide a new washer and grommet over the sleeve. I just wonder how some rubber grommet that isn't made for this would hold up to the high temperatures. Natural rubber has a limit of 210, Buna-N is 250 and Viton is 400. I don't know what a grommet from Lowes or Ace would be made of.
The metal collars and bolts are good on mine and only the grommet is bad. So I am thinking of breaking grommet off (and maybe the washer), then using McMaster-Carr 98017A200 for a washer (ID is 0.390" so it should barely slip over the lip on the bottom of the metal collar) and McMcaster-Carr 9600K314 for the grommet (the bottom part of grommet must be cut off). Many rubbers can only take temps of 170F. But the one I found at McMaster is EPDM rubber , can handle -60 to +300F and is chemical resistant. Most rubber gaskets are made out of Silicone, Viton (fluoroelastomer) or EPDM. The OD of the grommet, and the OD of the part that goes down in the valve cover hole are almost identical to the original so I think it might be possible to just cut the grommet off of the old one and use the original washer. The original grommet fits fairly tight over the original sleeve, but the one I selected has an ID of 9.5mm and the metal sleeve OD is 9.10mm. But I don't think that will be a problem.
How about adding the Lowes SKU and link in the description?
I watched it in slow-motion more than 10 times, and I *THINK* I have the information here:
Hillman
1/2 x 3/8 x 1 Steel Spacers
SKU 0-08236-70808-0
P/N 880416
Rubber Grommet
5/8 OD x 5/16 ID
SKU 0-08236-71645-0
H# 88125
161-2751
I feel your pain, there are other ford bolts that are outrageous, ie. 5.4 intake housing bolts that mount it to the head, $45 each and there are 10 of them. No wonder these trucks are 70k
I have a 2.3 L engine by same Maker I'm wondering 🤔 if I can do the same just as well...
I need this bolt assy. I have a 4.0 and one grommet has a tiny leak. My mechanic cannot it any where.
I've had the same issue with my 1990 Ford Tempo 2.3
I broke two valve cover bolts on a 2008 Suzuki xl-7 with the GM 3.6L, they were 15 dollars each. Would like to fabricate my own hardware while I'm waiting for the delivery.
Sucks for me because ford said my truck (2002 ford explorer sport V6 4.0) has 3 different size bolts didnt even give me a diagram of which bolts were what size. The front driver side outside the valve cover bolt broke off when my mechanic worked on my car. From what I'm seeing the stealership has the bolt for I believe $14 a piece and can't find the bolts anywhere else do far. Everyone is selling bolts that are all the same size for the same engine and I'm like wtf I have the same engine but they said I have 3 different sizes?
Main issue:. This engine runs as 275 degrees F on the freeway. This means that EPDM may not be good enough.
However I can save you a LOT of trouble in the future REMOVING THE RUBBER:
Soak in 1/2 acetone and 1/2 alcohol for 24 hours. The rubber can then be easily removed from the assembly. This means that you can slide the new rubber (if you find it) directly over the original bolt assemble with a little lube.
That's nothing tried to get a lower intake manifold bolt for a 2004 Mercury sable. No aftermarket and Ford dealership wanted $200 per bolt for the 4 they had left company wide for that year model
Look the exact same as the one on my mini that’s rounded off winding me right up
I just went through this. I found a set of valve cover bolts on Amazon meant for a 2005-2007 AUDI A4 for $25 that would probably work out of the box. Instead I used the grommets from the Audi bolts on my Ranger bolts. Maybe this will help someone.
Hey, how has this setup held up? Have the audi bolts worked and kept from oil leaks? I'm trying to figure out a replacement for these on my ranger now
Call ford and get the part number, put the part # in fordpartsgiant.com. That’s what I did with my 3.0 valve cover bolts that I literally couldn’t find anywhere and was discontinued at ford. Bolt cost $3.5 a piece.
Thanks for the info. I'll definitely try that if I run into this again.
1f20-10-174 mazda p/n
The rangers got a 2.3l DOHC mazda L engine
Anybody wondering you guys could go to your local junkyard and take them if they have them
I just checked and there is only one Ranger that had the metal valve cover (2001-2003) at the local junkyard and I'm not sure if it is a 2.3L. But I was considering giving that a shot even though they would likely be just as broken as mine.
And they're like $5 a piece
Where?
Mazda dealership