Broke off bolt head on stock airbox 1.5l

[ClearEyes]

When replacing the air filter on my 1.5l Civic, I broke off a screw when trying to tighten it. The other 3 went on fine. Is there anyway to get that screw out and replace it?

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[bluehatch17]

Drill it out

 

[ClearEyes]

Drill it out

But if I drilled it out how would I fasten a screw on that corner again? Are my only options to replace the bottom or buy new intake?

 

[gtman]

It's easy to over torque those. All you really need is hand tight plus maybe a 1/4 turn. When I had that happen, I backed out the bolt with a pliers and then bought new bolts. Worked out fine.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009LZQV3U/

 

[bluehatch17]

You drill into it to “grab” it and you might be able to start turning it out. There are drill extractors for under $20. YouTube this, plenty of videos on it.

 

[ClearEyes]

It's easy to over torque those. All you really need is hand tight plus maybe a 1/4 turn. When I had that happen, I backed out the bolt with a pliers and then bought new bolts. Worked out fine.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009LZQV3U/

I think thats the best first thing to try. It looks like this seems to be a common problem.

 

[latole]

A bolts on air filter ! WTF

My 2 L engine have a clip on air filter box cover

 

[gtman]

A bolts on air filter ! WTF

My 2 L engine have a clip on air filter box cover

I agree. All my previous cars over the last 30 years had four corner clips. Changing an air filter was a 15 second operation. I have no idea why Honda chose these screw/bolts instead. And the metal is very soft and it's easy to break a head off. Once you get used to it, it isn't terrible but it is bit of a pain in the ass.

Here's a topic I wrote back in 2017 on this very thing. Probably one of my favorite topic titles too. lol

https://www.civicx.com/forum/threads/what-sadistic-psycho-designed-the-1-5-turbos-engine-bay.15594/

 

[Dario1101]

Hey OP, hope you got the screw out! I would have unscrewed the three bolts, then try to use needle nose pliers to grab onto the bolt and take it off hm.

I remember I lost one of those bolts deep in my engine bay when I first got my first Civic. I replaced it with an equivalent from Home Depot haha. Years later, when I was selling that car, I found the damn bolt while changing the oil. Three years it was hiding down in the engine bay, between some plastic pieces... Amazing hahaha!

 

[carlsoncustoms]

It's easy to over torque those. All you really need is hand tight plus maybe a 1/4 turn. When I had that happen, I backed out the bolt with a pliers and then bought new bolts. Worked out fine.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009LZQV3U/

Thanks so much for this link! I broke one of mine off and ordered one OEM replacement, and then while putting it back together broken ANOTHER so just said screw it and ordered a Dorman set.

 

[latole]

My father, a very good mechanic and teacher of auto mechanics, always told me that to tighten a bolt or a screw it is more important to use your head before using a tool.

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