I'm crushed.

On a 1993 Accord I took off the valve cover today to replace the seals and noticed that one of the four 10mm bolts that are towards the rear of what I think is called the valve train, is snapped. As soon as the valve cover is taken off, you see that spring loaded assembly and it has all of the bolts on the top of it securing it down, well there are four on the back, one for each of the cylinders. One of them is snapped.

The bolt sits in the hole but spins around freely and I pulled it out and looked at it and it appears the other half is in the threads.

Now my options are limited.

1. Can this thing run with a snapped bolt? I mean this bolt has to serve some purpose but what exactly? The two 12mm bolts in the center are still intact. If I were to remove the free portion of the bolt and drive it, what would happen?

2. I can't even find a replacement bolt to compound the problem of removing the other half. I don't know how deep the other half may be. It might be above surface, below or flush with the surface. But all of this is moot since I can't seem to find a replacement for this.

3. If I were to find a replacement, am I up the creek (so to speak) or can this be removed?

 

Will you take a picture and post it? I am not sure which bolt you are talking about.

 

https://www.hondaaccordforum.com/for...-accord-29452/

On this thread it's on the image. It's the bolt right below the blue arrow (or to the right of the spark plug well).

 

That bolt holds on the rocker assembly. I would remove the broken part of the bolt, because you don't want that to fall out and damage anything down there.

If you are replacing just the upper seals, I would leave the part of the bolt threaded in alone.

If the oil leak does not return with new upper seals, then I would not mess with it. Also if there is no abnormal noise coming from there, then also leave alone.

If the spark plug tubes are still getting oil after you replace the upper seals, then you will have to remove that assembly to replace the lower seals. You may be able to address the broken part of the bolt. Search wYU8qtPzQOY on YouTube to see a DIY video on removing that assembly. Hopefully after you remove the assembly, some of the bolt is sticking up so you can use vice grips to remove the broken bolt.

 

Way ahead of you. Removed the broken part and put everything back together. Tried to jiggle the whole assembly and it was firm. No movement. I think the other bolts are holding it down.

But there's no telling how this will work when under movement. Do you know if this component is subject to serious mechanical stress? I fear the lack of a bolt may snap the others.

Also I just want to make sure we're referring to the same bolt. It's the one without the flathead marking on the top of the bolt. It's the bolt directly to the right of the spark plug well on that picture and directly below the blue arrow (not to the left and below).

 

I attached the bolt I think you are talking about. It has a yellow circle around it.

I don't know how much mechanical stress it is under.

Those other bolts are high grade bolts, so they should be ok. I'm surprised that bolt broke like that. If you start hearing any strange noises from under the valve cover, then I would try to figure out what is going on. Also repair if you have to take off that assembly to replace those lower seals.