I know what you are saying Rob, and rather than a continuous threaded stud, the bolt should have a section that is uncut - (the bit that has gone tight)

However, the bolt has gone so far through, that I`m actually questioning whether it is a continuous stud, as the nut was not the same size as the rest of the engine ones, but more importantly, if it were a correct shape stud, with the uncut shank, then it should never have been able to be wound inwards with such ease in the first place. If you understand what I mean?

The vw studs often have a smaller diameter section in the middle with no threads rather than just an un-threaded section, if you get my drift

Rob

Understood perfectly.

Only one side of the casing has a thread, and the stud originally should have tightened up against the casing when first fitted. This stud has wound through nearly 20mm which is far in excess of what would be expected if that smaller diameter section were indeed present.

Thats whats throwing me a bit.   

The small studs are only glued in, the stud has gone in the extra bit because of the smaller centre section and then when it has reached the other end thread, it is not sinked and thus jamming

Rob

That makes sense.

Bugger -- Has to come out the other way then   

This evening I thought I would at least try something positive, and that was to connect the battery and see how the starter motor performed.

My last starter gave a grinding noise and then sounded like a sewing machine spinning the engine at warp speed, whereas this one sounds like its starting a huge engine. It sounds "Powerful" if you can understand what I mean, and has a real sound of "heavy duty" quality about it. I guess time will tell, but so far I am really pleased with that starter motor conversion. Engine started really easily too, but then I knew it would.

Gears all seem to engage ok, and clutch appears to function, but cannot take it for a drive just yet as that crankcase bolt is leaking oil quite badly.

Now that the electrics are back on, I thought it time to check out my recent lighting upgrades, and in true Dave DND fashion, i seem to have gone a bit OTT with the number plate light. Those two little Cob LEDS look more like a searchlight than a number plate light, and need to be toned down a bit (Given me a great idea for reversing lights though) as everything is brightly lit in the garage





I still had the original plastic lens, so I ground the back of it smooth and proceeded to cover it in strips of insulating tape until I had a light pattern and brightness that I was happy with. It turned out that there is a raised shape moulded into the plastic, and this seemed to be about right. The tape was removed and replaced with a couple of layers of thick black enamel paint.





This was then screwed in place over the top of the panel I previously fabricated with the LED`s in, and as you can see it has dramatically reduced the amount of light coming out.





Thats more like it - still far brighter than the 5 Watt bulb its supposed to be replacing, but i`m happy with that now.





And I nearly forgot that I also have a new set of lights and a hidden button to play with.





Yeah . . . !!  Very happy with that one     

And it is dark early now for maximum light useage, looks good Dave.

If you need to wind it back the other way. Cut a slot in it for a screwdriver on the side sticking out.

Just catching up after a few days away - you beat me to it Shaggy.
Cut a slot in it and you can drive it in either direction

Sometimes there are just not enough swear words available 

Good ideas came forward from both Shaggy and Dave about cutting a slot in the end of this stud so that I could turn it with a screwdriver. Access under here is not great, but after removing just about everything I could bolted under and around the engine, I managed to get in there with a small hobby dremel and using at least a million discs, managed to cut a slot in the end for a screwdriver. It would not budge with a screwdriver though, but after several socket attatchments fixed together with a ratchet on one end and a screwdriver socket as I gently turned the handle I got nearly a quarter turn before one of the sides of the shaft snapped where it had been cut. Bugger.

Where the bits sticking out either side of the slot I had cut had bent, they were now of a shape that they were never going to fit through the hole, even if it did turn, so I had no option but to grind it flat and attack it from the other side. Bugger again.

I managed to drill a small pilot hole through the dead center of the bolt, first a 3mm, then a 4mm, and that was as far as I wanted to take it in order to use an "easy out" left handed threaded stud extractor. I have never had much luck with these, and today was no exception. As soon as pressure was put on it to turn it simply sheared in half, leaving the obligatory section inside the hole that I had just drilled. Bugger Bugger Bugger.

Ok then, back to the rear side to what was now a nice flush area to play on. I thought I would try an old trick that I had picked up in using a Torx adapter bit. A pilot hole was drilled through the center of the bolt, 3mm, then 4mm as before. A Torx T20 bit was then hammered into the hole and gave me something I could then get a spanner on. It turned beautifully. I got three complete turns that were nice and smooth right before I sneezed, and you can guess what happened next can`t you. Correct, that bloody thing snapped off in the hole. Need to find another swear word here, as Bugger just doesn`t cut it any more.

Having a look on the other side, there is nearly two threads showing through the hole, but not enough to get any tools on, so I have no option now but to drill out the "easy out" stud and repeat the process. And this is where I am now stuck.





The "easy out" is made from super strong material, and because of that most normal drills simply will not go through it. After a chat with Peter, he suggested using a Carbide Drill. After spending nearly an hour with 2 Carbide Drills, I now have an indentation here of around 2mm and do not seem to be making much progress and have now stopped as both drills have snapped.

Any suggestions?   

Bugger. Only solution I can think of now is to weld a nut to the exposed end of the stud and undo it that way.

Trouble is Shaggy, the car is not driveable, and my garage electrics are not yet finished for running a welder in here - still running from the house on an extension lead.

Had a quick google, and came up with something from the states called a "Rescue Bit"

https://youtu.be/vvOfUvzgmEA

Anyone ever seen or used these?  3mm bit works out about £45 with shipping and customs, but may just give it a whirl   

Call a mobile welder dave, it's not worth the risk on damage to the case.

These things happen and sometimes its hard take after all the work thats gone on.

I think now as Flags says a welder who knows his stuff is going to be needed.

One thing thats working against you here is that the stud is horizontal...

To ensure this is done right first time will really need the engine on its side with the stud
welding face at the top, molten pools of metal will run all over the place if not and the only
way I have seen this successfully done is when using a TIG welding set up...

All sorts of things cross my mind, like do you know anyone with the rolling cage that can literally roll
an entire car on its side....

Otherwise its going to be an engine out job, orienting the engine on a pallet or something to enable welding..

Anyway, best of luck with it, am sure all will be fine in the end 

Peter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6w2grAV-oc