Engine Removal, Half Shafts Options

[jfort]

Big adventure for me. Have never done this before by myself. Taking the engine out of my 70 914-6.

I got everything, I think, disconnected and/or removed today -- except the half shafts. My memory is failing me. 5-10 years ago, I bought and installed bolts that were drilled for safety wires, which I did. Now I can't remember if they were 6mm Allen, which seems to fit if I can get it squarely in, or was there a spline fitting? I found a single spline thing with my Allen sockets that is just about the same size, perhaps 8. Something tells me it might have been purchased for those bolts. I can get the 6mm in there, but I am not sure that is it and I don't want to round the inside of the fastener. The spline thing may be too big or I may not have it square. Scared to pound it in.

The bolts are tight. Aren't they always? They got a dose of pbBlaster for the night. I'll finish this tomorrow, I hope.

Are the OEM bolts 6mm? Did anyone here install the drilled bolts and can you tell me, Allen or spline? What size? Any tricks getting them loose? A universal with an extension? (I just have headers) Use an impact wrench? I must have done this part of the job before, but the memory thing . . .

I seem to recall torque wrenching them, too. What should they be torqued to?

Thanks in advance.

[Dr Evil]

My $0.02

I don't use gaskets anymore and haven't for years. Gaskets are mooshy and change tq value over time. Every spring I remember threads from people who had a lost shaft beat the hell out of the underside of their car. Back in 2004 through about 2007-8 I was making drilled bolts, 12.9 hardness, 6mm allen. You likely have a set of mine, I could tell if I saw them (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) I safety wire the bolts now, and I make sure the surface is clean at the joint and I run a bead of RTV around the joint. Let it dry and its good to go. I have personally never had an issue with this, and I know of many who have done it this way and have never had an issue. YMMV.

[rjames]

My $0.02

I don't use gaskets anymore and haven't for years. Gaskets are mooshy and change tq value over time. Every spring I remember threads from people who had a lost shaft beat the hell out of the underside of their car. Back in 2004 through about 2007-8 I was making drilled bolts, 12.9 hardness, 6mm allen. You likely have a set of mine, I could tell if I saw them (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) I safety wire the bolts now, and I make sure the surface is clean at the joint and I run a bead of RTV around the joint. Let it dry and its good to go. I have personally never had an issue with this, and I know of many who have done it this way and have never had an issue. YMMV.

Ditto. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)