Wow. Funny you should post this. I did the exact same thing today, when I was installing my 5/16" spacer. I snapped the #8 bolt, but I just put everything back without that last bolt and the car seems to run fine. There are plenty of other bolts that make up a tight enough seal that I don't think that having 1 bolt less is going to make that big of a difference. I was using a torque wrench with 40feet lbs when I should have been using 40inch lbs.

inch/lbs fellas, not foot/lbs. There's a HUGE difference. To do this job the right way, you must buy a quality inch/lbs torque wrench. You also must understand how to use the tool (i.e. go slowly when tightening).

If you need a temporary solution, then using a screwdriver attachment (not a wrench) you can hand tighten to about 90 inch pounts.

That should be good enough for you to drive and get a inch pound torque wrench.

I had a foot/lbs torque wrench I borrowed from AutoZone. Wasn't paying close enough attention to the instructions that indicated inch/lbs as the needed setting.
I installed the spacer and I'm done with it at this point. I don't think I'll have any problems even though I'm missing a bolt. The spacer is in and it's running fine (so far as I can tell).
Do you think it'll be ok?

If it was me, I would get the bolt fixed/replaced. Over time you may develope a leak....or you may not.

The bolts are long and skinny, they're not that strong. Please be more careful. Always listen & feel for the click when torque is reach.
This would work also. http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...seBVCookie=Yes
I always feel iffy about the calibration of a precision measuring equipment being lone out to everbody. For all you know, Joe Bob before you drop it a few time or worse yet use it as a hammer.

BTW, expansion & contraction w/o clamping force will make it leak over time. I would get it taken care of soon.

I don't know if I can get at the bolt to put a new one in if I tapped it out. You see, bolt #8 (see pic in my previous post) is not bolted from the top side down...it's bolted up from the bottom engine...the head of the bolt is on the underside of the engine piece that's below the lower collector. And it's up tight against the firewall with very little space to reach in there. If I tapped it out, I don't know how I could reach in there with a ratchet to put a new one in there. Might have to bring it to a shop and pay out the nose for labor, because they'll have to dissasemble the engine beyond just removing the plenum and lower collector

Here's a pic that shows you the bolt I snapped. In this pic, the bolt is fine. But notice that the head of the bolt isn't visible. What you see is the end of the bolt...this particular bolt is inserted from the underside.



Have any of you ever removed this bolt? What do I have to do to get back there (that bolt seems impossible to reach) and where could I get a replacement bolt?

I swear i have stripped at least one bolt in every mod that i have installed. Makes me nervous every time i install a new mod.

Wow this thread has taken off...

Were you able to get it off? I also snapped one of the bolts when putting the plenum spacer on. I didn't have a bolt extractor so I basically had to take two nails, one in each hand, to slowly turn the tiny bolt counter clockwise, to take the bolt out. There wasn't an opening to the bolt to access it under the lower plenum.

I can't remember what bolt number it was exactly, but the problem was that I had mistakingly thought one of the bolts went directly into the lower plenum, to secure it down. Unfortunately, the bolt was actually supposed to go through the upper AND lower plenum. So after turning it a few turns it finally gave out and snapped.

Wow, seems like a lot of people have had problems with those. The instructions give torque specs for a reason. Those bolts are not the strong and can snap easy.

I believe those are stud. Jam two nut together on that stud, once tight, put the wrench on the lower nut and back 'em out.
When you're ready to install a new one, jam the two nut together, and tighten with the top one to 87-104 in-lb as per factory service manual.

Mine was just a case of a bad torque wrench, but yes I got it out!

Is this in response to my last post? or BlueStacy04's post?

Guys, anytime you are screwing (haha) into aluminum using a steel bolt/nut, be careful!