Thread: TD5 Aluminium bolts

Steve,


I would be surprised if they are aluminium, maybe someone has replaced them with stainless steel (non magnetic)

I think you might be right, I didn't really appreciate that stainless steel would/could be non-magnetic.
I suspect it's standard though, every bolt into the inlet and FPR is the same.
I guess in that case I can replace with standard HT and a good bit of copper slip as I would normally do.

Steve. There is no way that the bolts would be aluminum. They don't exist in a motor vehicle.

As for them being a bit tight and removing inlet manifold. Do you have good quality single hex sockets.

I recently did mine and it was a bit awkward but easy enough that removing the inlet would have been overkill.

The bolts just rounded off and even when I had full access they actually took a bit of a tug with the 1/2" set, though I guess with a much better angle they didn't lose grip.

I agree, I could get to the bolts, however once the first 2 had rounded off, not much, but enough, that just doing it properly was the way forward. At least with the manifold off I can change out all 3 pipes, and have a quick swiz at the alternator as well.

I was drawn the initial ali conclusion due to lack of magnetism and the fact that they rounded off early and color, a dull grey.
A quick search did turn up ali bolts which while I was skeptical, I've only just started working on the TD5, previously only doing all the work on 2.2/200/300/V8 , it seemed odd, but I don't underestimate the Germans!

I wonder if the difference to EU3 and pre models makes any difference to access, but whatever, I will just replace with good m8 so that I can avoid having to take everything off next time. My guess is that the bolts were over tightened and a bit rounded from PO/mechanic and that the combo meant a bit of grief for me.

I dropped a few of mine never to be seen again, although over the next few weeks one would turn up then another on the driveway!LOL.
Anyway I just replaced them with the same length 8.8 bolt.
I do not know why they use those dinky 10MM head manifold bolts rather than the normal 13MM.
I suspect it is to do with a factory worker with a magnetic socket on an electric torque wrench just mindlessly doing up bolts all day, and the big flange making it easier to do without dropping bolts.
Same as why they have the nuts uppermost on the engine mounts. Probably easy to do when dressing an engine on a stand, but a PITA for others.
Regards Philip A