Greetings,

Doing my 123 install and either broke or have discovered that my distributor hold down clamp bolt is sheared off. Can I replace this (at least temporarily) with a standard bolt until I get the proper one?

I am working on getting the whole clamp off to see the state of the threads that are left in the clamp - but I may need a whole clamp assembly...

Or...can someone get me one to 47006 tomorrow?!

Are you able to get in there and remove the stub, if there is one?

Or drill the broken one out and thread a new one in there

I'm working on getting the clamp off so I can see what's left in there and if I can get it out.
If I can get it out...wondering if I can just use a normal bolt - at least temporarily...i will only need to adjust the 123 for timing once so....

I would try to get it right, the stud is a standard 8mm x 1.25(IIRC). Getting the old one out is 90% of the job.

Is the 123 new to you?

My stock T4 distributor clamps have an 8 X 1.25 locating stud which threads into the block and a 6 X 1.0 clamp stud that is built into the clamp. It has a LONG 6 x 1.0 nut on it.

If the threaded section is trashed I'd replace the clamp.

If the mounting stud is broken off, you could remove the broken piece and install a normal 8 x 1.25 bolt to locate the clamp.

I'd make sure my bolt DIDN"T bottom out in the mounting hole (you can crack the block this way) and I'd use a drop of blue Loctite.

This could work permanently this way if you were lazy...

New stud and class 4 nut (self-locking) are the proper fix.

great input here - thank you.
got the clamp off and I now see that it's - as @technicalninja says - the stud that is built into the clamp.

It appears to have simply pulled thru the "crimp" that was securing it to the clamp itself. Got it positioned correctly, put it in a vice and hit it. It's now back in place and solid.

Didn't realize how the bolt was connected to the clamp as it appeared (and felt) like it snapped off...back to our regularly schedule 123 install.