So I was trying to take the timing cover off my engine today and the last bolt to come off broke while trying to break it loose. What do I do now?
It's been about 30 years since, I did any work like that. But, if I remember, there's a tool called; EZ-out. Drill and tap into the broken bolt and ease it out.
i always like to try to get rid of the step on the broken bolt(file or wizza wheel). When a bolt breaks it never breaks flat. use a cener punch and get dead center of the broken bolt. use a 1/8 drill bit and make a nice straight centerd hole. step up your drill size till you are pretty close to the overall diameter of the bolt. some people used a easy out. if a easy out doesnt work i use my tap chart and drill out til i reach the size drill bit you would use to make new threads. Than i would use a tap and make new threads. little tip when drilling if you coat you bits with a healthy amount of white lithuium grease it will keep the shavings from dropping into anything else. drill slow and take you time. paul 66lark gs turbo nailhead:3gears:
ohh i forgot to say soak it with pb blaster, wd40 liquid wrench first. maybe overnight. did it break flush? if not use a little heat and a pair of vise grips. grab the side of the bolt and loosen her up.
depends. 1) if there is still a stub of bolt with threads - try to double nut and torque out after lots of PB Blaster. (some claim that ATF/acetone is as good or perhaps better) 2) stub, but no threads: you can thread it for double nut, or drill and thread for extractor bolt (auto supply), 3) no stub: try to drill and thread for LH extractor bolt. If this gets really ugly you may need to oversize drill out the hole and tap for helicoil re-threads. any way is no fun, but par for course with these old engines.
you can use a stud removal tool.. but i figure you dont turn wrenches for a living and you are using basic hand tools. do you have access to heat? propane torch or regular acecylene torches. heat is your friend. lets us know how it works out for you paul 66larkgs turbo nailhead
use a mixture of 50/50 acetone and atf... for penetrating oil..... and a heat source like a heat gun.... not a torch.... dont need a fire in addition....then follow up with vice grips ect...... also light taps on the end of the bolt will send shock waves down the bolt that tend to loosen.... drill out as a last resort......
If you have access to a MIG welder, weld a nut on the end of the broken bolt. Then, as mentioned here, soak it good with PB Blaster everyday for a week if you have the time. If that doesn't seem to loosen it, heat it up. I would much rather do them this way than drilling. Easy-outs rarely work for me and more often than not they I've broken them off inside the bolt, making matters even worse.
This is by far the best method. I've used this method for exhaust manifold bolts too, it always works for me. Like Paul said, center punch that baby, then even use a center drill bit to get you hole started to prevent your drill bit from walking. Start like mentioned with a small bit and slowly work your way up in size. Eventually the bolt will fragment and come out. Then just re tap to clean up the hole. Just don't use too big a bit and hold it straight so you don't bug up the threads too much.
Go the welding route have it done by a welder not a back yarder I have done dozens rot really much of a challenge. Tig is mush more manageable compared to mig. Go and see your local welding shop. http://www.asashop.org/autoinc/may2003/techtotech.htm http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthread.php?100071-Broken-bolt-extraction-the-Team-Heat-amp-Beat-way! Wilber
Find a decent machine shop or mechanic. Should be around $50 but worth the hassle imo. They should have plenty experince with removing them. Is it stuck in the block or the timing cover? Where you able to get the timing cover off?
It broke off about 3/4 of the way into the timing cover so if I remove the timing cover I should be able to grab it with some vise grips
I've got one now with bolts broke off into it... Last one I had did the same thing. Just make sure to use plenty of antiseize when putting it back together.
I really do not like EZ-outs. When you turn an EZ-out inside of a capscrew; it is attempting to expand the screw - thus increasing the friction between the screw threads and the threads in the block. Excessive friction is what caused the screw to break in the first place. The EZ-out just makes it worse. Another tip would be that if you are drilling the screw, use a cobalt-tipped drill bit. They are much more expensive then a standard bit, but much less likely to break. If you break off a drill bit in the screw, you have compounded your problems. Whatever you do, take your time. You have a bad situation that you can make worse very easily. Take your time - follow some of the tips in this thread, and you will be OK.
Vice Grips and heat usually works. Go slow and rotate it in and out. For those of that are flush or in the hole, I've used left handed drill bits successfully. For a better grip you can try: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00952060000P?mv=rr or variation. You need a decent stub for these to work. - Bill
From what your saying about length, "and aren't we all" LOL, See if you can double nut it first then w/2 wrench's try to back it out. All of the above are good advise/especially with heat on the housing, Not the bolt". I have had situations where I had to use a Dremel to drill close enough that I could clean out and re-tap "very tricky procedure". By the way if you dont have a Dremel in your tool colection, "You'll need one eventually" GL Wil
If that bolt broke the way i think it did,you may have problem taking cover off.Bolt broke couse it seized inside a timing cover hole.Soak it,heat it gently and tap cover on the sides of the bolt with little hammer.Like Doc said little shock waves will loosen seize off,and help you to remove cover from bolt.
