Extracting broken bolts....

Sooooo....

In an attempt to make some race tire bucks, I bought some 215 Buick stuff that I shoulda run away from...

I have a 4 bbl manifold with broken bolts at the T-stat housing. Bolts are 5/16 UNC and there is about .200" of the bolt standing proud to the AL flange. Bolts are rusty.

I'm thinking.... 1. File a flat on the broken bolts 2. Weld on a 1/4" bolt 3. Soak the S*** outa the bolts with Pene oil. 4. gingerly attempt to twist out in a day or two....

Discuss.....

Thanks,

Rog

If there's anything standing up, find a nut that will jam on it, jam it on, MIG weld the inside of the nut to the bolt. It will most likely come out at that point.

Avoid anything marketed as "EZ" or "Easy" that is related to broken bolt extraction.

sounds like a good plan

heat from the weld may loosen it up, maybe no p-oil necessary

Dr. Hess has it. Just be patient when wrenching it off. You may or may not have to soak it.

yup stay away from the EZ out unless you have no other options (IE broke below the outer level) they aren't fun to use or EZ...

i'm going to have some fun with a similar thing on the truck bed... will get to pull out the mig and a nut that fits :)...

I love you guys.....

You guys are either buying junk, or don't know how to use easy outs. I use them all the time (really, I'm the guy who ALWAYS gets the broken bolt calls at work), and they work great. Different styles for different applications.

Hey Zomby,

Any tips for using EZ outs on such a small bolt?

Rog

Stock up on left handed drill bits, drill guide bushings.

Good reference: http://www.asashop.org/autoinc/may2003/techtotech.htm

This what I have in my tool box, it's worth it's weight in standard repair times! http://www.brokenbolt.com/

Another good thing to have in your tool box, next to the left handed drill bits are a selection of EZLOK thread inserts, NOT HELICOILS. I use them exclusively in aluminum and nodular cast iron both.

Enjoy, discuss further.

emodspitfire wrote: Hey Zomby, Any tips for using EZ outs on such a small bolt? Rog

I don't know why the bolt broke so no, but usually for small bolts, the square ones work best. They don't push the OD of the bolt into the thread it's stuck in. If it broke because of galvanic corrosion, you can heat it red, let it cool, and try it, but if that doesn't work, you'll have to drill it just under the tap drill size, and pick the threads out. Even if you're good at it, it's not always easy. The last weekend that I worked, I spent 26 hours getting 4 broken bolts out of the upper ram of a heavy press. 3 came out without much drama. The last one took almost 2 shifts.

Hot wrench. Make it glow red to break that dissimilar metal bond, vise grip it out.

Dan

Zombie woof is right. If there is any galvanic corrosion,as mentioned with another bolt he mentioned) there is a good chance ( maybe, if or you don't know ) the bolt is riddled with corrosion. In which case an ez-out is useless.Make sure you're drilling stright down the bolt, and, yeah, pick ou the remnants/powder. Ofthen, with the center of the bolt gone, carefullly tapping on the remnants of the bolt can get it to start to come out--internal pressure holding it in place is gone.

Also, if this bolt is attached to a bucks up piece of equipment, or one that'll take forever to replace, I'd take the really careful way of getting the bolt out. Personally, from my experience as a marine mechanic, where I battled galvanic and electrolysis on bolts (also crevice corrosion from oxygen deprived stainless steel bolts, but that's another story). If possible, I'd set up a small drill press, clamped to drill exactly down the middle of said bolt, and drill out its guts, then use a fine punch/screwdriver to get the rest out.