Holy Broken Bolt!!!
#11
10-23-2009, 04:12 AM
Hey I was changing my thermostat back to a 195* one when one bolt from the thermostat housing came out a little rough. I looked at the theads and they were a little messed up so I used a 5/16 die and ran in up an down the bolt. Threads looked perfect!! Placed both bolts in and tightened one up about half way and tighted the other up half way. Tightened the first one the rest of the way and tried to do the same with the one I cleaned the threads on. After about 5 turns with no resistance I thought something was wrong but figured it was the new threads going in easier. No such luck 2 more turns with medium resistance and pop the damn head broke right off the bolt!
I took everything back off stuck a rag in the thermostat hole and got an easy out and some drill bits. Did not work!! I got a nice hole in the middile of the bolt but cant get the easy out (round ones) to bite.
What should I do???
I thought about just drilling the hole out with a 5/16 bit which is the same size of the bolt then running a tap in and out of it.
Does anyone know if those bolts go into the water jacket? I dont think they do.
What would happen if anything if I where to drill completely through the hole where the bolt goes and come out the bottom where it bends back in? Help!!
I took everything back off stuck a rag in the thermostat hole and got an easy out and some drill bits. Did not work!! I got a nice hole in the middile of the bolt but cant get the easy out (round ones) to bite.
What should I do???
I thought about just drilling the hole out with a 5/16 bit which is the same size of the bolt then running a tap in and out of it.
Does anyone know if those bolts go into the water jacket? I dont think they do.
What would happen if anything if I where to drill completely through the hole where the bolt goes and come out the bottom where it bends back in? Help!!
I snapped a fastener (intake) inside the block one time and, the ONLY method that is tried and true and works is the age old- drill it out. BUT, in your case, you don't really want to drill all the way through otherwise, your going to end up with metal shavings in your coolant.
First, use either a hardened punch or a center drill and drill it in the center as best as you can but, do not drill all the way through.
Second: gradually increase the bit size to open the hole until you have reached the max for that fastener size. Go under 5/16 by two sizes. Then, using a LEFT hand drill that is one size up, it will start to grab and rotate it out. Just go slow to aid the bit to grab the fastener walls and bottom out.
It will come right out no problem.
#12
10-23-2009, 10:50 AM
I was helping a friend with his Jeep and had the exact same thing happen. The bolt sheared off even with the block. After futile attempts at extracting the bole we ended up drilling and inserting a heli coil. Don't obsess about getting the hole perfectly centered. There is some room for error with the water outlet. You will find that your access will be much improved if you remove the A/C compressor and bracket. I assume you removed the alternator already (if not that is probaby what got you into this situation) or you will be removing it soon.
#13
10-29-2009, 09:21 PM
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Still no luck with the new square outs and no luck with the spiral ez out. The spiral one goes in grabs ahold and I cannot turn it no matter what!! I am afraid if I go any harder it will break for sure. I am just going to do what some of you have stated and drill it out all the way then use a thread repair kit such as Helicoil. We will see how that goes. It is really starting to **** me off.
#14
10-29-2009, 09:29 PM
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#15
10-29-2009, 09:31 PM
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If you're gonna heat it, heat the intake around the bolt. Be careful not to get it too hot though, it is aluminum. By heating the bolt, you're expanding the bolt and just making it tighter in the hole. By heating around the bolt, you're making the hole bigger, therefore loosening the bolt.
#16
10-30-2009, 01:40 PM
Still no luck with the new square outs and no luck with the spiral ez out. The spiral one goes in grabs ahold and I cannot turn it no matter what!! I am afraid if I go any harder it will break for sure. I am just going to do what some of you have stated and drill it out all the way then use a thread repair kit such as Helicoil. We will see how that goes. It is really starting to **** me off.
FYI: If you need to re-center or level the top off (of the fastener that is) use a diamond grinder attached to a Dremel. Grinds it like butter and will leave a new flat surface to index for a center hole.
IF not, simply drill into the existing hole thus enlarging it. Then, use that left handed twist drill.
#17
11-01-2009, 08:51 PM
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Broken bolt no more!!
Finally had some time and nice weather to spend some quality time on my little broken bolt. After all the ez outs (nothing ez about them as many have said the suck) and trying to use left handed drill bits (no luck). I bought a helicol kit and removed the ac compressor and the alternator to give my self some damn room and so I could reach the hole with the bit. I finally just drilled the hole out with a 21/64 bit after I measured the length of the new bolt minus the head and the pilot point. Tap it with the helicoil tap and put the new threads in the hole using the kit. Done, while I was at it I went ahead and ran a 5/16 tap in the other hole just to be sure it was good. Put some antiseize on both and viola they both went in perfect!!!!
Of course I kept all the metal shavings out with a magnet and and vaccuum cleaner all looks well. I ran it (while adding antifreeze to top it off) for 20 minutes, thanks heaven above no leaks!!! Thanks to all who assisted this operation
Of course I kept all the metal shavings out with a magnet and and vaccuum cleaner all looks well. I ran it (while adding antifreeze to top it off) for 20 minutes, thanks heaven above no leaks!!! Thanks to all who assisted this operation
#18
11-02-2009, 02:09 AM
Champion
#19
11-02-2009, 12:46 PM
Finally had some time and nice weather to spend some quality time on my little broken bolt. After all the ez outs (nothing ez about them as many have said the suck) and trying to use left handed drill bits (no luck). I bought a helicol kit and removed the ac compressor and the alternator to give my self some damn room and so I could reach the hole with the bit. I finally just drilled the hole out with a 21/64 bit after I measured the length of the new bolt minus the head and the pilot point. Tap it with the helicoil tap and put the new threads in the hole using the kit. Done, while I was at it I went ahead and ran a 5/16 tap in the other hole just to be sure it was good. Put some antiseize on both and viola they both went in perfect!!!!
Of course I kept all the metal shavings out with a magnet and and vaccuum cleaner all looks well. I ran it (while adding antifreeze to top it off) for 20 minutes, thanks heaven above no leaks!!! Thanks to all who assisted this operation
Of course I kept all the metal shavings out with a magnet and and vaccuum cleaner all looks well. I ran it (while adding antifreeze to top it off) for 20 minutes, thanks heaven above no leaks!!! Thanks to all who assisted this operation
The key is to drill under two sizes and then come up to 15/16 with the left handed drill or, even a right hand twist and slowly let it 'bite' into the material, put the drill in reverse and it comes right out. The only time you really have to use a heli-coil kit is if you over-sized / damaged the original hole beyond repair.
But, at least you have found a solution.
Last edited by cmckenna; 11-02-2009 at 12:48 PM.