busted bolts?

[duff]

I have a few busted bolts on my water jacket cover. I was trying to replace grounding straps. so when they snapped i pulled the jacket cover off to remove them. during the process I broke a total of 5 of 12 bolts. i removed 2 of those 5 with vise grips the other 3 broke in the housing. how would you recommend removing these bolts that are broken flush with the block??????????


duff

 

[tommays]

Re: busted bolts?

What size ?

And Easyout usally does more harm than good and if you break one your in even more trouble

A skilled person with good drill bits should be able to get them out and save the orginal threads

A heli coil may be nessary BUT there is not allways enough wall to use one

If you have not drilled out a LOT of bolts this NOT a good place to learn ,If you drill it off center its over


Tommays

 

[Chris1956]

Re: busted bolts?

Duff, If it is an old merc, see if you can drill through and add a nut on the back of the block. This was possible on my '77 1500 and my '73 850. Actually the 850 had removeable nuts behind the water jacket cover.

 

[duff]

Re: busted bolts?

well it is a 1979 80 hp merc. i think i will try the easy out method and see what the outcome is. if not i will keep the nut/bolt as a option. if i mess it up the motor is trashed. that is my big concern as i have a few power heads offered on craigslist for a few hundred. i will keep you all posted as the results as i will take it slow and not rush the issue.

thanks for the advise

duff

 

[Vlad D Impeller]

Re: busted bolts?

Be careful with the EZ out, i had one of those darn things broke on me once, it's hell to get them out, i prefer to used a drill with a titainum left hand bit, after giving it a good soaking with lots of WD40 or some other type of lubricant.
But its like Tommays said, you will need a very steady hand.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: busted bolts?

Remember our friend heat! Aluminum expands a lot more than steel. First soak for a few days with WD then drill and add a little heat (propane torch should do) just before you try the easy-out

 

[Solittle]

Re: busted bolts?

Any machine shop should be able to do it for you.

 

[F_R]

Re: busted bolts?

My humble opinion is that easy-outs should be banned from the planet. If the screw was not strong enough to turn itself out, why would anyone thing a brittle easy-out of even smaller diameter can do it. Break it off in there and you are done.

Drill it out and put in heli-coils. But there is a knack for drilling bolts out too. If you don't have any experience, you are about to get some.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: busted bolts?

Easy outs are just fine if treated with respect and not over forced. If you have used many of them you will find that there is a certain point when you know that any more pressure means disaster. Important to stop before that point !!
Lots of penetrating fluid, some heat, a left hand carbide drill bit, the ability to get "dead centre" with the drill and given time it should come out. Eased gently each way a little futher each time when it starts to move and lots more penetrant combined with a lot of patience and you should be good but going at it like a bull at a gate will bring disaster.
Good Luck. There are several threads on this topic, try the search function for more info or ask any further questions you may have.