Evinrude 9.5 snaped screw

[mrbell83]

Happy New Year to all. Ok guys, its been a while but as always working on something old presents problems.......<br /><br />I took the intake cover (or should I say the water pick up cover) off of my Evinrude to clean the inside out, and one of the Screw heads snaped right off!!!!!!!!! Now I would think use an easy out and take care of it, the only problem is that it snaped unevevly and I can not seem to drill into it for the easy out to work. Any one have any ideas on how to get this darn thing out, I don't want to ruin this hole.....<br /><br />P.S. In case you didn't know already, this is a very small screw and there is not a whole lot of room for error.<br /><br />Thanks, Chris

 

[Privateer]

Re: Evinrude 9.5 snaped screw

Chris,<br />Easy outs typically do not work well especially on stainless. If the extractor breaks off in the hole you drill then you are left with a real problem. Most likely, your best bet is to drill out the screw and use a heli-coil to rethread the hole if possible. Do a search on the forums, lots of info on this matter. Good luck.

 

[mrbell83]

Re: Evinrude 9.5 snaped screw

Thanks allot........

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: Evinrude 9.5 snaped screw

This is pretty well a normal situation for those of us who work on salt-water outboards. Broken bolts and screws are simply a fact of life, and they're something you get very good at repairing.<br /><br />There are a few approches. None of them involve "Easy Outs" and Privateer was wise to warn you against them. There are two general types of extraction - where you're left with a stub of the screw or bolt you can get a grip on and situations where you can't.<br /><br />If there's anything left, grab it tightly with Vice Grip brand Vice grips. What I mean is a really good pair of vice grips, the cheapies don't every seem to work very well. Then heat the surrounding area with a torch. Preferably MAPP or even better acetylene, it's very difficult to get things very hot with propane. A certain judgement is required not to melt the aluminium, but unless the part is small that's practically impossible with the MAPP. Then simply turn the bolt out.<br /><br />If you have no stub, there's a variety of techniques such as welding on a nut, etc. But I proceed directly to drilling it out since it's the most sucessful. Since the surface never breaks flush, you need to clean it up before continuing. If you've got some protrusion, you can often file it flat and then centre punch it for the drill. Since that's very tedious, I instead start the hole with a small mill on a dremel type tool, and when the divit is formed enough and on centre, switch to the drill. If the drill runs off centre, I recentre it with the dremel.<br /><br />Drill up until you reach the minimum diameter of the screw, and then pick at the remaining thread with a pick. If you're lucky, you'll be able to wind the screw's thread out like a spring. Somtimes you can only get a bit out, then you can chase out the rest of the threads carefully with a tap.<br /><br />If this isn't working out for you, or something goes wrong, drill and tap for a helicoil.<br /><br />There's another way to ensure a straight drill but it requires more preparation. I'm anxious to try it out myself. Have a look at rodbolt's method:<br /> http://forums.iboats.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=30;t=006684

 

[R.Johnson]

Re: Evinrude 9.5 snaped screw

The method I use involves a lathe, so it will not apply in all cases. Make a drill bushing that is a tight fit in the hole of the cover removed. Replace the cover, and push in the drill bushing over the broken bolt. This will allow the drill to follow down the center line of the broken bolt. Once done, you can use a left hand drill bit available at most auto stores. If it is your lucky day, and using the left hand bit, the screw will back out before hitting the threads. By no means! Do not try an easy-out. A broken bolt in aluminum is no fun, a broken bolt with an easy-out broke off in it, is a disaster. You can damage a very exspensive component beyond repair using the wrong techingue.

 

[surlyjoe]

Re: Evinrude 9.5 snaped screw

I have a 6" rigid pipe wrench , it works better than vice grips I've found, and if theres no nub sticking out, a left handed bit and a torch works pretty well, since I can only wish for a lathe..

 

[R.Johnson]

Re: Evinrude 9.5 snaped screw

Scrumbler! Make that a left handed bit down a very exspensive part, and try not to break it off. Broken drill bit's are just like an (easy-out) Good luck!