redbird_400

FUN! I broke the bold that holds my thermostat housing. Its great how these little problems happen when I'm trying to solve a bigger problem. Well I really dont want to drill and tap another bolt because that may mean taking the intake manifold off. This broken bolt that sticks up a quarter of an inch seems to be rusted in there pretty tighly. Apparently who ever had the manifold before me didnt belive in antiseize lube... Anyway has anyone used an easy out or broken bolt remover on a really tough rusted bolt? I just dont want to break a cheap easy out bit in there and make things worst. The craftsman broken bolt remover kit is like 30 dollars and comes with all the other sizes that I dont need. I really wouldnt want to spend 30 bucks on a one time use tool, and the cheaper one from walmart may not work so well..

Oh and I herd that some stuff like WD40 called "PB something" was best for this kind of job, any opinions on that?

tom3

Never had any luck with those removers, they'll break off and leave a real problem. If possible, drill it and put some serious heat on it and try the remover, or just drill it real careful and retap the hole. Not an easy solution no matter what you do.

spartyon

I have had luck with the EZ Outs and the PB Blaster which is what I think you are talking about. I have never tried the EZ Outs on a rusted bolt such as a thermostat housing. The EZ Outs can be brittle sometimes. I would us the PB Blaster and soak the bolt then tap it with a punch and hammer a few times and then try the EZ Outs.

redbird_400

PB blaster, yea thats the word I was looking for. Know what the PB stands for? Anyway, I think the biggest problem is cheap easy outs made of weak metal. The craftsman easy out set selling for 30.00 should be pretty hard to break unless it was used improperly or... I'm just completly wrong because I havent used any of them before. Did you have bad luck with an expensive easy out?

I guess the way to go is to try an easy out and if it breaks return it. Since the broken bolt is on an aluminum intake manifold maybe I'll have some luck with soft metal. I dont really want to put a flame that close to the gas line or possible gases in the intake manifold. So if it breaks it breaks, I'll just have to take the manifold off again and drill from the opposite side. lol once the drill bit hits the easy out I''ll be out another 2 bucks

redbird_400

Thanks for the taping tip. I was going nuts trying to get the valve spring keepers out before I checked here and saw a tip that lightly taping the top with a large socket loostens it up a bit.

Apeiron

Just drill it right out and helicoil it.

spartyon

I would only use a helicoil if you can't get it out with an EZ Out. I dont have the Craftsman ones. I have then ones from autozone I think. They come in a red case. I have only broken one of them and it was the smallest one. That was my fault though for not putting it in straight and turning it straight. I think the kit that I got was 15 bucks. You might be able to get a cheap set through Harbor Freight. The only problem with that is that they are going to be cheap and you will get a ad flyer every week after you place an order.

redbird_400

Thats new to me, but all of this work for an thermostat housing on an aluminum intake?

http://www.toolsnextday.ltd.uk/Helic...coil_usage.htm

Apeiron

It's really not that complicated, just drill it out, tap it and screw the insert in. When all is said and done, it'll be less frustrating than fighting with an extractor that probably isn't going to work anyway and could easily break off creating an even bigger mess. Even if you can get it out, helicoil threads will be stronger and in better shape than the original threads cut in the aluminum.

redbird_400

I'm just looking at the price comparison. There is only one parts store around here that I would try, I have something against the other ones. If they have it for a good price I might think about it but what I'm trying to avoid is taking the intake manifold off. Lets say that I dont do that and I use the hellicoil idea. That means drilling out the top of the bolt but leaving the botton of it there. For whatever reason, if that bottom end of the bolt drops down into the engine I'm screwed royally. Its a good idea, very good but I just dont want to take that manifold off again.

spartyon

The thermostat bolt shouldn't be that long. What I would do if you do go the helicoil route, I would put a piece of tape leaving about 1"-1.5" of exposed bit. That way you will know when to stop drilling. You should be fine. The thermostate is raised on the intake manifold. You shouldn't have to worry about drilling through unless you don't drill it straight. Then you might drill into the collant passages on your intake. Personally, I would try the EZ Outs first but that is just me. I am not that found of helicoils but they work and work great. I just don't like dealing with them. I say try the simple route. If you break a bit then you can decide to drill.

Apeiron

It's a whole lot easier to drill out a soft broken bolt than a hardened broken extractor.

spartyon

True.

redbird_400

(*@&#% I guess I like to learn the hardway. It seems that the bolt extractor and a drill did not have enough torque to pull the drilled bolt out. It seemed like the hell job trying to use that bolt extractor! Now my opinion on bolt extractors... "aggravating pos" If you stop and think about it... If it took X amount of torque to break the bolt, and the power drill did not equal to or about that number then the bolt will most likly not be extracted. Another varible would be how much torque can the extractor take before it breaks and how much torque would be relived from drilling a hole through the middle of a bolt. BUT! who really wants to get that scientific about it when you can just drill and tap to save the headache.


so yea, I should have listened then drilled and tapped. What I was worried about is metal shavings dropping into the coolant but while looking at this intake manifold, it seems that water does not touch the bottom of that bolt or... it does touch it but it goes down into a water passage that is blocked off from my view, under the thermostat. Bagh... I have to look at it again. Sometimes I wish that I didnt have an office job and worked on cars.

spartyon

There have been a few times where I got pissed at the bolt extractors and hooked them up to a drill. To my surprise that does work, but puts a ton more stress on the bit.

Apeiron

The thermostat bolt holes don't go through to the water passage. Be careful when you drill because when you're through the bolt you'll be into soft aluminum. If you do break through into the coolant passage, use sealer on the bolt threads when you put it back together. Clean the shavings up as best you can, but don't worry about it too much, a few little pieces of debris in the water jackets aren't going to cause any damage.

86NiteRider

iTrader: (10)

Well I had this exact problem last month. I tried to drill out the bolt but I went crooked and then thru the bottom into the water passage. Then I tried to reinstall a larger bolt but that was a nightmare.

I then tried to use one of the bolt removers from Menards but the remaining part of the bolt was seized pretty hard and no luck.

I ended up rethreading and filling in with JB Weld for a temporary situation. I then went to a j yard and pulled a good intake and bought a gasket set. I have not installed the new intake yet but will in October once I stop driving for the summer.

In a nutshell it was a nightmare when all I wanted to do was change a theromstat. I will use that anti seize tape when I reinstall the new intake and thermo.

Good Luck.

Jer82Z28

Another thing you can try if your intake is not painted and if you careful is to try heating the bolt till red hot and then quenching it with water. doing that will shrink the bolt and allow it to unscrew easier.
If you have a welding machine handy or a friend who has one on his truck, weld a nut onto the broken bolt and immediatly quench it once welded. the bolt will come out with ease.