What would be the best way to remove a thermostat housing bolt from my aluminum intake? There is about an 1/8" or so still sticking out so I might get lucky and not have to drill it. Any thoughts?
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Re: need advice on removing a broken bolt
Question:
Is the Housing off now?
If Not have you tried vise-grip pliers? if not you will may need to drill and tap it.
Or...if it not...you can take it to a machine shop and they can do it.
Good luck. -
Re: need advice on removing a broken bolt
Here is a link to help:
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Re: need advice on removing a broken bolt
Hi Greg. I busted my share of bolts, and the best way I've found to get them out is as follows: First get a M.A.P.P. torch (looks like propane, but in a yellow bottle rather than blue)at your local home improvement store. Then heat the metal around the bolt, but not the bolt itself. You can also try squirting a penetrating oil -- I recommend PB Blaster -- on the threads of the bolt. It will smoke a lot, but won't catch fire. Lock vice grip pliers on the bolt end, and then turn the bolt out.Comment
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Re: need advice on removing a broken bolt
One other trick that works sometimes. Use penetrating oil. Let set for a day or so. Use a left hand drill bit in a reversible drill. Sometimes the reverse drilling will bring the broken section right out.Dick WhittingtonComment
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Re: need advice on removing a broken bolt
Hi Greg
2 different ways you can do it. If you have enough bolt sticking out, try threading a nut on it and welding it or just set the nut on it and weld the nut to the broken bolt.Then you should be able to turn it out.Use penetrating oil also.The other way is to grind the bolt flat to the surface and drill it out using different size bits untill you have the hole wide open. At that point you can try using and easy out to get out whats left or try a tap. After you get it out, run a tap through it to clean the threads.
I would try welding the nut on first.If the nut breaks off, then do the drilling. I had this happen to me with a carb. bolt and I was able to drill it out cause the bolt broke beneath the surface.
Good Luck...JohnComment
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Re: need advice on removing a broken bolt
Rather than vice grips, I would file a narrow slot and use a screw driver. With 1/8" to work with this should be a good solution. If not, drilling it out will work too.
tcComment
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Re: need advice on removing a broken bolt
Thanks alot guys, I was thinking of heating the bolt red hot with a torch to "burn" the corrosion and then turn it out but wasn't sure if that would crack the manifold. I'm in no rush so I think I'll let it soak for a bit with some mouse milk, heat it up and then try it.Comment
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Re: need advice on removing a broken bolt
Works for me-
Begin soaking the bolt with a good penetrating oil. Longer the better.
CAREFULLY center punch the bolt. Start with the smallest bit you feel comfortable with and drill perpendicular to the manifold.
Keep increasing the size of the drill bits until you get near the threads.
Find a tool store that sells square easy outs. These have a gentle taper with the four edges sharpened. This type do not turn into the hole - the 4 edges bite into the bolt when you tap it in with a hammer. Even this tapping helps loosen the broken piece. The most popular spiral type extractors try to screw themselves into the hole as you turn them, in essence EXPANDING the broken bolt. Carefully heating the aluminum manifold will help too since it will expand more than the steel bolt.
Just work carefully and slowly.Comment
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Piece of cake gravy job
I you have an 1/8 inch to work with then it'll be a Piece of cake gravy job to take it out. First, soak the bolt with PB Penetrating spray. In the mean time, take your Dremel tool with a small cutting wheel grind a nice slot in the bolt. Watch out that you do not grind anything but the bolt as you don't want to mess anything up. You may want to put a thin piece of metal down incase you slip. Once the slot is made then just simply turn it out with a screw driver. Make sure to use a WIDE driver as you want the most surface as possible. I used this system a lot and it has never failed me yet. Just the other week I removed a snapped off bolt from a $8K Lycoming Engine case half and there was only a 1/16 of an inch sticking up, not to mention that it wasn't even flat, so that left even less of a grip. Good luck, just take your time and you'll be fine.
-TysonComment
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Re: Piece of cake gravy job
I agree with the above post. Cut a slot in the remains of the bolt then apply heat. The aluminum will expand and the bolt should unscrew with a screw driver. Make sure you get the aluminum nice and hot. I'm pretty sure it will come right out.Comment
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Re: Piece of cake gravy job
Well I have it soaking in mouse milk now and I'll leave it like that till the weekend. I like the idea of cutting a slot and turning it out with a screw driver but I'll be suprised if that works on this one. You see the reason that it broke is because the threaded portion is seized from corrosion and not from over tightening so I'll have to get the corrosion to let go first, then it should be a piece of cake(crossing my fingers).Comment
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Re: Piece of cake gravy job
Hey one more thing that works well with that system is to put your screw driver in the freezer for a few hours about going at it. If you are planning on heating the Alum. then you might as well cool the bolt. It doesn't seem like it makes much of a difference, but it really does. You can also use a bit of dry ice to cool the bolt as well. I've never used the mouse milk or whatever it is, but I have used the PB and I love it.
Good luck again,
-TysonComment
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Re: need advice on removing a broken bolt
Greg,
I had the same problem on my 67 vette thermostat housing bolt. Try heating the bolt with a propane torch and take a candle and melt the wax down into the threads. This will lubricate the threads and the bolt will come right out. The idea of cutting a slot for a screw driver is a good idea instead of trying to turn the bolt with vice grips.Comment
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