broken bolt

[cg318ti]

Help!! I was changing the thermostat and while removing the bolts on the cover one broke off and I can't remove it. Any suggestions?

[elchicano]

When i replaced my thermo i didn't do it so i don't know what your working with. But since the bolt broke you should try to drill it out.

[elchicano]

Also Carlos my bad for jacking the thread but theres a meet on saturday let me know if you wanna come.

[dave45056]

If there is nothing sticking out, try an easy-out... if you have a dremel, You can use it to make a divot in the screw to get the drill started. Any hardware stor should have this. Also, make it easy on yourself and buy some PB Blaster or CRC Freeze-off. It will make the bolt easier to screw out. Good luck

[aceyx]

This happened to me. Is there any portion of the bolt sticking out?

If so, go down to sears and get this. It fits over the bolt, and is near the screw extractors.

Also pick up a can of PB Blaster/Kroil/any penetrating spray (NOT WD-40) from the auto parts store.

I filled the openings with aluminum foil before starting anything. Spray the exposed bolt with penetrating spray. Find the bolt extractor that sits over the bolt, then go one size down. You'll probably need a hammer to get it over the bolt, this is what I had to do. Try and keep it straight.

As you're turning, try and keep the shaft straight. I'll upload pics in a bit.

[adamud]

Originally Posted by dave45056

If there is nothing sticking out, try an easy-out...

DO NOT DO THIS. Only if you have some of it sticking out should you try this!! That way when it breaks... You can then dremel it out and then drill it out and retap it. If you break an easy out your S.O.L... If worse comes to worse.. Three bolts will hold it fine without any leaking. I know this for a fact (not on my ti, but a friends).

[aceyx]

Originally Posted by adamud

Three bolts will hold it fine without any leaking. I know this for a fact (not on my ti, but a friends).

Only for so long. Trust me, it's something you want to fix at some point.

I updated my gallery with the pictures:
http://www.318ti.org/gallery/showgal...895&ppuser=950


Also, I second NOT using ez-outs. Only in limited cases do they work, and here there's a better tool for it.

Best of luck, hopefully I replied in time.

[cg318ti]

I don't have anything sticking out.So I think I'm gonna have to use an easy-out.

[cg318ti]

Dave I seen you guys were going to meet up but have plans already. plus I'm not sure if I will get the car running by then

[adamud]

Originally Posted by cg318ti

I don't have anything sticking out.So I think I'm gonna have to use an easy-out.

What you can do is drill it out and then try an re-tap it. If the tap doesn't hold, then your final option is the get a helicoil. I also know helicoils work.. (another friends car).
If you don't feel you can do it yourself, then take it somewhere where they can try it.

I'd try the tool aceyx referred first.

[aceyx]

Originally Posted by cg318ti

I don't have anything sticking out.So I think I'm gonna have to use an easy-out.

Try a left-handed bit first; you have to pre-drill for an ez-out to work right anyway.

Penetrating spray, use a center punch and hammer to start (and help release the threads) and drill.

If you have a machine shop near you, ask them where to get the bits. They're normally not carried by Lowe's/Home Depot/Menards/Whatever.

[montrealblue7]

Originally Posted by cg318ti

I don't have anything sticking out.So I think I'm gonna have to use an easy-out.

I had the same problem, trying to remove the thermostat housing bolts (this might be a design fault ?), but fortunately the bolts sheared flush with the thermostat housing instead of the cylinder head.

To prevent bolt seizure, I used WD40 (which wasn't that helpful), and some other penetrating oil.

The top two bolts had the heads sheared off when I tried to remove them. Fortunately, the bottom two bolts came out a little more easily, undamaged.

With the bottom bolts removed, and no bolt head to hold the thermostat back on the top 2 bolts, I managed slide the thermostat housing off.

This left 2 headless bolts stuck in the Cylinder head.

I bought some Easy Outs (at least that's what I think they were), removed the radiator to make room for the drill, and and was just about to use them.

However, from what I read about Easy Outs [on this forum and elsewhere], I realised there was quite a possibility of them breaking, thus possibly causing more work, hence this wasn't such a good idea.

Instead, I read some articles on bolt removal. It was repeatedly suggested that Thermal shock was very effective in loosening seized bolts, so I bought a blowtorch (butane/propane mixture), and set to work on the seized bolts.

I would heat the bolts and the cylinder head area around the bolt (slowly moving the blowtorch) for about 10/15 seconds, then immediately spray cool water on the heated area. This procees was repeated about 10 times on both bolts.

Following this thermal loosening, I tightened 2 M6 nuts BACK TO BACK, about half way down the bolt. This has the effect of trying to put a head back onto the bolt, for the purpose of unfastening the bolt.

Turning a 10mm ring spanner anticlockwise, on the inner nut only (closest to the Cylinder head), the bolt slowly began to move.

TIPS:

• It is important that ONLY the inner nut is turned anticlockwise. The outer nut must not be turned anticlockwise, since it is used to lock the inner nut to the bolt and prevent it from loosening.
• The ring spanner will have to be fixed and unfixed to the inner nut, when the inner nut is being turned due to the very limited turning angle.
• I tried using a 10mm ratchet spanner, but this couldn't grip the innner nut.
• Removing the Water Pump pulley, just below the thermostat housing (4 of 10mm bolts), provided a greater spanner turning angle.

If you need borrow or buy tools, borrowing another car is really helpful.

Without doubt, the most important thing is to be patient and to try the least destructive methods first.

Regards,
MB7

[red rider]

If your still looking for help, here is a general rule to doing it yourself if you have never tapped a broken bolt before.

If you have a good view of the broken bolt you can do it. What this means is that you need to have the room to be able to look straight in on the bolt. This is important becauce you will need room for your tools to work straight and centered.

NOW: What a reverse tap does. You pre-drill a small guide hole dead center of the broken bolt. Then, the tap is "simular" to a drill bit; but, with reversed threads. This allows the tap to bit in, Not cut into, the bolt. Once it grabs on, it will spin the bolt out. It must be centered and you CANNOT use force (ie. a drill or force on a socket) to tap it out. Either with a very slow turn on a socket, or even better a small handheld wrench, turn the tap.

Two warnings:
If you don't have the room and angle to tap the bolt staight and centered, let someone with experience do it for you. Even if you have to pay, it is worth it.

And, really important, when purchasing a reverse tap, expensive is better. It will be the difference between about three dollars and 15 dollars. I know, because I grew up tapping bolts on farm trucks and equipment. Last week I had to tap a bolt on my ti that holds down the valve cover. I just went down to the local auto shop and bought a cheap tap thinking this would be an easy job because the bolt broke while I was putting it in; hence, no freezing/ sticking problem. WRONG ANSWER. The tip of the tap snapped off and I swear it looked like it was made from pot metal. What a disappointment. A quality tap will save you a lot of hassle.

Red
'95 318Ti