Broken easy out removal with Alum.

OK I did it now. I broke off one of the carburetor holder mounting screws on my KZ. Of course I then broke off an easy out in the screw. I found an old post talking about using Alum to eat away the steel easy out, and presumably the steel screw. Has anyone ever tried this? It sounds too good to be true.

Got the link to the old post????

1045

The old post is:

Broken clutch cover screws - 2006/01/18 10:09

we talkin about the screw in the collar that goes over the rubber intake? You have a pic of what your talkin about?

1045 wrote:

Got the link to the old post????

1045

Broken clutch cover screws

Sounds like it could work.
From the description though, the part that the screw/bolt is broken off into needs to be submerged in the stuff. Which could be a PITA if it's the cylinders, or worse yet, the crankcase. :S

I was hoping to use the method of packing alum in around the easy out and keep it moist. A band-aid might work for the moist part. I will probably experiment with the broken remains of the easy out and some aluminum befor I try this on the head.

AHHH NOW I SEE! Man that sucks... Yeah I can see how that would be a problem. I think your solution sounds like the best thing to try first. I've tried to drill into hardened steel extractors and drill bits before, doesnt work out too good. I dont know if you could find some kind of air chisel attachment small enough to try and break the extractor free but that would be dangerous to everything around it anyway. I did see something on myth busters once where he used salsa and low voltage low current DC power to eat an iron bar, it worked amazingly well on iron and he was able to concentrate it with what looked like could be reasonable accuracy. I think the theory would be found on the internet if all esle fails it might be worth a try No clue if it would work on steel but I reckon it would. I don't know what I would do, besides bashing my head against the wall. Good luck, let us know how you get it done.

Ron

I think the process you are talking about is called galvanic corrosion. It is the chemical reaction that occurs when dissimilar metals are placed next to each other in the presence of a conductor. In your case, the alum would be the catalyst for the process. I'm thinking that you would probably end up eating away more of the head material than the broken bolt or easyout, which may not leave enough material for a helicoil thread replacement. As a repair option, consider pulling the head and taking it to a machine shop to have the broken bolt EDM (electrical discharge machining) machined out. A lot of work, and probably expensive ($100) for 1 hour of setup and 1 hour of machine time, but your options for using that carb inlet are limited. You could maybe find another head and replace the one you have. Anyone else have suggestions?

Wow. I feel for you, man.

I think Grantl may have the right idea about a machine
shop to save that head. I would never have the patience for galvanic corrosion, salsa or otherwise!

Hope it works out.

~twist

did you try heating the aluminum with a propane torch,aluminum expands more than steel.

the only other way I see you geting the easyout out is dremil/cutoff wheel.

cut the aluminum at a slant from bottom to top on both sides of the screw,remove the screw,have the piece welded back,retap and your good to go.

just my .02

the way to get that out is to put a 4 or 6mm nut over the broken screw and extractor and then weld it from the inside of the nut. as it cools it should spin outta there. done it and it works.

Hello, have you tried a carbide drill bit to drill thru the hardened easy out? I've used the carbide drill bit to drill out a broken threading tap in a broken stud.