Broken Cam Cover Bolt... =(

Am I screwed??? The bolt broke off down in the head a few mm into the bolt threads. There's still maybe 7-10 mm of threads in the head. Those bolts were on there tight! Felt much tighter than 12 ft-lb. I'm surprised the other 15 didn't shear as well. Any suggestions for getting the dang thing out??? Thanks in advance for any help!

Maverick

Did it break of going in or coming out. If you over torqed it and it snapped then now that the head is off there is no longer tension on the threads and it should come off relatively easy with an easy out.

If it snapped off coming out, it's probably corroded and you should use lot's of penetrating oil and perhaps heat before trying an easy out on it.

What was that trick some one posted a few weeks back about using ALUM to disolve the steel?

Hey Steve,
Will your alum technique work on a broken bolt?

How to disolve an extractor

TIA
KZCSI

As long as it's a steel bolt suck in aluminum it should, but I think I'd try a few other things first.
Letting PB Blaster soak into it for a few days.
Heat the head with a torch.
Try the hot wax method.
Try turning it with a hammer and punch.

follow the link, the EDM is the best way to go, you are not going to be able to drill the hard steel by hand,

Thanks everybody for the tips... She's soaking in PB Blaster right now. Should be easy enough to heat the block around the bolt - you can tell which part of the casting she lies in. Heating up the cast head isn't going to weaken the aluminum in any way, is it?

Another question: What exactly is an "easy out?" I have a bolt extractor that maybe what you're talking about. Here's how it works: First you drill a hole down the troublesome bolt. Then you hammer this square headed tap-like bit into the hole. Once the bit is well seated, you turn it out with a tap handle. Is that what your talking about or do I need a different tool?

Anyway, I've screwed these things up before and I'm debating about whether I should just take the thing into a machine shop to get it out. I don't need to learn an expensive lesson here. Besides, I need to have some other work done at the shop anyway.

Any suggestions for preventing this sort of mishap in the future? Grease on the threads? Anti-seize? Blue threadlock?

Cheers!

Easy-out, the most misnamed tool there is
They will make you pull your hair out when they break off in the hole. Maybe they should be called easy hair out? Better name is screw extractors.

If you are going to the machine shop anyway, then you might as well save yourself the agravation amd let the machinist deal with it

Ant_Seize is a good idea.

Man did I misread...I thought CAP bolt...

-Duck

Post edited by: Duck, at: 2006/02/06 11:14

the pointed end of a file that goes into handle can be used as an easyout in an emergency:whistle: goodluck ,happy wrenching

NOTE to anyone without a milling machine!

The easy out is a broken off bolt/screw extractor. If the bolt snapped when trying to remove it, it is crystalized and stuck pretty good. You first drill a pilot hole then turn the EZ-out in counter-clockwise. Put a bit of pressure on and you will feel the EZ-Out begin to twist. If the bolt doesn't start backing out, you WILL break the EZ-Out which is hardened steel which is VERY VERY VERY brittle! If it breaks, go find a milling machine as normal drill bits will bounce off it and make a mess of the hole. If you DO use an EZ-Out, make sure you gently test it by turning GENTLY (counter-clockwise) and if the bolt doesn't break loose with a gentle turning, then SKIP THE EZ-OUT!. Drill the bolt out and retap the hole. Use a drill at least 1mm smaller than the hole size as it will tend to wander some and open the hole up anyway. Use a punch on the bolt end in its center to make a start point so the drill doesn't wander. If the tap doesn't cut easily, DON'T force the tap as it is hard and brittle too and you will once again need the milling machine to remove a broken tap.

I would suggest always using the fluted (sqaure) type EZ out as apposed to the Twist (spiral) type. The twist type tends to expand the bolt and increases the problem.
Harry