Snapped bolt :s

[RockyF75]

Was changing the thermostat today, and one of the 3 bolts sheered off just after I started to un-do it. So now i have half the bolt still in the hole, and half of it out .... If i re-drill the hole, getting rid of the bolt and the thread, or atleast some/most of it, would putting a NUT and bolt through it be enough to hold the pressure? Both the top and bottom of the housing is flat enough for the nut/bolt to sit fairlt flush with it.... i think it should work Just want to make sure i'm not missing anything blatanlty obvious, as I need the car back on the road by monday.
At the moment water/coolant is spitting out of there when driving

[RockyF75]

Its the bolt in the top right corner, sheered half way now.

[Shorty40]

Ezy Out

[christover1]

Is there any thread sticking out that you could clamp locking grip pliers to?
If so INOX spray, or to a lesser extent wd40 rp7 type spray may help loosen it.

from the picture, it looks like you could do what you say, but make sure its not going to drill into something like the water jacket, or anything serious.
If its like the front 1 I see, it could be possible to nut and bolt it..

Just a theory, I am not a mechanic, just a bloke who does dodgey stuff,
too
christover

[RockyF75]

Ezy Out

Is that a product? A method? huh, what?

Is there any thread sticking out that you could clamp locking grip pliers to?
If so INOX spray, or to a lesser extent wd40 rp7 type spray may help loosen it.

from the picture, it looks like you could do what you say, but make sure its not going to drill into something like the water jacket, or anything serious.
If its like the front 1 I see, it could be possible to nut and bolt it..

Just a theory, I am not a mechanic, just a bloke who does dodgey stuff,
too
christover

Yeah, me bodgey too .... thought about the grip wrench idea, but from the looks of it there wont be much if any thread sticking out once I remove the top section. It shouuuuld work.... I am just paranoid and looking for reassurance....
I like DIY but crap like this always happens and annoys me sooo much.

[christover1]

EZY out is a type of reverse thread drill, for removing busted threads.
You drill a starter hole normally, then use correct size EZY out in reverse.
It grabs side of hole, and spins in direction needed for removal.
Except backward threads I guess.

I imagine there is other product names too.

christover

[christover1]

sometimes the heat from drilling a hole in the bolt, can crack it loose.
especially when hole gets bigger, and thread gets thinner

christover

[HotFourOk]

Must be them crappy n/a bolts Nath

I reckon you could drill it out and put a new nut and bolt on it... use grade 8 this time.. haha
Then while your drilling it out... if the broken one comes out, your a winner... if not, just use a different one anyways

there wont be much if any thread sticking out once I remove the top section

Go and check! You might be worrying for nothing

[bluemq]

drill it and put a bolt through it, fasten the bolt with a nut.

[Vulcanised]

be very careful with ezy-outs, if the bolt was stuck hard enough to shear off in the first place, you are more than likely to break an ezy-out trying to remove it. If there is a little bolt left hanging out, placea slightly bigger nut over it and weld it to the broken bolt..... usually the heat from the welder will help the bolt release. Allow it to cool before undoing though, and spray it with lots of Inox

[BundyRumandCoke]

If you can, before undoing bolts that have been done up for a long time, give them a good whack with a hammer and pin punch. This sometimes helps break the corrosion between threads. Otherwise, at least undo the nut or bolt slightly, then retighten, then undo again. This also breaks the corrosion. If it starts to get tight again as you are undoing it, retighten and try again. On reassembly, use an anti corrosion product.

For your job, I would take the entire thermostat housing off, and then try the nut welded on trick. If no old bolt is protruding, then carefully with an eaziout, or consider redrilling and retapping the thread. All that is going to be easier when its not hanging off the front of the motor. And while the thermostat housing is off, shove a hose into the block and give it a good flush.

[dumbdunce]

if your time is worth anything to you, the cheapest method is going to be to ditch the entire thermostat housing and get a new one. if you're going to go down the ezy out path, take the entire housing out and stick it in a vice, and don't be too disappointed when (a) the drill wanders off into the soft aluminium housing (b) you drill straight but the ezy out won't budge it (c) the ezy out breaks off and you spend hours getting the shards of hardened steel out (d) you finally get it all out and drill it and tap it for a helicoil (e) you put it back together and it leaks because the housing isn't straight any more after all your dicking around (f) you give up in disgust after 5 hours wasted and $150 spent on ezy outs, helicoil kits, drill bits and beers (g) you leave it until next weekend after ringing your parts bloke to order a new lower housing for you

ok it sounds funnay but chances are that's the way it will go. If I have a customer vehicle with the same problem I give them the option of just shelling out for new parts or paying by the hour while I try and rescue their junk. New parts is almost always cheaper and is always faster assuming the parts are available.

cheers

DD

[V8Patrol]

I have to repair these sorts of things on a regular basis so I've learnt what works and whats good for DYI mechanics to waste their hard earned $$$$$ on ......

1/ SPRAY OILS ( wd40, inox, penetrene, etc )
If there is any movement in the bolt then this stuff will assist initally to gain a bit more movement. What generally happens is the lubricant frees up the thread but it also washes in fine grit & grim which again binds up the thread requiring more spray....... vicious circle begins.....
If there is no movement in the bolt then the spray oils are a complete waste of time unless you soak the part in the stuff for atleast a week ( you've got till monday ! ), ........ think about it, if the thread is that tight that the bolt wont turn then how the hell can the oil get down into the problem area ???

2/ EASY OUTS
Basically they are a left handed thread cone shaped bolt, you drill a hole down the guts of the broken bolt and then insert the easy out and as you screw in the easy out its sposed to grip the broken bolt and undo it.
Sounds simple and they do work some of the time, but ....... usually what happens is the easy out snaps off ! The easy out is made form a tough steel but its brittle so it snaps rather then twists leavin a hard stub in the broken bolt......... drilling the easy out is easy IF you have a dimond tipped drill bit, if not then you'll distroy a few metal drill bits before giving up or you end up drilling down the side of the easy out taking out half the broken bolt and some of the surounding housing !

3/ GIVING IT A TAP
Again this works ........... occasionally ! but usually it damages either the alloy around the bolt or if a punch is used it "flares" the broken bolt making it even tighter in the thread.

4/ LOCKTITE PLIERS
Sometimes there is enough or the broken bolt left sticking out to get a grip on ........ lets face it, if the bolt broke using a rachet then why wouldnt it brake again using the pliers ????? after all the thing is seized but its amazing how many ppl think that a differant tool will magically undo it !







There is only one way that works 100% of the time......

There is only one way that will remove the broken bolt with out phucking the thread.....

There is only one way that this can be done without spending $$$$ on useless tools and oils.....

There is only one way that you can do this without spending hours of frustrating swearing and cussing and leaving your self in a worse state....

and the magic stuff is called ......









HEAT !








weld a nut to the broken stud, pour cold water over it ASAP, undo the nut bringing the stud with it.

or

drill a hole down through the guts of the broken bolt, apply heat down through the drilled hole till the broken stub is glowing red , again add cold water, .......... now you'll find ya easyout will work !

or

Drill out the bolt taking the thread aswell and then get a 'HELICOIL' kit from an auto shop ( instructions are in the kit )

and .........






have a nice day

Kingy

[mavzilla]

place a nut (drink a beer)over the bolt(drink a beer)weld it on(drink a beer)put on a socket (drink a beer)the heat will lossen it(drink a beer)turn the socket(drink a beer)bolt comes out (drink a beer)if it doesnt come out dont worry because your to drunk to drive anyway CHEERS

[hokey]

[DNA Off Road]

Easy out pic for reference

http://www.tools-plus.com/automotive-extractors.html

[RockyF75]

Sorted

Thanks for the replies, in hindsight the weld a nut on idea sounds great... but we ended up just drilling through the bolt with increasing bit sizes, till most of it was gone (thread went too )... so thankfully the new nut and bolt fits. looks bodgey, but it does the job.

Took it for a 15 min drive to repco and found the ezy outs there But its all good now so didn't bother buying em.

[-Scott-]

Buy M6 and M8 Helicoil/Recoil kits. You've worked around the problem this time, but there will be a next time.

Put a stainless thread into the alloy. No need to worry about nuts/washers, and you're unlikely to have the same corrosion problem again. On something like that, I'd helicoil all three at the same time.

My 2c,

Scott

[Hekta]

if your time is worth anything to you, the cheapest method is going to be to ditch the entire thermostat housing and get a new one. if you're going to go down the ezy out path, take the entire housing out and stick it in a vice, and don't be too disappointed when (a) the drill wanders off into the soft aluminium housing (b) you drill straight but the ezy out won't budge it (c) the ezy out breaks off and you spend hours getting the shards of hardened steel out (d) you finally get it all out and drill it and tap it for a helicoil (e) you put it back together and it leaks because the housing isn't straight any more after all your dicking around (f) you give up in disgust after 5 hours wasted and $150 spent on ezy outs, helicoil kits, drill bits and beers (g) you leave it until next weekend after ringing your parts bloke to order a new lower housing for you

ok it sounds funnay but chances are that's the way it will go. If I have a customer vehicle with the same problem I give them the option of just shelling out for new parts or paying by the hour while I try and rescue their junk. New parts is almost always cheaper and is always faster assuming the parts are available.

cheers

DD

[fool_injected]

Done the same the just two weeks ago

Tried ezyout but was going to break so I had to drill it ou
After drilling the bolt out and was left with a dodgy thread
Stripped straight out
Had to re-tap 10mm from 8mm and use a caphead bolt to get clearance on the top where the hex should be for the 8mm bolt

When drilling them out start with a small pilot hole the keep opening it up
I started 1mm and worked up in 1mm steps
Pain in the arse but reduces the chances of f'ing up

Cheers
Wayne

EDIT: Sometimes when the bolt snaps the bit sticking out still has thread on it
File the top smooth and scew two nuts on
Tighten the nuts against each other
The undo the broken bolt with the spanner on the bottom nut only

[4x4Monkey]

file to flat edges either side of the part thast out and get a shifter on it and unscrew it out

or just drill it out and try a heli-coil kit in it it may hold out

[PJ.zook]

We need to start a poll here on what method to use, i for one am definately voting for welding a nut over the stud, its worked for me with busted exhaust header bolts so many times its not funny. As so many have said, heat helps greatly.

[lay80n]

When my lower thermostat housing on my F75 rocky cracked, i got a second hand unit (comlete lower and uper housing and thermostat) from the 4x4 wreckers on the central coast, cant remember the price though. If all else fails might be worth a shot.

Layto....

[beatle_bayly]

On aircraft we use straight-fluted "ezy-outs". They are roughly a bazillion times stronger than the tapered style.

[Shorty40]

On aircraft we use straight-fluted "ezy-outs". They are roughly a bazillion times stronger than the tapered style.

Are they the ones you hammer in ? My brother in law uses them at Volvo. He told me after I snapped 2 normal ezy-outs