Broken tap

[St Jimmy]

My son was cleaning the exhaust threads out, and on the last hole we broke the tap. Any ideas,how to get it out. As i dont want to take the head off again
regards
james

[RAY185]

Must have been doing a little more than "cleaning the thread" for it to snap off in there. More info needed. Is it broken off flush? Any part of the tap protruding? Try and weld to the other end of the broken piece (presumably it's still in the driver you were using). If you can weld to it, weld a nut to the broken tap and wind it out with a socket.

[St Jimmy]

Must have been doing a little more than "cleaning the thread" for it to snap off in there. More info needed. Is it broken off flush? Any part of the tap protruding? Try and weld to the other end of the broken piece (presumably it's still in the driver you were using). If you can weld to it, weld a nut to the broken tap and wind it out with a socket.

No its not flush,cannot weld it i think he put a bit of downward pressure on it when he was unscrewing it and the rest is

[chimpboy]

Could be quite tricky as it is going to be pretty hard steel.

Do you think you can drill into the centre of it to get an ezyout into it?

[stock 4runner]

there is a company called thread teck im not sure the exact spelling but thats all they do is broken bolts and stuff . last time i used them it cost me $50 and it was the best $50 i ever spent cause i would have had to pull the head off as well.

[RAY185]

there is a company called thread teck im not sure the exact spelling but thats all they do is broken bolts and stuff . last time i used them it cost me $50 and it was the best $50 i ever spent cause i would have had to pull the head off as well.

Threadtech is a Brisbane based company, Boner is in NSW I think? Must be a mob that specialise in it over there though. I agree, Threadtech are very good, cost a bit more than $50 these days though.

I think this is the best option Boner, if you can't weld to it just call someone out. It's only going to be a bigger problem if you snap an ezyout in there, that is if you can even drill a hole in the tap to start with.

[TheOtherLeft]

there is a company called thread teck im not sure the exact spelling but thats all they do is broken bolts and stuff . last time i used them it cost me $50 and it was the best $50 i ever spent cause i would have had to pull the head off as well.

Threadtech is a Brisbane based company, Boner is in NSW I think? Must be a mob that specialise in it over there though. I agree, Threadtech are very good, cost a bit more than $50 these days though.

I think this is the best option Boner, if you can't weld to it just call someone out. It's only going to be a bigger problem if you snap an ezyout in there, that is if you can even drill a hole in the tap to start with.

What method do those Nut & Bolt guys use to remove studs???

[ISUZUROVER]

No its not flush,cannot weld it ...

Not flush implies protruding - so can weld it - or are you saying it is recessed???

How much tap is in the hole, and what size tap?

[oldmate]

what part of the thread is sticking out?

If it's got some of the rounded shaft on it a stud extractor or rounded bolt/nut extractor will do the trick

like this

http://www.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl= ... 70&bih=588" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I think i might even have one small enough for a typical tap so give us a yell if you want a hand.

[St Jimmy]

what part of the thread is sticking out?

If it's got some of the rounded shaft on it a stud extractor or rounded bolt/nut extractor will do the trick

like this

http://www.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl= ... 70&bih=588" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I think i might even have one small enough for a typical tap so give us a yell if you want a hand.

Nothing sticking out its all in the hole

[RAY185]

Nothing sticking out its all in the hole

That's what she said....

[oldmate]

Nothing sticking out its all in the hole

That's what she said....

Really? I don't have that problem. In fact 3 inches of me is still a virgin.

But back on the topic of tapping things... If you can't drill the tap for an ezyout, you might beable to get some needle nose pliers into the channels on the tap to wind it out. Otherwise you could try chiseling at it. most taps are hard, but brittle and will break easy enough (as you discovered).

[jrh86]

because its hardened steel go and get a brand new centre punch and start
smashing the tap into peices and removing the peices out of the hole as you go
i am a motorcycle mechinc, back yarders bring me stuff like this all the time
and this is how i get broken drills and taps out dont be to worried about the thread in the hole because you can helicoil it latter if you make a mess
hope this helps

[KiwiBacon]

Spark eroding is a sure-fire way to get it out. But it will mean removing the head.

[GUtripper]

Spark eroding is a sure-fire way to get it out. But it will mean removing the head.

Ditto that, I once broke a tap in an alloy cylinder (was cleaning up threads for new head studs to go in).

Spark erroding was the only way to get it out cleanly, looks like you may have to pull the head off again if none of the above suggestions help.

[chimpboy]

As with the guy in Qld, there's a guy in Vic called "the thread doctor." Cost me a hundred bucks to get a few snapped water pump bolts removed and the holes fully repaired and rethreaded, all in situ.

It didn't take him very long and he did a perfect job. If I had kept going with my own efforts I'd just have done damage I think. I snapped an ezy-out in one of the bolts, and at that point I decided it was time to call in the cavalry and not risk damaging the block. It was worth a hundred bucks to avoid the stress!

[Clanky]

http://www.newmantools.com/walton/extrtap.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Tap extractor - some half decent engineering supply should get you one

Or

http://www.yellowpages.com.au/nsw/horns ... sting.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

if you want to ask someone to do it

[St Jimmy]

I have admitted defeat and
sent the head off to the engine builders

[Clanky]

I have admitted defeat and
sent the head off to the engine builders

Was that the young fellas head, or the cars head?

[5inchgq]

I have admitted defeat and
sent the head off to the engine builders

Engineers black book is your friend James.

http://www.justtools.com.au/prod3321.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I was looking through one today at work and didn't have time to read the "removing broken taps" pages.

[V.W.Dave]

The tap would have broken due to heat. threading or cleaning threads on soft metals causes heat when you are going in. Not much but enough. then when you stop if you don't remove it as soon as possible the hole you have tapped will have a small amount of heat shrink causing the tap to get stuck. To provent this you must use a GOOD cutting oil when tapping soft metals.