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How screwed am I? Looks like pretty screwed.

Dabba

Dabba

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My cucv just broke a starter bolt, about half inch of the end is still in the tranny bellhousing. The bolt I believe is hardened steel while the tranny is aluminum? How should I go about getting this out, or should I just pay a proffesional to do it? I dont even know how she broke it :doah:

starter.jpg
 
If its a 6.2 its not in the tranny its in the block. mine did it and I was able to just spin it out with a finger tip.
 
or get a small bit and drill/easy-out it
 
The bolt is recessed into the hole so i can't get a grip on it. I'll look into easy out. I've heard it might be hard with hardened bolts though?
 
did the starter have the brace??? if you have used easy outs before then try it yourself if not take it to a shop and have them do it, you don't want to **** up the block
 
I've seen this happen before with bolts in blind holes. Now that it's broken there is no tension left on the threads and they basically unscrew with little effort. Problem is getting something in the hole to grip it.

I've heard everything from left hand drill bits and easy outs to using a punch in a hole off center and spinning it out with the punch as well as a flat chisel used to knock a line in it and turn it out with that (much like a flat blade screwdriver). Spray some lube in there and give it a shot.
 
If there's no tension on the broken bolt you could try putting a dab of high strength liquid epoxy on the tip of a bolt and snug it up. Let it dry for 24 hrs and see if you can ease it out. You might want to put some anti-seize on the threads of the bolt though so any excess epoxy doesn't stick to threads making it harder to get out.
 
wooden pencil, eraser end. should back it right out
 
I wouldn't want to introduce anything with adhesive qualities into the situation. Anti sieze will not prevent it from squeezing out in between the 2 and blocking the small piece in cause it will only be on the big half of the bolt, you couldn't get it in there to protect the threads of the broken piece. Too risky in my opinion.
 
You already have some good sugestions to try. Try a fine point pick and see if you can unscrew it out if it's freed up. Use some carburator cleaner to get any deree out of the open threads so as you back it out if you can it does not lock up on grease or grime.

This is the kind of situation where if you HAVE to drill it for a easy out, I would want a drill jig and drill bushing to keep my drill bit on center so it didn't walk off center and wipe the threads out on the rest of the hole. I would start with a small drill, stake it with a center punch IF you have access to it. Make sure your stake point is on center.

If you hit it on center, drill it with a 3/32 drill to start. Keep it as straight as possible. Then work up to a slightly larger drill. Once it is the correct size for the spicific easy out, knock it in and try and back it out. I prefer the square tapered easyouts over the reverse spiral easyouts. Those suck.

Something kind of like this.

http://www.toolprice.com/product/6912D/7-Pc-Square-Easy-Out-Set-Screw-Extractor-Desco-USA.html
 
No adhesives...... don't use anything adhesive.


I've used all the methods mentioned as well. they can all work, depending on the specific situation.


if you have a stick welder. what we do in the equipment shop, is take a pipe nipple (NPT) that is just smaller than the ID of the bolt hole. and say 3" long. put it on top of the broken bolt. put stick in center of pipe nipple. melt some weld in the bottom. give it a minute or 2 to cool. and it'll turn out by hand generally. or put a set of vice grips on the nipple. or if you want to really giver nails. weld a nut to the top of the nipple and ratchet it, or blast it with an impact.

I do it all the time. Not quite daily, but weekly for sure. Bulldozers in an active mine really break stuff.
 
I snapped a drill bit trying to dig into hardened bolt. I the brace mounted on the front of the starter but found that the bolt on the block was lose, because after i took the last bolt out, i could just slide the starter forward with the brace on. My friend suggested trying to drill it and then tapping in a star key to get a grip on it, but I broke the damn bit after removing the starter and dropping the front d-shaft to do it. I tried to get something up there and just turn it but either I'm not getting a good enough grip or she's in there tight.

Inspection is due, in a month, im wondering how much the shop would charge, probably an hours labor. I just might have it brought up there and have it all done at once. Just sucks to have it towed. I can try the eraser, but maybe I'm just getting older and crankier but laying on my back in the dirty cold street in november futsin around with a hardened bolt does not interest me as much anymore haha. Maybe if it was warm and/or I had a lift...
 
If you're going to drill it at all. Its a waste to NOT use left hand drill bit. Cause often when the bit starts drilling then grabs, it walks right out and you DO NOT BREAK THE BIT because the bolt starts moving before the bit breaks. and you don't have to use the easy outs at all. The snap on easy outs are by far the best. I find the square ones round off way too easily.

I've often used the 2 pick method as well, if its not too deep and actually turns.
 
DEMON44 said:
If you're going to drill it at all. Its a waste to NOT use left hand drill bit. Cause often when the bit starts drilling then grabs, it walks right out. and you don't have to use the easy outs at all. The snap on easy outs are by far the best. I find the square ones round off way too easily.

I've often used the 2 pick method as well, if its not too deep and actually turns.
Click to expand...


Agree with the LH drill bits. Just make sure they're Cobalt and NOT HSS. The Sq. ones pictured in the link I posted I don't like as much as the ones with an actual flute that cuts into the material of the bolt as it's driven in. Those bite good.
 
I used the nuts off my Snap on set when I worked only on engines/ small bolt stuff. Snap-on REX10B set. I agree cheap versions of them are garbage. but the snap on ones kick ass.

like this.

REX104A.jpg
 
DEMON44 said:
If you're going to drill it at all. Its a waste to NOT use left hand drill bit. Cause often when the bit starts drilling then grabs, it walks right out and you DO NOT BREAK THE BIT because the bolt starts moving before the bit breaks.
Click to expand...
:sign17:
 
Hmm, Im going to stop by the shop and ask for prices, and I'll probably try to get a LH collbat bit and try that first. I already have the starter down and driveshaft disconnected. If it doesnt grab or snaps, I think ill take it to the shop. Something tells me that peice of bolt is stuck in there good. Just how things work haha
 
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