What have I done?!

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BEEK
Posts: 1833
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 10:45 pm
Your car is a: 1975 Spider
Location: clermont fl

Re: What have I done?!

Post by BEEK »

honestly, if it was in my shop, i would weld tot he top of it with my mig welder, then grab the piece i create and unscrew the bolt. some people went a nut and then remove it with a wrench. but i prefer just welding to the bolt and using vise grips. i get better penetration with the welds that way
Automotive Service Technology Instructor (34 year Fiat mechanic)
75 spider
, 6 Lancia Scorpions, 2018 Abarth Spider, 500X wifes, 500L 3 82 Zagatos. 82 spider 34k original miles, 83 pininfarina, 8 fiat spider parts cars
son has 78 spider
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rjkoop
Posts: 976
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 6:45 am
Your car is a: 1981 Fiat Spider
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Re: What have I done?!

Post by rjkoop »

BEEK wrote:honestly, if it was in my shop, i would weld tot he top of it with my mig welder, then grab the piece i create and unscrew the bolt. some people went a nut and then remove it with a wrench. but i prefer just welding to the bolt and using vise grips. i get better penetration with the welds that way
Yep. Don't have access to a welder but this may be a last resort. I've read a bit and a masonary bit with cutting oil might help. I'll try a smaller one to ensure I don't get near the threads. The hardened screw extractor is in the middle so I'm hoping the bit, once started, might catch the extractor and screw it out (because turning it clockwise will remove it). Then I'm back to the original broken off bolt which I think I can get out with progressively larger bits.
dmwhiteoak
Posts: 1088
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2011 1:12 pm
Your car is a: 1972 Fiat 124 spider
Location: White Oak Tx

Re: What have I done?!

Post by dmwhiteoak »

If it were me, I would do as beek suggested. I have done this a few times with success. If you don't have a welding machine find a buddy that does. A wire welder works great. When you start trying to drill the extractor and the stud it can lead to other problems. When I bought my car the p o had broken a bolt for the alt bracket and an extractor in it. He had already started drilling it out. He got off center and got into the block. After 8 hours in a buddy's machine shop and 3 high dollar carbide bits , I finally was able to get it out. Along with repairing the bolt hole and taping to a larger size. If I had as much of the bolt exposed as you have, 2 hour job at the most with problems.
Dennis Modisette

1972 124 Spider
2003 Chevrolet Z71
2007 GMC Yucon
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rjkoop
Posts: 976
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 6:45 am
Your car is a: 1981 Fiat Spider
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Re: What have I done?!

Post by rjkoop »

Anybody in the Ottawa area have a MIG welder I could borrow for an evening/weekend? Or someone who could help get that EZ Out out? (there's a case of beer in it for you!) I want to try the weld a nut to the broken off bolt. Drilling's going nowhere fast! :( I tried breaking apart the EZ Out (never using EZ Outs again!) but very little progress. Otherwise I'll head out to Home Depot and hope the MIG welding thing works.
Andre124

Re: What have I done?!

Post by Andre124 »

Richard I do have a mig but I'm out of argon/co2 mix right now.

I hope to get a fresh tank this week if time permits.

Andre
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rjkoop
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Your car is a: 1981 Fiat Spider
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Re: What have I done?!

Post by rjkoop »

Andre124 wrote:Richard I do have a mig but I'm out of argon/co2 mix right now.

I hope to get a fresh tank this week if time permits.

Andre
Andre,
I'd pay you for the fill for sure. To do my interior I rented a MIG welder from Home Depot but I didn't use gas. I used the flux wire. Wasn't really impressed with the unit or the results. That being said I was new to welding. Hopefully this nut trick is pretty easy to do. I'm still looking for a specialized drill bit but came up empty at places like Home Depot and Lowes.

Richard
dmwhiteoak
Posts: 1088
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2011 1:12 pm
Your car is a: 1972 Fiat 124 spider
Location: White Oak Tx

Re: What have I done?!

Post by dmwhiteoak »

I found my carbide bits at a machine shop supply store. Bits were pricey but effective. I'm thinking the carbide bits at the Home Depot and lowes are just carbide tipped. Good luck on getting the head bolt out.
Dennis Modisette

1972 124 Spider
2003 Chevrolet Z71
2007 GMC Yucon
Andre124

Re: What have I done?!

Post by Andre124 »

Yeah those easy outs are crap.

Had one break off in my cailper on the British sport car. Grrr.
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rjkoop
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Your car is a: 1981 Fiat Spider
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Re: What have I done?!

Post by rjkoop »

dmwhiteoak wrote:I found my carbide bits at a machine shop supply store. Bits were pricey but effective. I'm thinking the carbide bits at the Home Depot and lowes are just carbide tipped. Good luck on getting the head bolt out.
Didn't realize you could get carbide bit vs. carbide tipped. The ones from Home Depot were definitely only carbide tipped. I'll call around Ottawa (more at the specialty tool stores or maybe Sears) and see what I can find.

Thanks.
redcars
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Your car is a: 1981 Spider 2000
Location: Collinsville, IL

Re: What have I done?!

Post by redcars »

I get my special carbide bits from McMastercarr about 35.00 each and can usually drill out just 2 or 3 broken taps with them.
1987 Lotus Super 7 clone
1981 Fiat Spider 2000 AT
1982 Fiat Spider 2000 5sd
1970 Fiat Coupe
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rjkoop
Posts: 976
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 6:45 am
Your car is a: 1981 Fiat Spider
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Re: What have I done?!

Post by rjkoop »

So drilling through a EZ out is next to impossible. 3 carbide drill bits later and only about 1/4" of material removed. I also tried the hit it and it should fracture but that didn't do anything. So I drilled small holes around the EZ out and I'm going to extract it that way. The block threads will probably be ruined so I'm looking to retap. I saw these.

http://www.timesert.com/

Looks much better than helicoil. Other option is that I tow it to a machinist and they refill and retap. Thoughts?
Last edited by rjkoop on Tue Jul 30, 2013 2:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
fiat218
Posts: 5745
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 5:06 pm
Your car is a: 1969 124 AS spider

Re: What have I done?!

Post by fiat218 »

rjkoop wrote:
BEEK wrote:honestly, if it was in my shop, i would weld tot he top of it with my mig welder, then grab the piece i create and unscrew the bolt. some people went a nut and then remove it with a wrench. but i prefer just welding to the bolt and using vise grips. i get better penetration with the welds that way
Yep. Don't have access to a welder but this may be a last resort. I've read a bit and a masonary bit with cutting oil might help. I'll try a smaller one to ensure I don't get near the threads. The hardened screw extractor is in the middle so I'm hoping the bit, once started, might catch the extractor and screw it out (because turning it clockwise will remove it). Then I'm back to the original broken off bolt which I think I can get out with progressively larger bits.
Masonry bit? To drill out metal,ain't going to work,the end will bust off
Jim
East Grand Forks MN
1970 Fiat Spider BS1 ( FOR SALE
1969 124 AS Spider
2017 Abrath
2018 Alfa Romeo 4c Spider
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rjkoop
Posts: 976
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 6:45 am
Your car is a: 1981 Fiat Spider
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Re: What have I done?!

Post by rjkoop »

fiat218 wrote:
rjkoop wrote:
BEEK wrote:honestly, if it was in my shop, i would weld tot he top of it with my mig welder, then grab the piece i create and unscrew the bolt. some people went a nut and then remove it with a wrench. but i prefer just welding to the bolt and using vise grips. i get better penetration with the welds that way
Yep. Don't have access to a welder but this may be a last resort. I've read a bit and a masonary bit with cutting oil might help. I'll try a smaller one to ensure I don't get near the threads. The hardened screw extractor is in the middle so I'm hoping the bit, once started, might catch the extractor and screw it out (because turning it clockwise will remove it). Then I'm back to the original broken off bolt which I think I can get out with progressively larger bits.
Masonry bit? To drill out metal,ain't going to work,the end will bust off
Yep. Didn't work. I've decided to retap. I mentioned this later on in the thread.
BEEK
Posts: 1833
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 10:45 pm
Your car is a: 1975 Spider
Location: clermont fl

Re: What have I done?!

Post by BEEK »

what didnt work? did the welded area break off or did the bolt break again lower?
Automotive Service Technology Instructor (34 year Fiat mechanic)
75 spider
, 6 Lancia Scorpions, 2018 Abarth Spider, 500X wifes, 500L 3 82 Zagatos. 82 spider 34k original miles, 83 pininfarina, 8 fiat spider parts cars
son has 78 spider
narfire
Posts: 3959
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 2:14 am
Your car is a: 1980 124 spider
Location: Naramata B.C.

Re: What have I done?!

Post by narfire »

Welding to the bolt works.... try it you'll like it !!!!

Might take a bit of leg work on your behalf. if you have an electric dryer outlet, one can source a plug adapter that will work with the welder plug and a 140 or 180 type mig welder will work just great and the broken bolt will just unscrew .
have to find a person with the welder as well... bit of leg work but you will not be disappointed with the results.
http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic ... ck#p165926

About half way down are a few pics.
Chris
80 FI spider
72 work in progress
2017 Golf R ( APR Stg. 1)
2018 F350 crew long box
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