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Re: What have I done?!

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 1:08 am
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

Re: What have I done?!

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 7:18 am
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.

Re: What have I done?!

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 9:05 am
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.

Re: What have I done?!

Posted: Sun Jul 28, 2013 4:40 pm
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.

Re: What have I done?!

Posted: Sun Jul 28, 2013 8:16 pm
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

Re: What have I done?!

Posted: Sun Jul 28, 2013 9:15 pm
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

Re: What have I done?!

Posted: Sun Jul 28, 2013 9:24 pm
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.

Re: What have I done?!

Posted: Sun Jul 28, 2013 9:34 pm
by Andre124
Yeah those easy outs are crap.

Had one break off in my cailper on the British sport car. Grrr.

Re: What have I done?!

Posted: Sun Jul 28, 2013 10:10 pm
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.

Re: What have I done?!

Posted: Sun Jul 28, 2013 11:27 pm
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.

Re: What have I done?!

Posted: Tue Jul 30, 2013 7:33 am
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?

Re: What have I done?!

Posted: Tue Jul 30, 2013 8:56 am
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

Re: What have I done?!

Posted: Tue Jul 30, 2013 9:02 am
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.

Re: What have I done?!

Posted: Tue Jul 30, 2013 9:36 pm
by BEEK
what didnt work? did the welded area break off or did the bolt break again lower?

Re: What have I done?!

Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2013 12:35 am
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