VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 I am about to lose my mind with this engine head..

Hey All,
So I took the head off, had it checked, put on the new head gasket with sealer (extra precaution) and just as I was about to put it on *snap* goes one of the head bolts... Anyone have any expert advice on how to get this out?

Thanks,
Davis

A quick reply...

If the head is still on....
Use a drill which is the same size as the bolt hole. Drill down just enough to create a small indentation in the remaining bolt stub. This allows the next drill to be centered on the bolt stub. Then go with a smaller drill bit and drive down at least 1/2".

Now.. this procedure assumes that you have a set of "Easy Outs".
They are available almost everywhere.

After you drill the pilot hole, then you need to drill using one of the matched drill/easyout combinations. Once you have a "standard" size drilled, then use the corresponding easy-out. It will "dig" down into the hole and grip the bolt. assuming that the bolt isn't too stuck, it will begin to back out of the hole.

Good Luck.

--Bill

Great description Bill. I wish to add that many Easy Outs are sold in sets with the accompanying correct drill size that compliments the Easy Out. The drill bits to these are left machined so that you must use your drill in reverse. In a lot of cases just the drilling process begins extracting the the broken remainder of the bolt. Good luck, Mike

P.S. Yesterday while reattaching my flywheel cover I got the wonderful pop sound of a braking bolt. I wish I had Bill's info. Fortunately, my engine was still on its engine stand.

Part of me just loves to reuse my old bolts, but after all these years and my taking them in and out without torquing them properly the consequence is 1nevitable

Good luck in finding a bolt removal kit at ACE hardware or Walmart! I found some left hand drill bits years ago at an Army Surplus store. Back then I didn't have a good drill motor that would reverse, so that wasn't too good of a deal either.

In the case of a flywheel etc., etc., don't remove the flywheel until you have used the hole in the flywheel to guide the bit that you use to make the center depression. , this is a critical step,(getting the center of the stub ready to be drilled). if the bolt broke above the surface of the crankshaft, block etc., etc. remove the flywheel and use a grinder to flatten the broken off bolt, then bolt the flywheel back on and use the hole in the flywheel to guide the drill bit to make a center guide for a smaller drill bit.

After you try an eazy-out and it don't work drill out the bolt. DON'T break off the eazy-out or a drill bit in the small hole you drilled!
Carefully drill all the way thru the bolt, watching for rusty crud to come up out of the drilled hole rusty crud indicates that you have drilled thru the bolt. gradually increase the size of the drill bits until you are up to 75 to 80 percent of the bolt diameter and then try another eazy-out. often drilling thru the bolt will enable you to get penetrating oil (I use PB Blaster) to the end of the threads and loosen the stub or dutchman. Some times if you break off a drill bit, easy-out, or thread tap a good machine shop can salvage the bolt hole.
By the way this advice is worth what it cost you!...NADA no warranty is given or implied!

Professional auto shops have this happen quite often...Even on newer cars...Drop by one and ask who they use to remove broken bolts/studs, etc...It's a mobile service that will come to your house and take care of the problem in a jiffy...The only draw-back is they charge good money, but their pro's at this and within an hour all is good...It's one solution, if you don't want to "screw" around for a day without the results you'd hoped for...Good luck...

Reverse drills have worked well for me as long as the bolt and hole were clean to start with...I get the hole started (and centered) then "jam" the bit, without braking it (press hard) so it's no longer cutting and with any luck the bolt spins back out, bit and all...

I have know of mechanics removing broken studs by setting a nut on top of it and then welding the nut to the bolt from the inside. Removing the head is best and hopefully part of the bolt is accessible.

+1 for the welder if you have enough stud left ..easyouts are not always as the name implies .. bite the bullet . take the head off and do it right .. do it once .

Everyone that has had this happen feels your pain . good luck

rarely has easy out worked for me : ( . frank

A broken esayout is a next level nightmare. The only time I broke a head bolt, I removed the head and inserted the broken dstub into the hole. I used it to unscrew the head bolt. My threads were clean and oiled and it came out easily.

First, I know nothing.
Where, on the length of the bolt, did it break? Is it broken so that part of the bolt will be standing up past the block if the head was removed? If so, remove the head and screw it out of the block.

Otherwise, if it were me (and it ain't), I would strongly consider getting an expert to remove it. If you mess up the block, it ain't gonna make you happy.

Whatever you do, good luck!

Although I've never tried this, here's my idea:

1. Drill a hole into the center of the broken bolt and tap the hole for left hand threads. Maybe for a 5/16" bolt.

2. Squirt penetrating oil over the broken bolt.

3. Insert the appropriate left-hand threaded bolt into the hole and tighten with a wrench. The direction of tightening the left hand threaded bolt should be the correct direction for backing out the broken bolt.

This method avoids the pitfall of easy outs, which put outward pressure on the broken bolt and could make the broken bolt bind in the hole.

Has anyone else tried this left-handed bolt method to get a broken bolt out?

Cheers, Dean

If the bolt isnt bottomed out and threads are clean the left handed drill will more than likely bring the broken part out. I have not been able to locate a left hand thread tap though they have been made.
Tony

left hand thread tap. have you tried "Fastenal" or "McMaster-Carr" or "Graingers"?

just to name a few places that carries left hand taps.

Wait a minute guys.
Why would you need a LEFT HAND TAP?
Not for an American head bolt. You might need a left hand drill bit but not a left hand tap.

I would be wondering why the bolt snapped. If you didn't exceed normal torque then maybe you should look at the rest of the head bolts.

My experience stated above also points to the fact that usually when a bolt breaks like that, that two pieces fit together in a unique was that can be very helpful.

The only reason for the left hand tap is to be threaded into the broken piece of the head bolt in order to extract it from the block.

Type 'left hand thread tap' or 'left hand drill bits' into Google and there are lots of suppliers.

Just trying to think out of the box.

Cheers, Dean

You can drill it out with a regular bit, tap it with a left hand tap, and when you screw the left hand bolt into the hole, it bottoms out and starts turning the broken bolt out of the hole.

Just another way of doing it if you have a left hand tap and bolt to make it work.

I'm with Mr.Mack here...Left hand tap...? What the....? Removing the entire head is a pain...Not what the pro's do...Like I said before...Ask a local auto shop for the # of a "mobile removal service" and have them come and get it out "post haste"...Probably run you a $100 bucks, though...Your call...

I'd say, "do what the pro's do", and bite the bullet...A $100 bucks or screw around for a day or two...

Okay...I get it..The hole and left hand tap would be smaller than the bolt it's self...The problem is if your "snap" the tap, then the heads coming off for sure...I've been a machinist for 35 years, and I wouldn't recommend that method...To risky...Just saying...

Have to agree with Dean, here...I threw my "easy-outs" away years ago...The outward pressure tends to "bind" the bolt in it's hole...

My guess is that the bolt hasnt bottomed out, just stretched beyond its limit therefore the biggest hinderence will be the threads.
Another thought is to hammer a sharpened screwdriver into the remaining piece and it may unscrew and then lift out with a magnet, no promises but worth a try and you can do it yourself.
Tony

My guess is that DAVIS 38 has so many options he will have a hard time choosing. Possibly why he has not been back to the post.

Davis,

Where is the bolt broken?
Flush with the top of the block? Any at all sticking out?
With stub in the head (above the bolck)?
Down in the block? How deep?

With all the left tap and right tap stuff, I think I may have missed the most essential part of giving any advice that hasn't already been offered .

Charlie

Hey guys,
Sorry I haven't replied in a while, I have been trying to find a professional, and see what I would like to do about this. Essentially it is flush with the block with just a tiny bit of the bolt above it. Its about the size of a toothpick, so nothing I can do with it. I have some professionals that are going to come take a look and tell me what I can do. Until then she's just sitting.

Thanks for all the input, I appreciate it
-Davis

Sorry, I didn't post this sooner but was working on my Honey Do List. I have had great results with this Snap On set and using a lot of patience. Good luck, Mike

Davis,

Okay,

Try this but be careful. This is what I would try if it were mine and in the condition in my mind's eye from your description. I would do this in lieu of other things more drastic.

I would take a relatively small chisel and a light ball peen hammer and start on the outside edge (angle the chisel so as best get an purshase on the outside radius of the broken bolt edge. Soak the bolt with Bubble Blaster, or some other similar lubricant.

Tap at the outside edge of the bolt "head." The force of the offset action may turn the bolt out. Get a bigger hammer if needed.

Use goggles.

May not work but I have backed many a bolt using the above method.

Good luck,

Charlie