I have a head bolt broken off even with the deck surface of the block. Drilled the bolt put an easy-out in it and the easy-out broke off even with the surface as well. Since the easy-out is hardened steel none of my drill bits are making a dent in it. What the hell do I do now?
Use a high quality carbide drill bit if you cant chip away at the easy out. Make sure you put some heat on it before you try it again.
A picture might help. Welding a nut on may do the trick as stated above. Only thing I would add. Weld the nut on and try tightening. If you broke the style with the twisted flutes it may back the easyout out. If that works just (carefully) drill it out and tap the threads or helicoil it. Welding the nut to the bolt can be a problem. The bolt needs a little preheat. Just warm it up. Be carefull not to get the cast to hot. Then weld using a wirefeed, and when it's still red hot get a hammer and hit it. Ive used this method with great success. Jeff
Don't try the nut thing first. What you want to do, is weld a washer to the stuck bolt. Its not as deep and easier to get a good connection. Then put the nut on top of that and weld it ont he outside. You should be able to get a wrench on it still. But if you really welded it and a wrench wont fit, put a bolt in it and weld the threads then turn that. Never failed me.
Welding a nut to the broken bolt might be kinda hard to do.What you can do is weld a washer to the bolt through the hole in the washer. Then you can weld a nut to the washer. Gives you a little more area to weld. The heat from welding also helps loosen the bolt. It's worked for me Gregg
I you use a full carbide center drill. You can make a small hole but put a lot of pressure on the drill due to the increased shank size usually. These drills will cut the easyout with some good quality cutting fluid. I've also used a small die grinder and pointed stone to get a center to start off. Hope that helps
throw a tack on one side of the broken bolt so it sticks above the deck, then take a hammer and chizzle and knock it around and out.
I agree with Bluto. The small die grinder and the pointed bit is my weapon of choice. Just run it slow so it don't chatter. Once you get the easy-out out you can get back to the bolt>>>>.
find someone in your area that does Electrical Discharge Machining http://www.twincityedm.com/brokenbolts.htm it's cool **** might be pricey tho later jim
had this happen once--called my buddy and took the block to him (350 chevy) he blew the bolt out with a torch and it didn't hurt the block at all--put it back together and that was it.
Weld a blob to the stud, weld a washer to the blob, weld a nut to the washer, remove like a bolt. USE A LOT OF PENETRATING OIL.
Get the easy-out out first. Use Bluto's method to do that Then read this: http://www.fordgarage.com/pages/studremoval.htm
find a broken tool removal shop .ask a local machine shop if theres one local to you. i have one about 15 mins away and for 20 bucks its a no brainer for me
WINNER! been doin this for years, best thing is it's idiot proof, you can't hurt cast iron with a torch and the bolt just evaporates.
Yep, grab the gas axe! I've torched broken bolts out of cast iron and aluminum lots of times. Chase the threads with a tap and you're back in business!
What Bluto said. But I use a 1/8 inch carbide ball endmill in my Dremel instead of the pointy bit. WEAR eye protection. Then go through your tool box and throw away every EZout you own!! They are junk. It would have been much easier to drill out the broken bolt.
The torch workes great if it isn't a blind hole. You really have to be carefull not to overheat the cast. It can harden to the point you can't drill or tap it. Been there and done that. I have had good luck with drilling the nut out so it's tapered inside. I really don't have trouble getting weld penetration if I preheat the bolt a little before welding.
The Jalopy Journal
