Broke my water pump bolt. Now what? (Update - broken bolt is out)

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cruiser

cruiser

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Hi All: I just broke off the lower water pump bolt on my 1974 slant six. All the other bolts came out without a problem. Any ideas as to the best way to extract the broken bolt? I've been soaking it in PB Blaster for the past several days. I don't weld, so I can't weld a nut to the end and twist it out. Haven't used an Easy Out device either. I might try to grab the end with a vise grips and give it a twist, but I don't think this will work. I have a propane torch to heat it up with, if that would help. Ideas, anyone? Thanks - cruiser

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Just heating helps a lot. I am convinced that is a big part of it that makes welding a nut on work so well.

Is the radiator out? Do you have room to work?
 
The welding trick would be my first choice with that much sticking up. Do you have a friend who welds?
Try heating up with area with your propane torch and using vice grips. After you get the area hot, try rapidly alternating your twisting Clockwise then Counterclockwise. This may help break the bolt loose.
If that doesn't work, I'd try the easy out. In my opinion, one of the most important things to keep in mind when using an easy out is to drill the hole in the bolt AS CLOSE TO EXACTLY THE CENTER AS POSSIBLE! Using some type of a grinding tool, flatten the head of the broken bolt. Then use a punch so the drill bit does not wander. Punch the indentation as close to the center as you can. I always start the hole with a 1/8" bit. I only go down about 1/8" with that bit, then I switch over to the recommended bit size. I feel I can more accurately start the hole with the smaller bit. Then drill down deep enough for the easy out to get a really good grip. Drill in as straight as you can. If that does not work, try this, it has worked well for me many times:
You already have the hole for the easy out. Here is where having a drill bit selection in every 64th of an inch comes in handy. Using the bit size the next size above what you drilled the hole for the easy out, drill straight down into the easy out hole. Use one of the bolts that did not break as a depth guide. Use a few drops of oil to help the bit cut faster and better. Then repeat with the next size bit. Inspect the hole carefully after each drill bit size. Eventually, you will start to see the edges of the threads. At that point, you may very well be able to re-tap the original threads with the appropriate size tap. If the threads are too messed up, you can always use a Heli-Coil and go with the next size larger bolt.
 
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cruiser said:
Hi All: I just broke off the lower water pump bolt on my 1974 slant six. All the other bolts came out without a problem. Any ideas as to the best way to extract the broken bolt? I've been soaking it in PB Blaster for the past several days. I don't weld, so I can't weld a nut to the end and twist it out. Haven't used an Easy Out device either. I might try to grab the end with a vise grips and give it a twist, but I don't think this will work. I have a propane torch to heat it up with, if that would help. Ideas, anyone? Thanks - cruiser

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Here's a trick I used.

Cut a slot in the bolt end using a dremel tool.

Then, you will need a flat screwdriver bit that you can use in a ratchet.

Soak the bolt end in penetrating oil overnight .

Use your propane torch to heat up the bolt and get it as hot as you can.

Use the ratchet with the flat bit inserted in the slot you made in the bolt and try moving it back and forth. Do not try to back it all the way out, just work it back and forth until it really loosens up.

Then, soak ii in penetrating fluid again.

Should back out if you take your time.
 
I agree with not using an ease out. Those things are made for one reason. Breaking off and making it impossible to fix. It's broken because it goes into water. This is why it's SO important to coat bolts with some form of sealer. I like RTV.

That said, You should have a small MIG welder. They are worth their weight in gold. Saying "I don't weld" is really a cop out if you change your own oil. Anyone who works on their own car should have one. Even with no welding experience, you could have that outta there in five minutes.

Without the welder, I would continue soaking it with PBlaster. Get two ball peen hammers. Take the flat face of one and put it on top of the broken bolt. Then smack the other end of the hammer with the other hammer. This way, you will deliver the shock through the broken bolt and greatly reduce flattening the bolt, since you're not hitting it directly. I agree with cutting a slot in the bolt. It's likely not gonna work, but without a welder, your hands are tied. Maybe you have a friend locally who has one he'd bring over? If I was local, I'd come get it out for you.
 
Might not work, but I would soak it with some Liquid Wrench. Tap the end with a Hammer to try and break it a little, and then put a Vicegrip on it. See if you can work it Bach and forth a little bit. May need some heat
 
Looks like enough sticking out for a bolt/nut extractor. No not an easy out. Local auto parts store or online.
 
Heat the broken bolt and area first with the torch, remove the torch and then spray the PB . The heat will draw in the spray lube. Repeat if necessary and remember to remove the flame before you spray.
 
Being accessible opens up a lot more options. Lots of great ideas here. Pretty much all of them involve heating the part to loosen it up.

As I am a tool accumulator / hoarder, I tend to like options that involve getting new tools.

My first thought would be to buy a Harbor freight $100 mig welder. They plug into 110v and don’t need a bottle of gas. Gotta buy a helmet too. Watch a few you tube videos, Round up a bunch of leftover bolts & nuts & weld them up. You will be surprised how easy it is. Opens up a whole new world of metal projects.
 
It's on a stand? Drill it out completely through within a few thousandths of the minor thread diameter, use the torch right down the hole, hit it with penetrating oil, I'll bet it'll back right out.
 
Out of the car means it's easy to transport to your friend with a welder...
EZ outs are anything but EZ, they are tools of the devil....
Drill it out? Sure, what happens if your off center a little....

I would grab a nut, drill half way through it to create a larger area to weld to, screw the threaded side of the nut on to what's left of the bolt & burn it in hot... As others have mentioned the heat is a big part of makes the method so successful, the heat & the fact you get a good secure place to use your wrench...
 
harrisonm said:
Well, @cruiser, please keep us advised.
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Okay, many thanks all. Will try the least invasive procedures with hammering it a bit, heating it up and grabbing with a vice grips. If this doesn't work I'll escalate from there with the more involved procedures. In the mean time, I'm going to give it several days to soak up the PB Blaster and heat. I hope to report positive results in about a week. Thanks for the MANY excellent ideas - it's much appreciated!
 
cruiser said:
Okay, many thanks all. Will try the least invasive procedures with hammering it a bit, heating it up and grabbing with a vice grips. If this doesn't work I'll escalate from there with the more involved procedures. In the mean time, I'm going to give it several days to soak up the PB Blaster and heat. I hope to report positive results in about a week. Thanks for the MANY excellent ideas - it's much appreciated!
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Just a "heads up". You are only going to get one shot with using vise grips.
After you squat them hard enough to turn the bolt, if it slips, it will round out the bolt remains and make it even more difficult to try the other methods suggested.
The number one, tried and true method is welding a nut to the remains of the bolt. That is guaranteed success, even if you have to transport the engine somewhere to have it done. A portable welding truck would come to your house and do it for about 50-75.00 . (offer cash !! )
 
Drill a hole through the bolt this will let you shoot some of your penetrating spray at the bottom of the bolt and cavity.
 
It looks like that broken bolt is next to the timing cover. If using heat be careful to not get the stamped steel cover too hot. You might warp it and wind up with an oil leak.
 
If your engine is on a stand, one can assume you are disassembling it. If so, take the timing cover off. That gets it out of the way for what ever procedure you use. Learning how to weld will be your best bet now and in the future. Kinda taught myself how about 40 years ago and never regretted it.
 
That propane coffee warmer will be useless. Need at least a bottle of mapp to get it hot enough to make a dent if not an oxyacetylene setup.
Another thing I've had work is a "bolt buster" type inductive heater to get that stub cherry red before you try the vise grips
i agree on the "weld a nut" being the best shot.
Be careful with the hammer trick, if you don't hit it dead square, you might well crack the ear off the block
 
Do you have anyone with access to a lathe? I’d take a bolt the size of the broken off one and drill a hole through the center the size of the hole you would be using for an easy out. Then thread a nut on to the bolt that is broken off and thread the bolt with the hole in it into the nut. You can then use the bolt with the hole as a drill guide. If you don’t want to use an easy out that’s fine because at least you have a centered hole to use to progressively drill the hole bigger until you can barely see the threads. Sometimes you can get lucky with the reverse twist drills while doing this and the bolt will back out while you’re drilling.
 
Hafta look again above to see which one has the broken stub.... As to whether it's one of the ones that goes thru and the back side can be seen, or whether it's one of the "blind" holes, that somewhat dictates what can be done to extract the stub.
Ok, looks like it's one of the blind holes .... that changes things a bit, as to what can be done to extract it.... and for whoever said heli coil to the next step bigger, no.
The idea of a heli coil is to be able to restore it to the same size as original. We've all drilled oversized and directly tapped a hole bigger, without a heli coil.
Hopefully he can go with something the same size as original, if he has to go bigger he'll have to also ream out the water pump hole to match.
And the same with any accessory bracketry that might go there ... AC brackets maybe?
Those water pumps are aluminum. Being where it broke at I'm guessing corrosion from dissimilar metals. With the water pump out of the picture it may well thread right out.
 
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After all your penetrant soak...suggest you clean the protruding stud and a matching nut with solvent. Use red loctite in the nut and tighten that thing up. Let it cure. I never tried this but red loctite is the mother of all thread lockers in my experience. My guess is it will turn the broken bolt out. If it fails, no harm to any other method you may want to try.
 
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