Week or so ago, twisted the damper install tool off in my crank shaft. Considered making a guide/tool to remove the remnant that is about 1/4-1/2" recessed in the snout of the crank but realized very quickly it is above my skill level.

This retro-roller conversion/cylinder head refresh that I started in January has definitely gotten more difficult/expensive.

Going to see if a buddy from work can help me carefully remove the hood and I'll be renting a cherry picker soon to pull the engine. I have an engine stand from my 1999 garage rebuild.

Going to remove the crankshaft. Will either get a price for a shop with lathe to remove the remnant or will price a Scat 350 cast replacement shaft and bearings kit to install.

 

Maybe when you get the engine on the stand it won´t be so difficult to look into the crank snout and you might be able to remove it.

 

Do you need to remove the hood? Engine can come out with it on.

 

That's good to know. Could not recall why I removed the hood last time other than to avoid hitting the hood with the engine. I plan to leave the transmission in the car. Most of the connections/accessories are removed/disconnected. Just have the fuel line, transmission bolts and motor mounts to disconnect. Have to find some original intake bolts for those OEM intake brackets to attach the chains to.

 

Semi relevant...instead of renting the cherry picker, I recommend buying one....you'll use it again either to pull the motor, do motor mounts, change an oil pan gasket etc, or a friend will want to borrow it.

 

I'm with BBD... I scored a 2 ton lift and a load leveler on local Craigslist... used once by PO and sold to me for $125 the pair which is less than half price. The paint wasn't even worn off the wheels yet.....it has installed 3 engines since I got it, takes up very little room because the legs come off, and I'm now only into it for $75 since the two other guys insisted on paying me a token rental fee; their jobs were for paying "side jobs".

 

Oh yes, take the hood off. Scribe the outside of the hinges to ease reinstallation and pull the six bolts and one wire... it will maybe take 5 minutes and can save a $$$ mishap if the engine swings into it either on removal or install.

 

The hood comes off and goes back on way too easy to leave it on while trying to pull an engine. Sure, you can pull the engine with it on, but it'll make the job even more of a PITA, removing it will make things easier in the long run.

Scott

 

You'll want to run the lift from the front. It can be done from the side but not as easy. I'd buy a left handed drill bit and have go at her from the front. Its not like it's been in there for 37 years should come out easy enough, use an air drill and star with a pilot hole. Worse case scenario you pull the engine and replace the crank which would be an awesome excuse to stroke it. Just my opinion and good luck on your project.

 

TedH,

Also not trying to be a smart***, but I think you might be throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

I think you've got OPTIONS here, my man.

If you're not comfortable with the methods that might possibly be used to extract this bolt, that's fine. It's a tight space, you can't see your work, and you've got to bend over just to get there. Just because it's the crank would be enough to scare me off, if it didn't come right out easily (I'd be afraid of screwing it up). And I'd be "Dreading Pulling My Engine" too, if I were you.

But I wouldn't do it.

Not before I tried this:

1. Find "The GUY." A guy that's either got tech or machine shop skills that are equal to this task.

2. Remove hood, radiator, any other crap that would get in "The GUY's" way.

3. Call AAA (membership, about $60./year) and have them tow your DISABLED (they need it to be "disabled") 'Vette to "The GUY"--FOR FREE.

4. Pay "The GUY" one or two hours at shop rate ($85.00/hr.?).

5. Call AAA, and have them tow your "disabled" car home--FOR FREE.

If you're successful:
Total cost: $85-170.00 (Plus your time on hood, radiator, etc..., which you would have had to do anyway.)

If you're unsuccessful:
Total cost: $85-170.00 (Plus your time on hood, radiator, etc..., which you would have had to do anyway.)

And if unsuccessful, although you're still facing the nightmare of pulling the engine, and whatever you're doing to address the crank--you're only out $170.

A small gamble, for a big gain, IMHO.

In fact, you could STILL screw with it, yourself, on the engine stand, as has been suggested, even if "The Shooter" was unsuccessful in the car (depending upon how much he tore it up, obviously). But the crank is junk (or need's repair?) anyway, right?

Seriously, I'd have a rethink before I pulled the engine. You could go for coffee, and the professional could have your (modest) bill and broken bolt sitting on his counter, when you got back.

Just my .02. If I've caused any offense, I apologize, and blame my psychiatrist.

Peter

 

Excellent point! If you're going to replace the crank anyway, might as well spring for some new pistons and make a stroker. A 3.48" crank and a 3.75" crank cost pretty much the same.

Scott

 

IMO - It is stupid to remove the hood. I never have on engine R&R's. Your just adding more time to the job and you are taking a chance of chipping the paint handling it.

I was really stupid years ago and I snapped off a grade 8 damper bolt in the crank. I replaced the front damper and thought that I could just put it on with a bolt. I hit it with a 1/2 inch air gun. The bolt was too long and bottomed out. I had it on 240 foot pounds and it twisted the head off back inside the damper.

I had a friend here on the forum come over and he removed it with an easy out.

He remove the radiator and the stuff off the front of the engine, so he had some working room. He took a center punch and made a ding and then he started with a small drill bit and worked up to a larger drill for the ez out.


The whole job just took him a couple of hours and I was back up and running. Maybe get a real mechanic over to do that before you pull the motor.

 

have you considered removing the radiator, rather than pulling the motor? with the rad out of the way, you'll have easy access to the crank and may be able to remove the bolt.

 

when you pull the motor with the hood on. Have the car on jackstands - the front jackstands being as far, physically forward as you can put them.... then remove the front wheels.

 

I'll check with the local corvette club to see if one of the members has mech skills or can recommend somebody to come do the work on the crank with it in-car.

The radiator is out as are all of the front accessories, exhaust, and most connections save for the top-end wires and vacuum lines, fuel line.

 

why not just drill the stupid thing out? Start with 1/8" and increase in size, then try an ez out, if that doesn't work continue with the drills till a larger ez out is able to move the broken piece....

 

This a good idea. You will need to get a bit creative. Build something that sits on the ground and holds the drill so the bit is aligned with the dead center of the broken bolt. You need a steady guide so you don't damage the threads in there. Start the drill and push. You need to hit the center of the broken bolt.

Spray some liquid wrench in there too before drilling.

See if it comes out.

Hope fully the broken bit of bolt did not seat all the way down in the hole. Can you determine how big the piece is that broke off? Compare to the size of the bolt that belongs there and get an idea of how far it screwed in before breaking? If its not seated tight the drill trick should get it out.

 

get a bolt of the same size and thread as the damper. cut off a piece about 3/4" long and dress the threads. use a drill press and drill a hole in a piece of hardwood that the section of bolt will securely thread into. then using the drill press drill an 1/8" hole thru the center of the bolt section. you may have to attempt this a few times to hit dead center. because the drill press is used to drill the wood and the bolt, the two holes will be exactly the same angle(just in case your drill press is like mine-a cheapie). use a disc to cut a slot in the bolt section for a screwdriver, and insert the section into the crank. you'll have a perfect guide for a pilot hole to drill out the broken bolt. the broken crank bolt is probably a grade 8, so it's going to be a bitch drilling it out.

 

another idea....use a reversible drill...if the ez outs don't work, and and you have a good size hole, drilled, select a drill bit that's two, three sizes higer and drill...the tip of the drill will get jammed into the broken piece as the hole is too small for the drill...reverse the drill and the piece should spin out...i've had success doing this...

If that doesn't work, continue with the incremental drills till you almost get to the threads, then tap the remaining metal...the tap will bite through the thin metal...

 

easy-outs can work - the biggest "it depends" is whether or not you can get a straight shot at the broken bolt with a drill bit. Important because if you drill at an angle you run the risk of drilling into the crank.... then you get to replace the crank. That said, with how hard the bolt is locked into the snout (that's a huge bolt to twist off)... I honestly wonder if an easy-out will be strong enough to back the bolt out.


But let me ask the other question (yeah, the is a Bubbaesque).... there are lots of cars out there without a bolt holding the balancer on the motor.... why not just leave it?