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Broken bolt removal?! need help.

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Old Jul 7, 2013 | 08:25 PM
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Default Broken bolt removal?! need help.

As I was putting the fuel pump plate back on, the old bolt snapped and it was the worst case scenario .... the half the the bolt is not even sticking out... does any have any suggestions besides pulling the motor out.. Please help
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Old Jul 7, 2013 | 08:33 PM
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Ok you are in a crappy spot, but hopefully you can get out relatively painlessly.

My first attempt would be with a right angle die grinder and an e-z out. And a lot of patience.

If that didn't work, I would possibly try a chisel small enough to fit in the hole, and gouge a slot into the bolt face, and try to use a screw driver to remove it.
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Old Jul 7, 2013 | 08:34 PM
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Im interpreting it that none of the bolt face is exposed beyond the hole is that the case, or is some sticking out? If that is the case, a friend with a welder may be your best friend
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Old Jul 7, 2013 | 09:07 PM
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Originally Posted by Big Block Dave
Im interpreting it that none of the bolt face is exposed beyond the hole is that the case, or is some sticking out? If that is the case, a friend with a welder may be your best friend
its completely stuck in there and this spot isnt able to fit a drill or anything whatso ever /= any other suggestions?? how can the welder help??
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Old Jul 7, 2013 | 09:45 PM
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Pull the motor. You're only going to make it worse trying anything else.
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Old Jul 7, 2013 | 09:49 PM
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A small right angle drill with a #10 bit. Drill it down the center. I know which pair of bolts your looking at- I have a BB also. It's not going to be easy. I have a DOTCO 90* drill but they are not cheap. They also make small 90* adapters you can use with a standard drill.
http://www.chiefaircraft.com/ca-5130.html

The bits have a threaded shank so you'll also need to get a couple of those. For the 3/8 bolts, I'd use a #10 bit. And they have those that are less than 1/2" long.
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Old Jul 7, 2013 | 10:00 PM
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Originally Posted by TimAT
A small right angle drill with a #10 bit. Drill it down the center. I know which pair of bolts your looking at- I have a BB also. It's not going to be easy. I have a DOTCO 90* drill but they are not cheap. They also make small 90* adapters you can use with a standard drill.
http://www.chiefaircraft.com/ca-5130.html

The bits have a threaded shank so you'll also need to get a couple of those. For the 3/8 bolts, I'd use a #10 bit. And they have those that are less than 1/2" long.
its a small block and the area is impossible to reach accuratly by a drill, is there any way to slowly grind it out by hand ? the bolt's length is only an inch so pulling the engine for it I feel would be too much you know?
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Old Jul 7, 2013 | 10:01 PM
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Originally Posted by 69'
its completely stuck in there and this spot isnt able to fit a drill or anything whatso ever /= any other suggestions?? how can the welder help??
You put a nut over the hole and then weld through the nut to the broken bolt welding the broken part to the nut. The heat loosens the old bolt and you use a wrench to turn the nut with the now welded broken bolt out.
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Old Jul 7, 2013 | 10:13 PM
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Try a dremel with a flexible extension and a 1/16th bit be patient drill as close to center as you can and the use a small easy-out. With the fuel pump off and the plate removed you will get in there. It is all feel as you will not see inside but you can do it. You may have to shorten the bit and use tape to mark how deep you drill.
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Old Jul 7, 2013 | 10:16 PM
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You can have the motor out of a '69 in 2 hours. An hour to get the bolt out and another 2 hours to put it back in. Call a friend, get a case of beer and your done in an afternoon.
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Old Jul 7, 2013 | 10:52 PM
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I wouldn't get in a tizzy over it if you can't get it.

If the broken bolt is one of the lower 2 just for the plate, you can forget about it and just use a good sealant like Permatex Right Stuff, then bolt the pump on. Guaranteed it won't leak.

Fix it if and whenever you pull the engine.
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Old Jul 7, 2013 | 11:58 PM
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Surely the broken bolt shank is somewhere close to the machined surface of the block.? If so, you could use a Dremel with a thin cut-off wheel to grind a slot [for a screwdriver] into the end of that shank. Yes, you would have to grind that same slot into the engine block, somewhat. But, that shouldn't cause any functional problem for the block. Then....maybe....you could get a 'stubby' screwdriver in there and back out the broken bolt shank.

If you do this, and are successful, you can put a 'dummy' bolt in that threaded hole and pack some JB Weld [stick] epoxy down into those machined slots on either side of the hole. Scrape the excess off the surface and remove the 'dummy' bolt. That should take care of the cosmetic issues.

Now, next time, don't torque that little bolt so much. Or, maybe the cam was rotated to 'pump apply' position and you were trying to use that bolt to "crank" that fuel pump in place. Bad idea, if that's what happened. [Crank the engine over to rotate cam to no-load position on the fuel pump. It's easier to assemble that way.] Or, was the bolt you used too long for the hole?

There's some reason for snapping that puppy off. Whatever it was, don't do that again!
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Old Jul 8, 2013 | 01:14 PM
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Originally Posted by 7T1vette
Surely the broken bolt shank is somewhere close to the machined surface of the block.? If so, you could use a Dremel with a thin cut-off wheel to grind a slot [for a screwdriver] into the end of that shank. Yes, you would have to grind that same slot into the engine block, somewhat. But, that shouldn't cause any functional problem for the block. Then....maybe....you could get a 'stubby' screwdriver in there and back out the broken bolt shank.

If you do this, and are successful, you can put a 'dummy' bolt in that threaded hole and pack some JB Weld [stick] epoxy down into those machined slots on either side of the hole. Scrape the excess off the surface and remove the 'dummy' bolt. That should take care of the cosmetic issues.

Now, next time, don't torque that little bolt so much. Or, maybe the cam was rotated to 'pump apply' position and you were trying to use that bolt to "crank" that fuel pump in place. Bad idea, if that's what happened. [Crank the engine over to rotate cam to no-load position on the fuel pump. It's easier to assemble that way.] Or, was the bolt you used too long for the hole?

There's some reason for snapping that puppy off. Whatever it was, don't do that again!
I was putting hte fuel pump mount on and since I was busy holding the pin in place I didnt realize how hard I was turning the bolt until it broke. I atleast I learned never to reuse hardware!!
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Old Jul 8, 2013 | 02:52 PM
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Unless it was cross-threaded, there should be no reason that the original bolt couldn't be re-used on that application.
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Old Jul 8, 2013 | 05:46 PM
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hey guys I got it out !! all it took was a small hand dremel and a extractor kit and the second it touched the screws end ( after I wd-40'd the hell out of it ) it soin right out !! this is why I love this hobby, you never know what can happen until you try it !
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