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While installing the balancer, the bolt started to have more resistance, so I backed it out a bit, it resisted then broke.
I'm hoping to drill through the remaining bolt and use an extractor, more colorful vocabulary will follow i'm sure.
If there are any tips please let me know, thanks.
That's what happens when you don't use a damper installer to pull the damper on. All you can do is run a 1/8" bit thru the dead center of the broken bolt then a larger bit for the largest screw extractor you can use. If it still refuses to come out you can drill it out with a 7/16" bit then Heli-Coil it back to 7/16" NF.
I know, could'a, should'a, would'a, but it's done and all I can do now is fix it and learn.
That's what I kept telling myself as I sipped on a margarita earlier.... fix it I will.
Take your time and try to drill it out moving up in drill bit size as you go. I go agree with trying a left hand drill as you get close to the actual size of the bolt as the thinner wall of the bolt after being hollowed out may let it relax from the thread in the crank.
I avoid extractors or easy outs unless the last resort because if one of those breaks off you can't drill them so crank has to come out.
the only positive thing I can add is that at least you've got a good area to make a pilot for the drill. get a piece of alum. or steel turned to fit inside the damper and drill a hole through that to guide your drill bit. most problems removing broken bolts is with people not able to drill a straight, perfectly centered hole in the old bolt.
and I would use an ez out myself, if it went in, it should come out. it's not like it's been rusted and seized...
Some time ago another member posted with the same problem. He made a jig to center the drill bit on the broken bolt. Find his post, and he may sell the jig to you.
Even using a damper install tool, there is no guarantee you won't end up with a broken install tool in the crank.
That is exactly what happened when I installed a new damper with the engine in the car. The install tool snapped off. I had to remove the engine and put it on a stand. Took two weeks (removal/install) and all of 10 minutes to remove the remnant and clean up the crank threads. I found the install tool is VERY brittle metal and disintegrated when I put a small drill bit to it in order to drill it out for a removal tool. Ended up removing the remnants with a pair of needle nose pliers and a small regular screwdriver. I count myself lucky I did not have to fix the crank.
I bought a replacement install tool bit (came from Comp Cams but it may have been sourced from China) and used it to reinstall the damper one final time as I had to pull it (during my retro roller conversion in 2013).
I suppose I would rather snap an install tool off in the crank than the bolt. It is likely to be more stubborn/difficult than the tool.
Take your time and try to drill it out moving up in drill bit size as you go. I go agree with trying a left hand drill as you get close to the actual size of the bolt as the thinner wall of the bolt after being hollowed out may let it relax from the thread in the crank.
I avoid extractors or easy outs unless the last resort because if one of those breaks off you can't drill them so crank has to come out.
That's just what I did and it worked !!! it's now out
sprayed parts cleaner in the hole to get all metal out and ran a tap down through it to clean up the threads, the balancer bolt went it with no problem.
As I was removing the bolt before it broke, I knew it wasn't bottomed out, so I started with a 1/8 bit and worked up to almost the bolt size drilling all the way through what remained and took it from there with chisel and needle nose plyers.
Now just waiting on a call from the shop that my head is ready.
Neither, it was a bolt being used to install the new balancer. Now I know what not to do....
How far in was the bolt when it snapped. If it's only 1/2 , try drilling it out with reverse drill bits until it backs out. Most likely the threads started to get chewed up causing the break.
If it's in more, it may be cheaper and less labor to just pull the motor and crank. The machine shop will get it straightened out and right the first time.
"Oh crap"...
