I just got around to repairing a power steering bracket bolt that broke off flush in the block. That went surprising well. I then attempted to put everything back together, but I can't get the short bolt at the end of the bracket to thread back into the block. I spent at least 5 hours on it yesterday before giving up. I'm thinking either I damaged the threads in the block, or something shifted and the bolt is not lining up through the bracket hole into the block. The bolt in question in circled in red.



I tried inserting the bolt without the bracket in place, and still can't get it to thread. There is not enough room to get a tap in there to re-thread. Short of pulling the engine, any ideas? I thought of a couple potential bubba fixes but I'd rather do it right, if possible. And I really don't want to pull the engine.
Potential bubba fixes:

1. replace the stock 3/8th inch bolt with a thread cutting 3/8 inch bolt and try to impact it on. I can get a swivel socket on the bolt and attach to an impact, but because of the angle, I'm not sure it would work.
2. insert helicoil and new bolt. Pretty sure this wont work because there no way to get a drill bit in there, and a 3/8 helicoil wont thread in. I could possibly get a 5/16th helicoil in and use a 5/16 bolt, but I'm not sure if the helicoil expands enough to grab and hold the bolt in place, and there's no way to get a tool in there to cut the retaining tab off of the end of the helicoil after it's inserted..
3. Rebend the bracket and bolt it to the frame instead of the block.. This would work, and will securely hold the PS bracket in place, but the bolt also holds a motor mount in place (I think, I'd have to check again to be sure).

Any ideas?

 

If the broken bolt came out without drilling, then a new one should go right back in. Yes, the same bolt holds the mount. Something must not be lined up between the mount and the block.

 

The broken bolt was where the bracket attaches at the front of the block. The one that won't go back in did not break.
Thanks for the pic- much easier to see on a stand than in the car. I'm thinking the motor mount may have somehow shifted when I pulled the bolt.

 

With the bracket off the car, do the three mounting bolts screw in? If so, put the bracket back on but only screw the threads a few turns into each hole. Then go back and tighten all the bolts.

 

You might have to jack up the engine a little to get it to line up.

 

The front two thread fine, but the rear one by the motor mount wont thread at all.

 

Thanks, I'll give that a shot. Anyone know where exactly to place the jack?

 

Pretty clear from this pic that the motor mount bracket is off by a mm or two. I also just discovered that the other bolt that goes to the block on this mount is missing, which I guess explains why it shifted when I removed the one that was there. So it appears I definitely have to jack the engine to get the holes lined up.
Anyone know if I should loosen the bolt that attached the motor mount to the frame before I jack it up? It looks like maybe

 

I would just put a piece of wood against the oil pan the spread the load and jack it from there.