Jump to content
Ultimate Subaru Message Board

broke bolt, then made worse...


Recommended Posts

OK. I Know you guys are going to beat me for this one. But I broke the lower thermostat housing bolt, then stupidly used an ez out which broke in hole. now I have a super hard steel ez out and a really stuck bolt end. :-(

 

 

what should I do?

 

 

Am I screwed?

 

I am so pissed, I was thinking about just bolting back on with the top bolt only. but I bet it would leak!!!

 

 

(so close , yet so far on getting the brat back running)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Naw relax bro!  If you were Spokompton i'd go and help you with it so I will do my redneck best to walk you through it.  The reason machine shops make so much money is because we (me included) are impatient.  First of all we need to clear away, the best you can, the area around the thermostat.  Then you put the small brazing tip on a torch set.  If you dont have a torch set I actually did a similar thing using a small butane torch from Radio Shack.  Lay wet rags around the work area.  Now this is where the patience comes in.  The idea is to heat up the bolt but not damage the block.  Heat it up really hot then let it cool down slowly on its own.  Walk away, shoot guns or something.  Do this 2 or 3 times you will know when metal and the easy out is breaking down.  You will need new hardened steel bits and slow down your trigger finger on your high speed drill.   Slower is better in this case.   Try this and have a beer.

 

Cheers,

 

Eric

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Naw relax bro!  If you were Spokompton i'd go and help you with it so I will do my redneck best to walk you through it.  The reason machine shops make so much money is because we (me included) are impatient.  First of all we need to clear away, the best you can, the area around the thermostat.  Then you put the small brazing tip on a torch set.  If you dont have a torch set I actually did a similar thing using a small butane torch from Radio Shack.  Lay wet rags around the work area.  Now this is where the patience comes in.  The idea is to heat up the bolt but not damage the block.  Heat it up really hot then let it cool down slowly on its own.  Walk away, shoot guns or something.  Do this 2 or 3 times you will know when metal and the easy out is breaking down.  You will need new hardened steel bits and slow down your trigger finger on your high speed drill.   Slower is better in this case.   Try this and have a beer.

 

Cheers,

 

Eric

I should of said intake but it is hard to type and drive on my computer...LOL.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You must be the guy my dad talked to the other day with the brat in the garage. He told me the color and I knew it was you, lol. That would explain why I haven't seen you drive down Josey in awhile. Hope you get it worked out. cheers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you have enough ez out sticking up try a dremel cutoff wheel to slot the top of the ez out.  If you get into the surrounding metal a bit don't worry as you will have to drill and tap a bigger hole like the above link shows.  Use a big flat tipped screwdriver fitted into the slot and screw the ez out CLOCKWISE. Tapping it, lube,  and a little heat might help loosen it if it's stuck.  Or get another intake...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I vote for heat the hole. Add pb blaster or yield , etc. while warm. That'll back out with vise grips.

 

That don't work lots of us have spare manifolds. I think subaru3 has one for sale now on eBay.

 

You can do it !! ;)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You must be the guy my dad talked to the other day with the brat in the garage. He told me the color and I knew it was you, lol. That would explain why I haven't seen you drive down Josey in awhile. Hope you get it worked out. cheers.

 

Yes,

 

That's me. Were do you live? I want to see your brat some day.

 

There are about 5 of us in Dallas now...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Naw relax bro!  If you were Spokompton i'd go and help you with it so I will do my redneck best to walk you through it.  The reason machine shops make so much money is because we (me included) are impatient.  First of all we need to clear away, the best you can, the area around the thermostat.  Then you put the small brazing tip on a torch set.  If you dont have a torch set I actually did a similar thing using a small butane torch from Radio Shack.  Lay wet rags around the work area.  Now this is where the patience comes in.  The idea is to heat up the bolt but not damage the block.  Heat it up really hot then let it cool down slowly on its own.  Walk away, shoot guns or something.  Do this 2 or 3 times you will know when metal and the easy out is breaking down.  You will need new hardened steel bits and slow down your trigger finger on your high speed drill.   Slower is better in this case.   Try this and have a beer.

 

Cheers,

 

Eric

 

Eric,

 

I think I will give this a shot, also the masonry bit sounds interesting as they are very hard. I already have a extra intake manifold, but i really don't want to take out any more bolts! I have a map gas torch. I will try on Saturday.

 

Thanks for the Tips...

 

Daniel

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

the snapon truk had a carbide drill bit for drilling out broken taps and easy out was very pricey and tech but whould do the job i drill them out to the size of the tap re for the size and retap it easy outs and taps are brittle so you may be able to shater it and pull out the peices and try drilling agian

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Welding to broken studs or bolts if you can actually make it work does a great job.  The heat and cool makes enough expansion and contraction fast enough to break most stuff free.  The cause of most broken studs and bolts that I have seen is when metals are mixed.  Stainless in anything but stainless, anything but aluminum in aluminum etc... really increase likelyhood of issues.  Always always use anti-seize on any kind of mixed metal fastener when you put it together.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

:D ok, used my dremmell with a diamond bit to make very small holes around the ez out, spend about 45 min messing around and got the thing to come out. then i got a cobault bit and a masonry bit from home depot, kept switching back and forth between the bits and used lots of cutting oil, about 1 hour later i have a hole that is 5/16" dia. x 1/2" deep.I guess i need to get a helicoil, I hope they work in such a shallow hole. I will try one Monday. Thanks for all the tips and motivation to attack it! I was just so frustraited and pissed!

Edited by danrenfroe2016
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes,

 

That's me. Were do you live? I want to see your brat some day.

 

There are about 5 of us in Dallas now...

 

Yeah, I know what you mean, we need more people. There is a pretty cherry brown G2 Brat off of Royal Ln. I don't know if its a member or not. My Brat stays over by Scott mill and trinity mills, with my dad.

Edited by BratRod
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes I have seen one of royal its pretty nice. We need to put a thread on here calling all the DFW guys again to see if there are any new ones I may stop by that guys house at Royal and leave a note or something on his windshield that is real close to where I work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know I'm a little late, but I have ha this problem before so I just thought I would add my idea. First heat up the bolt and easy out and them take a punch and shatter the ez out and suck all the peices out, then drill the bolt out and use a heli coil or threadsert. This method has worked good for me.

Edited by mikaleda
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...