what now? stripped cam pulley bolts...

[belizeanbus]

I've got my EA82 resting on a bucket in my driveway. I'm trying to replace the cam seals. I started with removing the three bolts that hold on the cam pulleys. I got one of the bolts off of each side. The heads of the bolts stripped on the other two. Even after a generous wash-down with penetrating lubricant.

 

My question: What now?

 

How can I get those last two off and replace them and get my soob back on the road?

 

Belizeanbus

[hooziewhatsit]

vice grips used very carefully to avoid stripping them more?

[WJM]

so the heads are stripped off?

 

well....you could weld a nut onto the heads and get them out that way...

 

ive got a one whose head snapped off, and the rest of it is still in the came. Still wondering on that one since the engine is in the car.

[N2FHL]

Sears makes a "Bolt Out" nut & bolt remover. It's like a cup that fits over the bolt and as you turn it digs in tighter. About $20 for a set. Has bailed me out a few times.

[electryc_monk]

if nothing else someone could send you a set of spare "leftover" stock Cam's from a EA82T ........that way your just swapping cam for cam.

[belizeanbus]

Thanks for the advice: The bolt out tool is great. works wonders... highly recommended, given that a lot of my work on old Soob's has involved bolts that have the consistency of butter.

 

I got all the bolts out but one. It's stripped too badly for the Bolt-Outs to grab onto. Can't get them with vice grips either. Even tried JBWelding an old socket onto the bolt, but it wouldn't hold.

 

So, I was thinking... I've seen in the auto parts store a tool to get a bolt out if the head has broken off. It involves drilling into the center of it, and then inserting a drill bit like thing that grabs it from the inside. Anyone know what I'm talking about? Had any luck using this thing? I still have hopes of getting this thing apart, so I don't want to do anything that is going to damage the cam. But I figured that if I could drill right into the stripped head, it just might work...?

 

Thanks all,

belizeanbus

[Humble Nuto 53]

called an "easy-out"

 

you might want to just use a hacksaw to pop the heads off those bolts.

might scratch the cam cog a bit but who cares.

at least then you will have some room to maneuver and can see when youre

drilling.

 

frequently if you start with a small drill bit, then go up a size, then up a size...

you can get the bolt to either break loose, or disintegrate.

 

i just went through this when i took the fenders off the 86 hatch, broke a few

undercarriage bolts, and drilled them out. didnt even have to chase the threads.

 

junkyard cams is a good alternative too

[buru]

I agree, get the heads off the bolts first and get the sprocket out of the way, then you can more than likely get the studs out by drilling and easyouting it.

 

But using a hacksaw could be very difficult since the center of the sprocket is recessed. I would try using a dremel with a metal grinding blade, or even a normal grinder with a small grinding wheel on it. Should pop the head right off. Of course, if you get into the sprocket you'll have to replace it, but no biggie.

Like Humble Nuto 53 said, start with a small drill bit, try easyouting it and if it doesn't work, move to a larger bit.

[Humble Nuto 53]

cant believe my memory has gotten so sketchy...

 

 

upsideown tierod ends, and dished cam pulleys

 

ZZZZZZZZ

wish i had some excuse

[idosubaru]

easy outs suck. if an easy out works on something then it probably would have came out with vice grips or some creative means. whatever you do, don't use an impact method if you really want to take the risk of using one of these. they are very strong, but they are also brittle....think like a concrete block, it can hold tons, but will break if dropped from a very small distance. easy outs are similar in my experience. maybe you can find some that are made with better materials, but the ones i've used from craftsman, sears, and local shops have broken a number of times. and being hard, they don't come out very easy and usually break off with not much material to work with.

 

use a left handed drill bit. they work better than easy outs and don't BREAK OFF. when you deeply imbed an easy out into something it often results in 4 letter words and such.

[N2FHL]

I agree on the easy outs. They sound good in princible, but often don't work either--and if you break it off, you can not drill it out!!!!!

 

I hate to sound as if I'm shilling for Craftsman, but I've also had success with their "screw-out" tool. Center punch the bolt and start with a small drill bit. You only need to go in about 1/4". Drill the hole progressively larger until it is about 2/3 to 3/4 the diameter of the bolt. Then use the screw-out.

 

I've also had success with this method and if it doesn't work, you've got a pilot hole to drill deeper and use the "easy out" as a last resort. Use as large an easy out as you can.

 

All the while using liquid wrench, of course, but I'm sure you have been.

 

Good Luck, Steve

[buru]

I'm a frickin idiot. After posting to you last night on how to deal with your camshaft sprocket bolt, I found myself in the same position today. Was replacing seals, and when I put the sprocket back on, snapped the head off one of subaru's butter bolts . You really have to pay attention to the torque you use.

 

I got the stud out pretty easy though. Just used an ultrasmall punch (about 1/16") to tap on it and unsrew it out of the hole. I was about to drill it out, but a machinist friend of mine reminded me that when you have a screw broke off like that, and it is not bottomed out in the hole (like the camshaft sprocket bolts), then there is no more force holding it tight (depending on the material type). So more than likely you can always unscrew it if you can use something small enough to get in there.

 

Anyways, something you hope you never have to try, but thought it might be useful info.