Bolt extraction... it might be time to raise the white flag

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kavefish

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I broke a bolt while removing my water pump. After much cogitation (and reading LZ) I selected a pair of Irwin cobalt LH-threaded bolt extractors - one small and a bigger one just in case.

I drilled a beautiful pilot hole into the broken bolt, smack in the middle and straight down the bore. Tonight I gave the extractors a go. As soon as the extractor's threads bite into the bolt, the extractor sticks and the drill spins around the extractor/bit.

I think the water pump housing is aluminum so I'm weary of using heat and I've been using WD-40 as penetrating oil (left in place for weeks).

:confused: What to do?
 
kavefish said:
I broke a bolt while removing my water pump. After much cogitation (and reading LZ) I selected a pair of Irwin cobalt LH-threaded bolt extractors - one small and a bigger one just in case.

I drilled a beautiful pilot hole into the broken bolt, smack in the middle and straight down the bore. Tonight I gave the extractors a go. As soon as the extractor's threads bite into the bolt, the extractor sticks and the drill spins around the extractor/bit.

I think the water pump housing is aluminum so I'm weary of using heat and I've been using WD-40 as penetrating oil (left in place for weeks).

:confused: What to do?
Click to expand...

Turn it using a hand tool/breaker bar type set up. Whacking the drill on might help shock it out, but since it ain't I think you need some carefully applied leverage.
 
You guys never fail... to make me laugh. :D

I'll go do some reading about hand tools... can you point me in the direction of something like what you had in mind?
 
kavefish said:
You guys never fail... to make me laugh. :D

I'll go do some reading about hand tools... can you point me in the direction of something like what you had in mind?
Click to expand...

I'm guessing the shaft is round? If it weren't it probably will be now! Even two pairs of moles grips might do it. One sticking out each side to act like handles.

The bolt extractors I use are square section so you can get a spanner on 'em. They're tapped (well, hammered in) and are as strong as ****. So long as they bite they wont break & haven't failed me yet!
 
Oh, good point! There is a squared section at the end of the extractor. I think I'd be asking for (more) trouble with mole grips since the square bit is pretty small. I'll see what spanners I've got that'll fit. Thanks!
 
most of the eones I've seen have had square heads?:confused:

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http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/12-PC-BROKEN-...OUTS-/380248994257?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment
 
Mine are square section all the way down. Slightly tapered for the last third of their length & have kind of bladed edges that bite into the 'ole. There in the shed so I'm farked if I'm getting them out now to take a piccie.
 
Defo use a Tap Wrench. Great tool to have in the box. We call them Dwangs in Scotland, don,t ask me why because I'm fecked if i know.
 
Not quite the same senario but when I was fitting my exhaust I snapped a bolt holding the mud flap into the chassis.... it was perfectly flush with the chassis. Seeing as you have a bob on pilot hole why cant you drill it out to the size required to re tap it? You will find the correct size drill for the bolt with a google search.
I used a simple cordless drill as a tap wrench set on a low setting for screws so you dont snap the fooking tap, some GT85 as 'coolant' ....a couple of slow turns in and one full turn out till fully tapped. If you are 'bob on' with the pilot or close it should work ok. It may even follow the old thread. If not... your screwed :D
 
Just so TMHM can't say I ignored a request for pics... here's what I got.

There's my two extractors with squared-off ends, the pilot drill bit that snapped :eek: (subsequently removed with a pair of needle-nose pliers following much cussing), what's left of the bolt (so you can get an idea how far below the surface it broke), and a pen (for scale).

I'd give you a pic of the hole in the water pump housing where the bolt goes... but it's just a dark hole so use your imagination. :D

My plan is to find an impact driver... so I can see all seven colors.
 

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At least you managed to get the broken pilot drill bit out so you should be laughing. Normally when the bit breaks you have a big problem as the it is hardened and further drilling just runs down the side of the original bit and buggers the new drill bit as well as the thread.

WD40 as a penetrating oil is not really effective because it is predominantly a water dispersant. Get some "plus-gas" or similar and let it soak for a while. If you can get heat to the stud then it helps but dont go mad on ally parts.

As already said use a hand wrench from a tap/die set to get the extractor started. A drill spins too fast to be of use. Use the biggest tap wrench you can on the top of the extractor to give you more leverage.

If you can get the extractor to bite then eventually the broken stud will come out. If you manage to break the extractor (normally because they are cheap Chinese ones) then fcuk knows how you'll get it out. The only way I've seen it done is with what is known in the tool making trade as a "spark eroder" which uses a copper electrode and high frequency elecktrickery to burn away the stud. Only trouble with this is you need to submerge the part being worked on in a vat of special conducting fluid and it takes for ever.

Good luck
 
I had a similar situation on an 2.5na water pump bolt you know the loag bastid that rysts in place. dead centre pilot hole and an easy out seemed a great idea. gently teasing the bolt until the bloody easy out snapped and you try drilling an easy out! Bastid bastid I ended up buying some expensive drill bits and just drilling the bastid out
 
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