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Any tips for removing broken bolt threads in block?

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bajachris88 The international telephone dialing code for Antarctica is 6

6,661 posts · joined Apr 2005 ·

#734617
To my surprise and a few curse words later, while i was torquing up the nut for hte flywheel the stud/bolt ( out of the four that mount the engine to the gearbox) snapped. It was the bottom one.

it was a brittle fracture, and i was using a steel rod to lock it up with a flywheel bolt to hold it still while i torqued it up.

I have now torqued it up, but this bolts gone caput! (i got a spare in a spare block i can take out)

BUT! Has anyone got any advice to remove the 1inch of thread now stuck in the block? There is the tinest bump of meat left out of the bolt hole, and the rest is inside the case.


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69' baja: kombi box, thing spindles, irs, disc front, type 3 rear drums, 2 inch lift kit, 31x10 rears. 👍
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Anthiron The Baja Rejuvenation Begins

4,936 posts · joined Oct 2003 ·

#734619
get a screw driver on the tiny chunk and tap it with a hammer lightly, spinning it in the thread to un do it. or buy an easy out
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68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#734650
Hi Chris
depending on how hard the bolt is...

whether You can drill out the centre of the bolt

then fit an easy out into the bolt and unthread it..

drill the largest hole You can - in stages - 5mm - 8mm - etc..

if you can drill in the centre of the bolt, after drilling nearly to the edge of the thread You may be able to get the remainder out with a screwdriver etc...

did You lubricate the thread and head of the bolts??
as that may be the reason it broke...
or it may have been over tensioned before..??

then again, I always use New bolts... grade 8.8 High Tensile..

cheers

LEE
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#734655
Hi again
If you are going to use ezi outs [also called other things]

drill the largest hole you can in the bolt so you are using the largest EZI OUT you can use...

My first experience, was a VW head stud, I just drilled a small hole and put the EZI Out in and snapped it off...

the metal of the EZI out was so hard, it couldn't be drilled...
I even bought some very hard drill bits... but no go..

You shouldn't have this problem as your bolt piece is just sitting there... it shouldn't be seized..

cheers

LEE

PS: spray some WD40 etc into the thread so its lubricated
and should make it easier to unscrew....
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

grumble Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,672 posts · joined Jun 2008 ·

#734676
Depending how tight the stud was inn the case,I would suggest using a left handed drill to drill it,use a small bit to drill a pilot hole and then drill it with a bigger size. Mostly the drill will pick up and wind the broken bit out.Much easier than ezyouts which expand and force the stud out into the case.

matberry Moderator Go hard or go home

8,114 posts · joined Mar 2006 ·

#734679
I have the best result welding a large nut to the stud from inside the nut, but the biggest drama is the magnesium case....careful with the amount of heat or the whole lot could go up.
Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
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bajachris88 The international telephone dialing code for Antarctica is 6

6,661 posts · joined Apr 2005 ·

#734687
thanks guys for the awesome tips.

Should be alright then.
I haven't got any left hand threaded screws, nor easy outs. will see how much they are on monday.

yea, could be an interesting show Matt haha. i spose they TIG weld those kinda cases up though, and i'm crazy enough to give that kinda thing a go...
Quite clever idea really.

Again, thanks though, will give a go. With all 3 methods, ones bound to work for me!
(ô_!_/ô) (ô_!_/ô)
69' baja: kombi box, thing spindles, irs, disc front, type 3 rear drums, 2 inch lift kit, 31x10 rears. 👍
New engine in process: 94mm p&bs, 74mm C/w chomol Crank, 35.5x39 SP heads, turbo. Wierd combo, hopeful torque monsta!

grumble Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,672 posts · joined Jun 2008 ·

#734694
No not left handed screws,left handed drills,they cut in the counterclockwise direction and as such when they bite and screw the stud out.

barls Administrator Causer of Chaos and Mayhem

9,473 posts · joined Jun 2004 ·

#734696
heres a tip to get them out dont break them in the first place
“We all pay for life with death, so everything in between should be free.” Bill Hicks
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Smiley Veteran Volks Folk

2,125 posts · joined Oct 2008 ·

#734702
If you have a small ammount of metal sticking out, get a hacksaw and cut a slot in the top of it. make sure you soak it in a rust off product or other type of penetrant to help free it. Then get a flat screwdriver in the slot and give it a hit with a hammer. Then use the screwdriver to undo the bolt. If this fails try a bit of heat in the metal of the case (butane soldering iron or something similar), and the methods mentioned above. Try with the screwdriver first and if it doesn't come then worry about having to drill the bolt.

Smiley
If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.

grumble Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,672 posts · joined Jun 2008 ·

#734708
Another tip to avoid stud damage don't use them to hold the flywheel,use a VW spark plug spanner from the exhaust outlet to the flywheel teeth when loosening and tightening the flywheel.There is a tool that bolts to the stud but it is not as good as the old plug spanner.Les

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 ·

#734711
or better yet get a lenth of angle iron and drill a couple of holes to pick up 2 of the clutch bolts

and at the other end drill 2 for the wheel nuts, they work well to helping undo the axle nuts too



and +3 for ezyout

pod i`ve got to finish this thing one day

4,980 posts · joined Dec 2003 ·

#734730
+4 for easy out,i have a bottom pulley with a length of pipe welded to it for doing up the flywheel ,i mainly made it this way for my semi auto drive plate👍
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geodon Wolfsburg Wizard

478 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#735133
I concur with mattberry. Put a nut over the hole & fill it with weld from a MIG. I will only add that you need to let it cool completely before putting a spanner on it.

I mean overnight or at the very least a loooong lunch.