I screwed up! How Do I Fix It?

Russell Bear · Dec 11, 2003

Taking apart my greenhead 67 and it's been sitting up a while. Loosening up the head bolts and one of them snapped.

It is broken off just above the surface of the crankcase. The rest of them came out fine with a little corrosion on them, but their out.

My question is, what is the best way to get the broken off piece out? I am thinking penetrating oil, drill & EZ-Out, heat...... What can I do with a limited amount of tools (meaning no drill press)?

Thanks......

TimD · Dec 11, 2003

Is there enough exposed threads to put a pair of side cutters onto the screw? Sometimes you can get lucky and undo them with light pressure on the cutters and a bit of heat in the case.

An ez-out that small could end up creating a bigger problem if it snaps(ever tried to drill one of those suckers out?)

Last resort - find someone with a drill press!

Good luck - it can be a real pain

Spraguepsycho1 · Dec 11, 2003

definetly penetrating oil to start with, is there enough sticking out to grab with a good pair of vice grips? if not maybe you can find a small reverse rotation drill bit chances are a reverse rotation bit might grab it and twist it out once the oil does it's job with less chance of buggerin up the block than the tapered ezout might. Either way without a drill press or mill to get a good lock down and allignment, it's probably going to be tough to drill straight.Heat might help as long as it doesn't expand the aluminum too tight around the threads, if so at least it might loosen some of the corrosion. Hopefully somebody else on here can be more help, good luck.

Russell Bear · Dec 11, 2003

There is not enough to get any pliers around it.

Spraguepsycho1 · Dec 11, 2003

if you can't get anything to grab it, you'll most liekly have to file it flat enough to get a good start with the drill bit. I would try using the smallest bit you could find,at least to get a small hole for the final drill to center on.

Russell Bear · Dec 11, 2003

Sounds good. I'll hit my neighbor up for his drill press tomorrow. I'll have it soaking all night. Maybe the screw fairy will have it out for me when I wake up.

mark poole · Dec 12, 2003

PB Blaster works great on anything rusted, corroded or just plain stuck. It is available (around here) in Wal Mart and auto part stores. The chemical that is in that stuff will penetrate better than anything I have ever used. Spray it on an leave it set for a while. The trick to using heat on aluminum is to try and remove the stuck or broke bolt as soon as you start heating the aluminum. Yes, the left hand drill bits are a must in your situation when there is nothing to grab.

Bart Drieghe · Dec 12, 2003

Cut with a disc ( small and thin ofcourse ) a lign in it( in the screw ) , heat it up a bit and then use a normal screwdriver to get it loose .It has worked for me on several "accidents " .

Good luck anyways ,

Bart

izitbrokeyet? · Dec 12, 2003

Hopefully you can cut a slot in the shaft of the machine screw and remove it with a screwdriver. In the worst cases, you can re-anodize the block. This process will eat the steel out of the aluminum and you won’t have to re-tap with an oversized thread

Chris Thomas · Dec 12, 2003

I think Bert has the answer you are looking for. It is the first attempt I would make. Plenty of penetrating oil after you slot the exposed bolt. Or take it to a welding shop. See if they could spot weld/tack an extension to the top of the broken steel bolt/screw.

Guest_Eric Canto · Dec 12, 2003

I have used the method Bart described many times and it works great!

Russell Bear · Dec 12, 2003

Yeah!!!

Russell Bear · Dec 12, 2003

I got it out!!!

I let it soak in WD-40 overnight and drilled a small indent on the screw. I had a small EZ-out and it just came right out.

Thanks everyone for the input

Russell Bear · Dec 12, 2003

I understand where the reverse drill bit would come in handy. As soon as I started to drill it started to thread itself further in. I was freaking out :unsure: . Anyway it's out.

Russell Bear · Dec 12, 2003

Happened again <_<

Once I put a screw in another hole, it broke off. I used the same technique and it came out fine. I was sweatin'. :huh:

Russell Bear · Dec 12, 2003

Anyone know off hand what size/thread the head screws are and what type I should get (stainless, black?). I am going to replace these screw before I break another.

Thanks.......

Bart Drieghe · Dec 12, 2003

Don't push your luck Russell LOL

B) B)

Congrats u had it out lol ( twice lol )

Bart

nitrotoys · Dec 12, 2003

Take them screws to hardware store, or hobby shop, They should beable to match them up with a stainless screw.

before installing them, put some antiseize on the threads.

You dont want to keep pushing your luck with breaking them.

or striping the holes out, remember its just alumn.

NT

Russell Bear · Dec 12, 2003

Stainless it is.

Thanks.......

Don Ferrette · Dec 12, 2003

Be careful with stainless, actually the black ones are stronger. Also watch the length, they need to be exactly the same. Too long they'll bottom out & snap, too short & the threads will pull. BTW - do you flush WD40 thru the water jacket EVERY time you are done running?? :huh:

I screwed up! How Do I Fix It?

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