I have a 89 Mk3, and I decided to change the cooling system out and go with electric fans instead of the fan that runs off the pulley. I went ahead and changed the water pump out while I was at it, and when I bolted it back up one of the bolts snapped off. I drilled a hole through the bolt and tried to back it out with an e.z out only to have the e.z out snap on me to inside the hole I drilled in the bolt. That e.z out must be made out of a hardned metal because I can't drill the snapped bolt out with that e.z out in there. Has anyone run into this problem?
Snapped Bolt
- Thread starter C-flo
- Start date
everyone has, search!
you're going to run into some problems with this one, especially if the engine isn't out on a stand.
to remove the ez out (which have never once worked for me) i've taken a dremel with a tungsten carbide bit and worked at the thing for a while. once i got the majority out, i kept drilling larger holes through the bolt til i could collapse the threads with a pick/screwdriver, then run a tap back through the hole to make sure none of the threads in there were messed up. i'd definitely go with the dremel option here and try to cut the hardened steel away.
you can look for a set of left hand drill bits, they're usually handier to have than ez outs and stand a chance of backing the ez out out (but i highly doubt it)
another option is to take a cold chisel or screwdriver and look for a lip on the snapped bolt/extractor and tap on it with a hammer to back it out manually. make sure you put a little pb blaster or penetrating oil in there to make it easier to move since the bolt just went in. again, this would be pretty hard to do unless the engine is on a stand.
depending on how far the bolt snapped off, you might be able to take the water pump back off and use vice grips to back your bolt out if only the head sheared off and some of the bolt was left sticking out of the front timing plate.
you're going to run into some problems with this one, especially if the engine isn't out on a stand.
to remove the ez out (which have never once worked for me) i've taken a dremel with a tungsten carbide bit and worked at the thing for a while. once i got the majority out, i kept drilling larger holes through the bolt til i could collapse the threads with a pick/screwdriver, then run a tap back through the hole to make sure none of the threads in there were messed up. i'd definitely go with the dremel option here and try to cut the hardened steel away.
you can look for a set of left hand drill bits, they're usually handier to have than ez outs and stand a chance of backing the ez out out (but i highly doubt it)
another option is to take a cold chisel or screwdriver and look for a lip on the snapped bolt/extractor and tap on it with a hammer to back it out manually. make sure you put a little pb blaster or penetrating oil in there to make it easier to move since the bolt just went in. again, this would be pretty hard to do unless the engine is on a stand.
depending on how far the bolt snapped off, you might be able to take the water pump back off and use vice grips to back your bolt out if only the head sheared off and some of the bolt was left sticking out of the front timing plate.
thanks for the advice. I'm running out of options on this one. This small problem has turned into a big one really fast. I cant drive my car right now because i have no cooling system. The motor is still in the car, but I took the radiator, fan, pulley, and water pump out so there is a little room to work. I thought about drilling a new hole through the block and water pump, but there isn't enough metal on the pump housing to do so.
Don't know whar style of e-z out you used. If it was the type with the left twist go get
a better drill bit, it will drill.
If it was the type tapered squared shoulder that you drive in with a hammer, try and
relese the bite with a small sharp punch (sharp shoulders not pointy)
To do this job efectivly you will need quality tools that are well mantained. Good luck
muzy
a better drill bit, it will drill.
If it was the type tapered squared shoulder that you drive in with a hammer, try and
relese the bite with a small sharp punch (sharp shoulders not pointy)
To do this job efectivly you will need quality tools that are well mantained. Good luck
muzy