Broke the easy out in the block, now what?

Even if the bolt is broke below the surface you can build up a little weld inside the hole on the end of the broken off bolt, then weld a nut, or washer than nut to that

It really isnt possible to be too late to use this method

 

I've always been afraid of the "blow it out with a torch" method, becaus I'm afraid that much localized heat might cause a crack somewhere in the casting. Evidently my fearsw are unfounded, but I will still always use the weld method first.

The fact that you can break an EZ-Out with a punch to get it out due to it being such brittle metal should be a pretty good clue as to how useless they are to get a seized chunk of bolt thread out of a casting. Put any torque at all on them, and they are going to snap like a dry twig.

 

I have used the torch method.

The thing is I didn't attempt to get it all out at one time. Just heat it up, hit it with the oxygen and then chip out the slag. It will take several cycles but it heats the surrounding material less.

The last time I did this was on a tap in a cylinder head manifold bolt hole. When I was finished I had to lightly file the manifold face where the metal raised up some.

 

Easy outs are designed to break the instant they are used. Lesson learned don't use them again.

Now for the fix, since you can't weld to it (bummer) the best way is to make a drill jig. Take a block of anything metal' alum, steel, etc. and drill the new hole size through it. Now attach that piece to another hole nearby to hold that guide in place. When you drill through this new guide it will keep your bit straight and true. Then just helicoil.

 

They make drill bits with the twist in the opposite direction than normal for this

 

Does anybody have a clue as to why these damn things are called an "easy out"???

 

A drill bit wont drill the easy out, they are harder than the drill bit!

A reverse drill btt, again, not harder than an easy out.

I ran an automotive machine shop for 5 years, ive seen the messes people make and had to deal with fixing them, and dealt with tons and tons of broken bolts.

 

I can assure you that a drill bit will not drill a easy out. When I was rebuilding my vipers when I broke a small bolts off that held the lifter in blade. I bought a easy out from lowes and that damn thing broke!!! I spent 6 hours and over $60 on drill bits trying to get that small tip of the easy out out! It made me so mad that I wanted to give the viper away! ha We had to drill small holes around it to get it out. Then welded the hold back up and retapped. Would not recommend but the viper is still running strong today! Good luck buddy!

 

Carbide and cutting fluid will do it, left handed if you can get it. I've done it a few times for people.

 

post #36, so we will buy them thinking problem solved

 

I bought a set maybe 35 years ago... still have the 2 biggest ones and used them a couple of times to fish out broken threaded collars.

When the smaller ones break, lots of luck getting them out. The best bet is to burn the crap out of them with the torch so they break up easier when chiseling them out. And of course the tip never comes out with the rest of it.

I've given up on them for bolt removal. Now I make up a quick and dirty "drill jig" block to guide the drills. There's usually a handy bolt hole close by to sock it down with.

Bob

 

I've been using the torch method for over 40 years and haven't had a single problem. I just finished removing five broken studs from a chevy 250 exhaust manifold this way.

 

I've had good luck with a torch on exhaust manifolds where it's not a blind hole but I've got three broken bolts on my 350 on my ot truck right now that had broken bolts in them and two had broken drill bits or easy outs stuck in them. Luckily there were alternative alternator and power steering mounts that didn't need those holes.

I've Watched guys with a good hand with a torch like CB Chief do it time and again but my hand isn't that good.

 

I've always drill out the broken stud with just the right size bit and then tap the hole...no stinkin un-easy out for me.

Good luck with your sciene expirement. I bet it's in a really easy out place to get to too...

 

weld nut to easy out and spin it foward loosining the easy out.

since you already drilled a hole and spread the hole with the easy out you might beable to weld a nut to it but first try hammering a torx bit in the hole and unscrew it. make sure hole is deep enough that if torx breaks you have room to hammer it in deeper.

 

Next time you guys have some junk piece of cast iron, try the torch method on a busted bolt.
You really can wash the bolt right out without damaging anything.

Use a welding tip, start with a neutral flame. As the bolt begins to melt , (tricky part) without leaving the area , turn up the oxygen a little bit to an oxidizing flame and the bolt will run out.

After you've mastered that , try it with a cutting torch and a light touch on the oxy trigger.

Try it on scrap first.

Then if you want to have some fun with your scrap piece.
Fill the tapped hole with weld until you get a stub, then try the " weld the washer to the stub and a nut to the washer" trick and back it out.

No sense in trying these things for the first time on a good engine block or head.

Everyone should have left handed carbide bits in their toolbox or at least on their Christmas list. Must have items. I can't tell you exactly when you'll need them, but you will one day.

 

Abandon that hole and drill another, run gasket over that one?
Maybe this is bad, we will hear if it is!
jim

 

How can you do that on a water pump ? I wanna see.

 

Yeah, I agree you can't drill an easy out. I accidently hit the post button before I was done. But the reverse twist bits work pretty well if used correctly to begin with, not after you've already broken an "un-easy out". I've used the torch method before with good success, just kinda scary at first. Like mentioned earlier practice on junk piece first.

 

x5
Welding a washer then a nut on the washer is the only sensible method with a broken easy out in there. Use a really hot weld when you weld the washer on and that will fuse the easy out to the bolt and the washer. let it cool and weld the nut to the whole thing. Wiggle the welded nut back and forth after it has cooled, but before it is down to block temperature. Works every time (although you may have to try twice.

 

instead of welding a washer to the broken bolt i drill a hole in a piece of flat bar, i drill the hole near one end so i can use the other end like a handle, the hole size is just a little smaller then the bolt DIA.

 

I have welded the washer and nut on bolts broken 1/4 inch down into the block, and once with the remains of an easy-out stuck in there. I must have done it a couple of dozen times and it always worked. Sometimes if you turn the air down way low on an impact wrench you can peck away at it with the socket to loosen it. You may have to weld the nut on multiple times, but it has always worked for me.

 

That's what I've done. Works pretty well, usually, just need to make sure there's no oil on the EZ out when you start welding.

 

As with any metal, you can soften the easy out by annealing it as others have said. With a small torch welding tip, heat it up until it becomes cherry red. Slowly back the torch off to keep enough heat on it so it cools slowly. Let it cool completely before drilling.

Heating it cherry red and blowing more oxygen on it also works. If you have two torch setups, you can use a welding tip to heat it and blow with an unlit cutting torch. To use the cutting torch to heat and cut, get the smallest tip you can for your torch.

Any bolt removal requires skill, patience and persistence.

 

Like any tool, easy outs or screw extractors have their uses but the user has to know when to use them and how hard to turn them. If the bolt broke because it was loose and sheared off, left hand drills and extractors work well. If the bolt broke off from trying to turn it out, an extractor isn't likely to work. The hole has to be centered in the bolt and straight. If the hole isn't centered, the tool might end up trying to turn the hole instead of only the bolt. The torque also needs to be applied correctly so no sideways pressure is applied.

 

I have had this exact problem before....easy out in water pump bolt...mine was like a 4 blade arrow head....

I went and got my savior....my 85 year old expert mechanic...he can fix anything...well...he gauged around the easy out some maybe with a small chisel I think it was...then he used the special air nozzle he made me out of 3/16th brake line and stuck his gloved hand over the easy out with the nozzle behind the easy out I think it was and blew it out....then he straighted up the mess I had made, re-tapped the hole, and fixed.

 

I get them out with a hammer and punch/chisel. I must be one of the few who do it that way. It broke once and it will break again.

 

A tig will burn it out with plenty of control.

 

well I got it done, used a carbon tip on the grinder ( thanks Titus) and spent 4hrs grinding the easy out enough for it to break apart. Drilled it out along with the waterpump hole, inserted a heli coil and finished the install. New waterpump working great. Thanks for all the advice and I will probably never use an "Easy" out again.

 

Lots of good ideas here and I've had success with most of these. This may be OT but "eazy outs" ain't what they used to be with he crap they use to make today's tools. Eazy outs from China break like glass. I covet the old the tools I've inherited and found @ garage sales & auctions.