seriously broken bolt

dasafgmc68 · 02-29-2008, 12:44 AM

I have a 98 gmc 1500. one of my starter bolts broke off about a quarter inch inside of the block. I have drilled out the center of the bolt and tried to use an extractor kit to get it out with the reverse spiral bits with no luck. I also use the tap in hex type extractor with not much more luck.

By this time i'm really frustrated. this bolt has not moved at all it's as if it is welded in the block can anyone tell me what to do.

z07 · 02-29-2008, 12:58 AM

With the hex type extractor, have you tried to tighten the bolt a bit? If you can get it to move even 1/8th a turn in it should back right out with either extractor.

A low torch on the block near the bolt for a minute before you try to extract it might help as it will make the hole bigger but you want to be careful not to heat the bolt too as it will expand to fill the bigger hole.

dasafgmc68 · 02-29-2008, 03:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by z07

With the hex type extractor, have you tried to tighten the bolt a bit? If you can get it to move even 1/8th a turn in it should back right out with either extractor.

A low torch on the block near the bolt for a minute before you try to extract it might help as it will make the hole bigger but you want to be careful not to heat the bolt too as it will expand to fill the bigger hole.

i feel so stupid i heated the bolt not the block, but i think i may have tried to much cause there is not much of the bolt left in there, how long do you think i should heat it for

z07 · 02-29-2008, 04:10 AM

"how long do you think i should heat it for?"

Try 30 seconds and see if it gets you anything. At this point I would suspect a shop would want to pull the motor if you took it to them so they could have easy access.

Good luck and post a picture if you can. There are lots of people here way more skilled than I. I'm sure they will chime in with a solution.

Lhasty · 02-29-2008, 06:04 AM

If you can keep drilling the center of the bolt with progressively larger bits, eventually you'll either spin it out on a bit or you'll get down to the threads. If you get to the threads and they are damaged, you can buy a heli-coil and heli-coil tap at most parts stores. The tap will cut new threads into the block slightly larger than the original one, then you screw the heli-coil into the hole to make the threads back to the original bolt size. Just be careful not to break a drill bit or the extractors off in the hole. It's much more difficult to get them out than to install a heli-coil.

mrjohnwayne · 02-29-2008, 09:04 AM

Ditto to the Helicoil. if you can't get it out, or it is still that hard I would Heli coil it.

dasafgmc68 · 02-29-2008, 09:44 PM

ok i drilled out the old bolt and I'll check on that heli-coil tomorrow and see how well it work I've drill all the way to the threads with no luck this bolt must be really stubborn

z07 · 03-01-2008, 05:06 AM

Consider Timesert

YouTube - Repair Damaged Threads!

as well as the good ol' Helicoil.

YouTube - HELICOIL THREAD REPAIR SYSTEM

FIRSTTRUCK · 03-01-2008, 05:42 AM

I AGREE WITH zO7... TIME SERTS ARE THE REAL ANSWER. I AM A RETIRED TOOL AND DIE MAKER, AND I CAN`T TELL YA HOW MANY OF THESE BROKEN BOLT, STUDS I HAVE RUN INTO. TIME- SERTS WILL INDEED FIX IT PERMAMENTLY. GOOD LUCK.
FIRSTTRUCK

marshalljc · 03-01-2008, 09:21 AM

how much are the time-serts I looked online but cant get a price

02-29-2008, 12:44 AM	#1
dasafgmc68 Full Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: North Little Rock, Arkansas Posts: 13	seriously broken bolt I have a 98 gmc 1500. one of my starter bolts broke off about a quarter inch inside of the block. I have drilled out the center of the bolt and tried to use an extractor kit to get it out with the reverse spiral bits with no luck. I also use the tap in hex type extractor with not much more luck. By this time i'm really frustrated. this bolt has not moved at all it's as if it is welded in the block can anyone tell me what to do.

02-29-2008, 09:04 AM	#6
mrjohnwayne Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 2,783	Ditto to the Helicoil. if you can't get it out, or it is still that hard I would Heli coil it. __________________ John Wayne 2000 F-350 7.3L Powerstroke 4x4

02-29-2008, 09:44 PM	#7
dasafgmc68 Full Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: North Little Rock, Arkansas Posts: 13	thanks ok i drilled out the old bolt and I'll check on that heli-coil tomorrow and see how well it work I've drill all the way to the threads with no luck this bolt must be really stubborn

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02-29-2008, 12:58 AM	#2
z07 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 105	With the hex type extractor, have you tried to tighten the bolt a bit? If you can get it to move even 1/8th a turn in it should back right out with either extractor. A low torch on the block near the bolt for a minute before you try to extract it might help as it will make the hole bigger but you want to be careful not to heat the bolt too as it will expand to fill the bigger hole.

02-29-2008, 04:10 AM	#4
z07 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 105	"how long do you think i should heat it for?" Try 30 seconds and see if it gets you anything. At this point I would suspect a shop would want to pull the motor if you took it to them so they could have easy access. Good luck and post a picture if you can. There are lots of people here way more skilled than I. I'm sure they will chime in with a solution.

02-29-2008, 06:04 AM	#5
Lhasty Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 5	If you can keep drilling the center of the bolt with progressively larger bits, eventually you'll either spin it out on a bit or you'll get down to the threads. If you get to the threads and they are damaged, you can buy a heli-coil and heli-coil tap at most parts stores. The tap will cut new threads into the block slightly larger than the original one, then you screw the heli-coil into the hole to make the threads back to the original bolt size. Just be careful not to break a drill bit or the extractors off in the hole. It's much more difficult to get them out than to install a heli-coil.

03-01-2008, 05:06 AM	#8
z07 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 105	Consider Timesert YouTube - Repair Damaged Threads! as well as the good ol' Helicoil. YouTube - HELICOIL THREAD REPAIR SYSTEM

03-01-2008, 05:42 AM	#9
FIRSTTRUCK Full Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: UPSTATE, N.Y. Posts: 23	I AGREE WITH zO7... TIME SERTS ARE THE REAL ANSWER. I AM A RETIRED TOOL AND DIE MAKER, AND I CAN`T TELL YA HOW MANY OF THESE BROKEN BOLT, STUDS I HAVE RUN INTO. TIME- SERTS WILL INDEED FIX IT PERMAMENTLY. GOOD LUCK. FIRSTTRUCK

03-01-2008, 09:21 AM	#10
marshalljc Full Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 29	how much are the time-serts I looked online but cant get a price