I'm a dumbass. Bolt extraction gone wrong.

shadow_FIX · Dec 11, 2009

OK so cliffs of my previous problem.

Lost a fuel rail spacer
Decided to be stupid and torque a bolt down without it.
Bolt broke.
Tried to use an easy-out.
Easy-out broke in bolt.

Now, I brought it to Midas just because I figured okay, I can't get the bolt out so let's let someone else take care of it. They've had it for three days and were neglecting to call me about it so I called them just now. They said that the bolt is impossible to extract because my easy-out broke inside it. They told me I need a new head.

Is this accurate? Is there absolutely no way of extracting this? This is where the fuel rail bolts to the (or so I thought) intake manifold, but apparently this threads into the head? Is it really necessary to get an entirely new head just because of this one stupid bolt?

Help me. Flame if you must, but this is retarded.

Draki · Dec 11, 2009

I would try to drill out the bolt first. Drill out the bolt and get a thread die, and re-thread the hole and use a bolt to match the new bolt hole. Easy peasy

1timehondalover · Dec 11, 2009

Snap-On sells easyout extractors, but I haven't personally seen one.

As far as being fucked, you're pretty close to it in my experience. As a mechanic, breaking an easy-out is probably one of my least favorite "fuuuuuuu" moments.

Do you have or can you get any pics of said carnage? Perhaps the DSM collective can figure out a solution.

4G63DsmLife · Dec 11, 2009

lol exactly what he said haha. Just make sure not to drill it out too big, just bigger than the old one, otherwise the bolt won't fit thru the hole in the fuel rail. And I thought it bolted to the Intake too?

goalie40 · Dec 11, 2009

Not so easy of an out....................har har har

Sorry I had too.

shadow_FIX · Dec 11, 2009

Ok, well basically at this point I think I just need to know whether the fuel rail bolts go through to the head, or do they thread strictly into the intake manifold. I talked to a local machine shop and he said they could probably get it out, but I need to give them the part with the bolt stuck in it.

goalie40 said:
Not so easy of an out....................har har har

Sorry I had too.

No worries man, I need to laugh at myself over this rather than be pissed at it.

gtsiawd96 · Dec 11, 2009

The threads for the fuel rail are in the head.

If you attempt the job yourself the most important thing you would need would be a set of brand new drill bits, extremely sharp. I have a set of cobalt thunderbits and they will damn near go through anything. A high speed drill a cordless isn't going to cut it.

And a good set of extractors, there are a couple different styles to go with, the standard screw type or this type that works well on bolts not crossthreaded and broken just simply overtorqued and snapped,http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=158&group_ID=1254&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog I understand there $100, but when your a mechanic they come in very handy

DSM Loki · Dec 11, 2009

gtsiawd96 said:
The threads for the fuel rail are in the head.

If you attempt the job yourself the most important thing you would need would be a set of brand new drill bits, extremely sharp. I have a set of cobalt thunderbits and they will damn near go through anything. A high speed drill a cordless isn't going to cut it.

And a good set of extractors, there are a couple different styles to go with, the standard screw type or this type that works well on bolts not crossthreaded and broken just simply overtorqued and snapped,http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=158&group_ID=1254&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog I understand there $100, but when your a mechanic they come in very handy

QFT

Use a high speed drill, new, sharp high quality bits, cutting oil, very little pressure, a steady hand, and a lot of patience...

gtsiawd96 · Dec 11, 2009

Sorry I forgot something. Even more important that anything else. When dealing with m8 and smaller broken bolts. Get a center punch and make damn sure that when you start drilling you are centered on the bolt. This is so the drill bit cannot walk around and find it's on place to start. It makes the job soooo much easier.

K_Mans_TSI · Dec 12, 2009

You most likely will not be able to drill through the easy out.

1timehondalover · Dec 12, 2009

K_Mans_TSI said:
You most likely will not be able to drill through the easy out.

I agree. You're in for a difficult experience if you broke off a Harbor Freight (shitty steel) easy out. If you broke off a high-end easy out, it will be closer to impossible. The biggest issue IMO is the fact that easy outs never make a clean break, they usually shatter due to their hardness. This makes starting a clean, centered bore difficult. Also, materials that like to shatter generally don't do well when drilled.

And as stated before, if you don't use a center punch you will be doomed from the start.

shadow_FIX · Dec 12, 2009

So I take it this is something the machine shop has to do.

1timehondalover · Dec 12, 2009

Get us pictures.

Ripper_XX · Dec 12, 2009

Thats what I had to do with my block after I had an easy out break on me. But I can tell you what they did...

They drilled a lot of small holes all the way around the easy out. then enlarged them until they all just bearly connected and pulled the easy out, out. Then just finish it off by drilling out the bolt, heli coil it and or if the hole is so much larger, tap it to whatever size thread/bolt you want.

Red1991TSI · Dec 12, 2009

Machine shop should be able to get it out. They usually have better tools and experience that Midass!

HuBerT · Dec 12, 2009

Get a picture! depending on how the EZ out broke there could be some options still. A lot of bolt extracting is experience, and it's delicate work with the proper tools. It's about 500 times easier to mess it up worse than it is to fix it. There isn't much middle ground. If your not confident, don't try, it will make it harder for the next guy.

PS - Props for problem solving, this is when the average DSM owner drives around with 2 bolts holding the fuel rail on and their car smells like gas the rest of its life.

rad_dsm · Dec 12, 2009

Find an experienced mechanic that works on Jeeps or off road trucks. Call some welding shops in the phone book to see if they can help. A good seasoned problem solving welder can use a welder to remove the broken bolt/easy out.

Gray91GSX · Dec 12, 2009

That sucks dude. I remember when you did this... I hope everything goes okay.

gdmbat85 · Dec 12, 2009

Those annoyingly gay circular extractors snapping is exactly why I now own a set of these extractors. They're damn near impossible to snap inside a screw because the edge will chip or break lose before the shank part snaps in half. If you do somehow manage to break it inside the screw, they're only held in by in and out pressure, so a bit of jiggling on the edges and they should slide straight out.

As for your current situation, I've had to deal with the same situation. It's almost impossible to drill out the hardened steel. Your best bet it to find a way of destroying the surface area that's holding the broken piece in. Essentially, extracting the extractor.

M50 · Dec 12, 2009

You can also try using a hammer and punch to tap the outer edge of the bolt until it breaks loose.

I'm a dumbass. Bolt extraction gone wrong.

shadow_FIX

Draki

1timehondalover

4G63DsmLife

goalie40

shadow_FIX

gtsiawd96

DSM Loki

gtsiawd96

K_Mans_TSI

1timehondalover

shadow_FIX

1timehondalover

Ripper_XX

Red1991TSI

HuBerT

rad_dsm

Gray91GSX

gdmbat85

M50

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