I was tightening the valve cover bolts on my motor (out of the car). The bolts are old, and i snapped the head off of a bolt. The bolt itself is still in the head. How the hell do i get it out? Is there anything i can do? thanks for your help
Matt

 

File it or grind it flat; center punch it; drill it out carefully with a very small drill bit, then a larger one, then another; keep getting larger, until you get to the correct size for a ¼"-20 Heli-Coil. Obviously you'd want to remove the VC and cover over the rockers and stuff with newspaper and duct tape or something to keep from getting shavings and chips into the motor.

 

if you have a small punch you could take a hammer and try turning it out, or if that doesnt work drill a small hole in it and use an easy out

 

I did the same thing and used an easy out from sears.

 

whats an easy out? thanks
matt

 

it is almost like a tap, but you drill a hole through the bolt, the easy out says what size drill bit to use, then u put the easy out in the hole in the bolt, then use a wrench to turn the bolt out. as you turn the bolt out, the easy out grips into the bolt, thus removing the bolt

 

I just grind a 'channel' into bolts I break, if possible..and just use a flat head screw driver to get them out. But, everyone elses methods sound much better than mine.

 

But Ill add if you break an easy out in it, your gonna pay. They are hard as can be and machine shops like to charge more for a broken easy-out/tap in anything.

 

yeah, ill second that opinion, be careful

 

I'll third it.... in all my days, I have yet to successfully remove a bolt with an easy-out. Every single time I tried, it broke off in the bolt, and then I had a problem that was 10 times worse than it was before. So I quit trying that, and now I just go directly to the flatten / punch / drill / Heli-Coil method. Works virtually every time with no failures.

 

what is this heli-coil you speak of? sorry for the ignorance, and thanks for the help
matt

 

It is a thread insert. You drill the hole out to a size somewhat larger than the original; tap it with the special tap that comes in the kit; and screw in the insert. The hole ends up with the original size thread, except now it's made out of stainless steel instead of cast iron of chinesium or whatever. Better than new.

 

All of the holes in my heads are helicoiled. Easy-outs are the big suck.

 

You broke a 1/4" valve cover bolt off in the head,
Big Deal

Don't f*ck up a perfectly good head by drilling it out and helicoil-ing it.

Here are a few techniques to PROPERLY remove broken screws, I have used all of them and they work.

First, since this is a 1/4" screw, do you have a dremel tool? If not this is the perfect excuse to buy one.
Use the smallest burr in the kit and cut a slot deep enough to use a small screw driver to turn the screw out.

If you can't, won't, don't have a dremel:

Let your fingers do the walking in the yellow pages and find a Snap-on, Mac, Matco, or Cornwall dealer, or even a Sears (craftsman) and buy an 1/8" LEFT handed drill bit.

Center punch the broken bolt and start drilling it, if you keep your mind clear of impure thoughts and hold your mouth just right, the drill will turn the screw out about half way through the bolt.
Be sure to hose the screw down with penetrating oil before and while drilling the screw.
Also, run the drill about 800 rpm. I'm assuming you can guesstimate 800rpm.

If for whatever reason the screw hasn't come out yet, the next step is the broken screw extractor.
You can get them from the tool dealers mentioned earlier. I saw a good pic of them on the Matco website a while back, they are only about 1 inch long and come in a variety of sizes and prices.
The 1/8" hole that you drilled is perfect for the 1/8" extractor, just push it in with your hand, put a wrench on it, give the head of the extractor a LIGHT tap with a SMALL hammer to set it in the bolt and turn the screw out.

Now for the last resort. Say you have tried every thing suggested and that @%#^@!$@#^# screw still won't come out?
Well, now is the time to drill and heli-coil the hole. Follow the directions included in the kit.

I have used these techniques on fasteners ranging from a Number 6 rifle scope mounting screw to 1" diameter head bolts in diesel engines.

Just take your time, read the directions, and be patient. It's a piece of cake.