Hey Guys, I worked on this Friggin car all day today, from 9:30 Am to 4:30 pm, I put in a hypertech cooler fan switch, and was going to put in a 170 thermostat. Well the thermostat that I thought would be the easy part turned out to be a nightmare. I ended up pulling off the throttle body to get to the one bolt. You guys know the one I am talking about,(On a 5.7 TPI) the real hard one to get to. It is right below two steel fuel lines and a little hose. Well I snapped the friggin bolt off! I got a real happy knuckle also. The damn thing must have been welded in there. There is some threads sticking up (about a 1/4 inch high) I can grab them with a vice grip, but not really good enough to turn it out. I am afraid to drill into it and use an extractor, because if I break that, then I am really screwed! What can I do?? I am without wheels now, and the old lady is complaining that she has to take me to work. Is there any other way or tool?? I have been soaking it with a penetrating oil. Thanks for the help! I am desperate.
Mike

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(Gran Turismo Americano) "The Ultimate Firebird"
Smokin 1989 GTA- Bone stock except for exhaust. (no catalytic-stainless pipe into Flowmaster 2 chamber).

 

That's a pretty common problem, especially if the thermostat has never been changed before. The first thing I would do is try an easy out and add some heat with a torch. If that gets you nowhere, then very carefully drilling and tapping is the only other way. Be very careful.

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89 Transam GTA, 350TPI, auto, 3.27 rear, dual cats, gray.
Magnaflow cat-back,
K&N open element,
Best E.T. 14.63@95mph

 

What he Said.


Heat it and Cool it by spraying some penetrating OIl On it a few times, and See if you cant get the vicegrips On it.

If that won't Work For you, Your going to have to Go in with the dentist Tools and Pull it out. It should come out pretty easily with a EZ-out, or the like.


And when you Put the new Bolt in, Use some anti seize



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60 Ranchero - Project ( Money Hole )
85 Sport Coupe LG4 - Daily Driver 14.82 @ 91.1
Reader's ride -> My Ride

Just another Hot Rod kid, or thats what they all tell me.
Livin' the Stereotype

 

Hey Guys, I am a little nervous about heating the broken stud up because it is right under the throttle body, and next to two metal fuel lines. I can't disconnect the lines (I don't want to get in over my head). I will be lucky if I can get it all back together now! LOL I have the throttle body disconnected, but what about vapors?
Also will Propane or Mapp gas melt the aluminum intake?
Thanks
Mike

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(Gran Turismo Americano) "The Ultimate Firebird"
Smokin 1989 GTA- Bone stock except for exhaust. (no catalytic-stainless pipe into Flowmaster 2 chamber).

 

You can try taking a center punch directly on top of what's left of the stub, keep rapping on it hard and you may break the bond loose, if not, you now have a good place to start drilling

My guess is you'll end up having to put a helicoil in it, and elongatinh the hole on the Tstat housing.

BTW, if you decide to use heat, there's two proper ways to do it..

1. Heat the surrounding area (not the stub/bolt that is left) to allow the area to expand and break free the corrosion.

2. Heat only the stub to a cherry red, then let it cool completely and come back several hours later and try to remove it, sometimes this wil break the bond loose as well.

Never try to heat the stud and begin to remove..this expands the stud and makes he task more difficult.

It's always a dicey situation when heating Al that is corroded to steel. If you choose to heat the stus cherry red, then keep an eye on the Al., don't let it get too hot...if you see it begin to change color, stop.

 

This may not apply here, but it's another method of getting broken bolts out.....

put a cut in the top of the bolt like a flat head screw and screw it out, chances are though if you broke it with the socket, you wont be able to get it using a screw driver, just keep putting penetrating oil on it and try that if you dont or cant use heat

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1986 Trans Am
305 TPI
"If it's not one thing, it's another!"
http://www2.hanover.edu/hierlmeier

 

While we're adding fun ways to get a bolt out, you can also use a file/grinder to make flats to put a wrench on it, more grip than a screwdriver.

 

I'd say heat. But you could take it to the guys on Shade Tree Mechanic (Now Crank n Chrome). They never have a problem with rusty bolts and easy outs!
If not, drain the fluid from the radiator and as much from the block so the area under the thermostat is dry. Then drill out the offending stud, vacuum the aluminum chips out and helicore it.


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Rob P
89RSconvtZZ4TPI Edelbrock Intake
SLP Dual Cold Air Intake 1 5/8" Headers Semi-Siamesed Runners, IROC
suspension, alum shaft. Numerous mods.
92Z28convt5spd (stock)
71Impala convt 402BB
BETTER DRIVING THRU SUPERIOR HORSEPOWER!

 

UPDATE::
Hey Guys thanks for all the suggestions! Believe me, I tried them all and then some! I even borrowed this really cool tool from a buddy of mine, it is a Stud remover made by Snap On Tools. And I ended up shearing the little piece I had sticking up off. I tried everything everyone said. I drilled a hole in the stud, and tried an extractor-easyout, and that didn't work, I was afraid I was gonna break it. So As a last resort I did like Rob P. said. I drilled it out, tapped it, and put in a heilicoil. Well if you looked at it when I was done, you wouldn't have even noticed the difference. It looked good, and worked great. I changed the stock bolts to hardened steel! Hopefully no more breaks. I am back & running again!
Thanks again for all the help all!!!!
Mike

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(Gran Turismo Americano) "The Ultimate Firebird"
Smokin 1989 GTA- Bone stock except for exhaust. (no catalytic-stainless pipe into Flowmaster 2 chamber).