The harmonic balancer bolt just snapped off inside of my crankshaft about half an inch past flush. Has anybody had this happen before and if so have you come up with an easy removal of it? I cant weld a nut on the end of the bolt due to it being recessed in too far, and I've heard of easy outs breaking off when trying to use them. If all else fails I may just try and drill it out and add a time-sert inside. Not sure what could really cause this to happen either. It does have a Procharger with the required extra add on crank pulley, but that has been on the car for almost 7 years now so I'm not sure how that could be the problem and just happen as of now after all of these years.

 

Left handed drill bits work wonders, most the time the bolt will come out while you're drilling

 

I will give that a shot. Would be great if it can remove the bolt and save the threads.

 

If that doesn't work, you'll need to weld a bolt to the remainder of the bolt that broke, and then back it out with a wrench...

 

I wish I could attempt that but it is broken off too far inside to be able to get a weld on it/

 

You might try heating the crank with a torch a little as you're using the LH drill bit, too.

 

You might also apply a little heat with a torch to the outside of the crank while you're using the left-handed drill bit.

 

It's not easy but I've done it. Just not that deep but still I have with smaller bolts than 5/8 so I think if it was me that I'd try, sometimes it's just the weld heat that really helps loosen it up. At least it's a larger bolt, you basically have to tach the center over n over n built it up w/o welding to the threads, then weld a washer and then weld a nut and hope it don't brake off or you have to start over. If I was going to attempt it, I might get some very thin wall tube to protect the threads but still your goal is to not directly weld that tube cause it will melt easy to the threads. Even then we're talking pull everything to get as much room to work. Would take a lot of patience.

 

A 3/8" copper tube sleeve stuck into the hole will help to prevent inadvertent welding of anything to the crank snout recess.

Whether the left-twist drill works (as it often does) or if a stud is welded to the bolt remnant, and if the threads somehow become damaged, don't sweat it. The bolt is 7/16-20, and Ed Cole was VERY clever in the selection of that. If one of those ever gets ugly, it can be re-tapped to 1/2-20 (a much more common bolt size) and a beefier 1/2-20 bolt can be used to hold everyting in place, often without even having to drill the balancer.

 

Yah 5/8 head not threads, just meant a larger size bolt and should have used the thread size. My local Ace hardware has thinwall brass tubes and was thinking basically the same as Vader.

 

Weld does not stick to copper. Modify a piece of a copper pipe or fitting to fit inside and protect the threads if you are going to try welding to what's left of the bolt.

OOPS, Vader beat me to it.

If you do end up going to the next bolt size, like Vader also said, 1/2"-20, not 1/2"-13!!!!!

 

Outcome???

 

Or, come out?

 

I actually just got it out the other night. Used a left handed drill bit as recommended. Thanks for all the replies.