!!!help!!!

Keith1138

Keith1138

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2015
Location
Harrisburg NC
So I was tightening (more like making sure they where firm) valve cover bolts because I had a tiny leak coming from the valve cover. One of the bolts snapped flush with the head. Is there a way to drill it out with out having to tap the hole?
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Left hand drill and an easy-out...and lots of grease to catch the filings so they don't end up in your valve springs and ultimately the oil pan.
 
kaiser715 said:
Be sure and own up and post pics of the broken easy-out. Those things ought to require a license to purchase. :D
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Haha...I found out the hard way how hard those bastards are to drill if (when) you break one off...but if you're reeeeeaallll gentle-like...you just might win! meaning you won't break it...lol
 
I would take a small, flat chisel and try to work it back out.
 
I usually try a center punch on the edge ccw. Start a divot and then angle it. Usually works. Whatever you do, don't break an easy out. In my experience 9.9/10 times if the bolt sheared in the hole, it's stuck tighter than the easy out will remove. I ended up with a 1/2" hole because I snapped an easy out, then threaded it and installed a bolt, cut off flush and drilled and tapped. What a pain.
 
Wow thanks for all of the quick responses. I think I'm going to try the center punch and left handed drill bit first before I attempt my luck with an ez out. I'm at school so i don't have access to that many tools. I had bolts that fit from when I did the engine swap because the same thing happened but I was able to get it out with a pair of vice grips.

I took two of the new bolts I had and put them on either side of the snapped one when I put the cover back on. Odds of it leaking since it is missing a bolt? The gasket is a rubber felpro.

I want to get it fix correctly but I'm going home this weekend. And just wondering how much it would leak on that 3hr drive

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amcjeepman said:
Very carefully center punch the bolt. Find a Left Hand drill bit and Carefully drill straight thru the bolt. It may back out while drilling, if it does let it.
The key is the center punch and drilling straight.
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Quoted for truth. You may be able to take a fine point chisel/punch and spin the bolt out but I doubt it. @Keith Odom if you can make it wait till the weekend I'll bring a center punch and drill bit plus some left handed bits down with me Saturday.


Also next time maybe use 1/4 drive stuff, harder to break bolts that way.
 
Chris_Keziah said:
Quoted for truth. You may be able to take a fine point chisel/punch and spin the bolt out but I doubt it. @Keith Odom if you can make it wait till the weekend I'll bring a center punch and drill bit plus some left handed bits down with me Saturday.


Also next time maybe use 1/4 drive stuff, harder to break bolts that way.
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I'm going to try to the center punch. It doesn't appear to be leaking. I drove to Lowe's which is just far enough for it to get up to temp. If this doesn't work I'll just wait till Saturday Chris. I will stop and check periodically on my way home.

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a_kelley said:
I usually try a center punch on the edge ccw. Start a divot and then angle it. Usually works.
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Always try this first if there is no tension on the threads, because it's so easy. It's finicky and slow, but that's fine if it saves you from more difficult methods.
 
Keith Odom said:
Odds of it leaking since it is missing a bolt? The gasket is a rubber felpro.

I want to get it fix correctly but I'm going home this weekend. And just wondering how much it would leak on that 3hr drive

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Lather on some RTV on both sides of the gasket out to the closest bolts and you should be fine. The gasket will be trash, and you’ll have some scraping in your future, but you shouldn’t have a leak.
 
you can always hit it with your purse.
 
UTfball68 said:
Have a dremel with a ‘cut off disc’...notch the center of the bolt...back out with a flat blade screwdriver. Otherwise, as mentioned, I usually weld a nut. And that basically translates to, I can’t drill straight...
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haha my exact reason for welding a nut! Trying to get a broken bolt punched dead center is pita when I can tack it and ratchet that bitch out!! Lol
 
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