Snapped A Bolt Is It Still Safe ?

[Wacky Dee]

Was replacing my fan clutch today and when putting the new one on, one of the 4 bolts that attach fan clutch to water pump snapped .. I've taken the alternator belt roller thingy off and have tried undoing the snapped bolt from the water pump housing using vise grips so that I can put a new bolt it... but it won't budge..

So my question is, is it safe to run on only 3 of these bolts ??? I don't think this part spins that fast (like the fan clutch itself for example) as its just the water pump .. Has anyone snapped one of these bastards before?? No wasn't using too much force ..I think it was previously damaged when the water pump was changed by a mechanic as one of the bolrs (probably the one that snapped) was really f**ken tight unlike the other 3 when I was taking off the old fan clutch..

[Duncan]

nope, thats no good at all.

When you say the snaped stud was much tighter, that is normally the sign of a cross threaded stud. whoever put it in didn't put it in straight but forced it in anyway, so when you go to take it out again it is very easy to break the stud.

so.....are you due to replace the timing belt and water pump? If so the replace the water pump it will come with new (healthy) studs. If not you need to get the broken stud out and replace it (just take it to a local bolt shop, they will be able to match and replace it).

If the stud has enough thread sticking out to put 2 nuts on your are in luck. screw one nut down as far as you can (not too tight), then put another nut on top of it and screw it down. Make sure both nuts have enough stud left that it sticks out or give up on this method. If it does, grab 2 spanners and tighten the 2 nuts against each other - when they are both tight you can put a spanner on the bottom nut, turn it anti clockwise and the whole stud will come out (eventually). Do it very slowly and smoothly to make sure you don't break the stud again.

If you do not have enough thread to put 2 nuts on it (and I assume you don't have a stud remover!) you need to drill the stud out and remove it using an "easy out". Here is where I call a stud remover guy...because 9 out of 10 times you can do it, but 1 time out of 10 it will end up totally f**ked and unfixable....get a professional instead (only about $100 to get a mobile guy to come and remove it). An easy out is an opposite thread bit that bites in and helps you screw the stud out - but it is made of super hard metal, and if it does break (and it can) you will never drill it out again.

[Wacky Dee]

timing belt was replaced 2 years ago as soon as I got the car ... not sure about water pump because the place that did the work was a bit dodgy as and all i got was "looks like the water pump was changed" which is not a confirmation of any sort. In any case the WP seems ok.

We've put the new fan clutch and the 3 studs seem to hold it just fine.. the 4th stud is broken in half so you can't put a nut on it of any kind but atleast the 4th hole is resting on the broken stud even there's no nut over it.

Yeah it's a bit dodgy but I just can't see it doing any damage ...the 3 studs should be plenty to hold the fan clutch in place plus its resting on the 4th broken stud.

I've put a 40mm radiator in and so now the only way to get the fan clutch in/out is to take out radiator + shroud + fan clutch at the same time as there's not enough space for the fan clutch to come out on its own. So I'm tempted to leave it as is ... guy I spoke to, friend of my dad's who's been a dismantler for 30 years said as long as the remaining 3 studs are there it should be fine. He reckons even 2 opposing studs would hold the fan clutch no probs so the fact there's a 3rd one is more than enough.

But yeah ..I WOULD prefer to get it done right ..and if it's only $100 hell why not .. who do I call ?? I'm just worried that taking my fan clutch in/out so many times I might break off another stud with all the tighetning/loosening and then it's time for a new water pump and those oem bitches ain't cheap..

[Wacky Dee]

oh and reading this page about "easy outs" doesn't leave me with much confidence in that method http://www.brokentap.com/easy-outs.html

Even with the radiator/shroud/fanclutch out, there's very little space to work in and I can't see how anyone would be able to put a correct size ie. really THIN, since the studs are not that massive AND centre it perfectly. I already can see a broken "easy out" wasted time and money and then having to replace water pump.

Think the 3 stud ghetto fix will work ..I just can't see how it couldn't work, it doesn't spin that fast and the forces at work aren't that impressive. Hell people make it back home driving a car through corners and shit on a single nut on a single stud ..eg. those secure nuts that you put on wheels...when someone tries to steal their wheels and takes off 4 nuts..

Quick question ... would the stud end thats stuck inside the water pump hub be threaded normally or in reverse?? I'm thinking it might be reverse ...but the bastard wouldn't budge either direction using vise grips.

[FineLine]

Would be far cheaper and way less hassle to just source a replacement pulley from the wreckers. You would also have the comfort of knowing the threads will not be damamged.

[Wacky Dee]

but isn't that part of the water pump itself? Doubt any wreckers would let me take off only a pulley ..and they'd probably charge close to new nissan wp price (asked about a fan clutch just the other day and they wanted $150 when a brand new one is $210)

Another reason I think my 3 stud ghetto fix will work is because when i was taking off the original fan clutch I noticed 2 of the nuts were completely loose ..they came off using 2 fingers with just a few turns..and I never had issues there that I know of (other than the fan clutch possibly being too old)

[FineLine]

yes, sorry you are right. (gives self an uppercut) Good luck with it bloke.