Another Broken Stud Thread!

[Psymon]

Hey guys. I've broken the stud that holds my timing belt tensioner in place and haven't been able to budge it. I've drilled through the centre of it and tried using an easy out but it won't move one bit. I'm going to try hitting it with some of that freezing spray tomorrow to see if that helps crack it, or maybe heat the block around it with once of those pencil blow torches but i'm not sure how successful this will be.

I've thought about welding something in there but there is very little surface area to get a decent weld. It doesn't help that the stud has snapped just below flush with the block either.

So has anyone got any ideas or suggestions that might help me get this stud out?

Cheers

Simon.

[joeyjoejoejuniorshabadoo]

i had this happen when it was overtightened on the 100k service....

i called "the thread doctor" and he got it out...

we tried drilling it too

[08r3308]

out of curiosity what brand was belt tensioner?

[joeyjoejoejuniorshabadoo]

oem

[tridentt150v]

your in Dubbo so no thread doctor or spark erosion I'm guessing?

Try slowly increasing your drill size and using a dremel with a tungsten bit on it. Once you have it thinned right out, use a tap and re tap the hole [lots of swearing, beer and patience].

You need to get it thin so you can follow the same thread in when you re tap.

[Psymon]

Yeah no thread doctor or anyone out here unfortunately! I miss canberra sometimes

With the dremel idea... won't that pose a significant risk of damaging the thread in the block? Something i'd rather avoid if possible. But i guess as a last resort I can give it a try.

I got a suggestion in a pm to try a proper stud remover instead of an ezi out so i might give that a crack if i can find one in my lunch break.

[tridentt150v]

Yeah no thread doctor or anyone out here unfortunately! I miss canberra sometimes

With the dremel idea... won't that pose a significant risk of damaging the thread in the block? Something i'd rather avoid if possible. But i guess as a last resort I can give it a try.

I got a suggestion in a pm to try a proper stud remover instead of an ezi out so i might give that a crack if i can find one in my lunch break.

If its really stuck, be very careful not to snap an ezi out or hammer in stud remover off in your drilled hole cos then your up the creek........no drill or dremel will touch them [they will slowly and using heaps of them, but you'll end up gouging the thread and parent material because it is way softer than the ezi out metal].

[enilyks33r]

Find a nut suitable for a slightly smaller bolt than the broken bolt, weld it to the broken bolt (through the hole in the nut).

When its cold, undo with a socket.

I have never had method fail.

[payback21]

I would use a bit of heat around the bolt hole. Oxy torch on low pressure would get better heat into it. I dont think a pencil blow torch will do the job but see how you go.

Otherwise from that do what the guy said above and step up your drill sizes and then re tap it. Either should work.

[tridentt150v]

Find a nut suitable for a slightly smaller bolt than the broken bolt, weld it to the broken bolt (through the hole in the nut).

When its cold, undo with a socket.

I have never had method fail.

I thought he couldn't do this method, not enough exposed stud left, but I agree is works very good if you can do it.

[Psymon]

On the plus side i know a couple of really skilled welders so i might get one of them to take a look and see if they can pull it off!

[Pal]

only way you are going to get that out is what trident said and drill it out slowly and use a dremel to finish it off them tap it back out, doesnt matter if you slightly touch the thread with the dremel as there will be enough meat for the new bolt. a ezy out will bight into the original thread and you will snap it. heating it up is risky as it can harden the leftover bolt and when it does'nt work, will be a prick to drill. being a mechanical fitter of some 21 years i have seen my fair share of snapped bolts and that is the best way to do it.

[The Dan]

Try a centre punch on the outer edge of the stud and rotate it. Don't use heat as you can damage/distort the surface of the block and it has to remain perfectly level. Also, don't use an easy out that is too big for the hole you have drilled as it will actually push the threads out against the block threads tighter.

[rb30dett]

I had a couple of left hand thread drill bits that were great for this most times they would bite the broken bolt and unscrew it out:) look for 1 and try it.

[TRB-001]

mate if worse comes to worse u can always drill another hole like in the rb30 build and get a different timing belt.....

just a thought if you do accidently root it

[badhairdave]

Try the welding method mentioned above first. If it's bottomed out though you won't get the thing out, it'll tear the weld.

Just dont snap off an easy out in there or you are stuck with the erosion method.

If that fails then drill it out and helicoil it.

Edited October 29, 2009 by badhairdave

[tridentt150v]

I wouldn't use helicoils, use Time Serts, much better option.

[badhairdave]

Yeah, they are a nice bit of gear, dunno if the flange would get in the way in this application though.

[tridentt150v]

Yeah, they are a nice bit of gear, dunno if the flange would get in the way in this application though.

Not if you use the rebate tool and turn it down till its flush.

[Psymon]

Well nothing else has worked so i guess it's time to weld or drill. I'm not sure how well welding will work because most of the center of the stud has been drilled out.