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The worst spot to snap a bolt

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95burgundyesi

95burgundyesi

15+ Year Contributor
816
9
Feb 8, 2006
Rockford, Illinois
Last night I was really getting things done on the car, mounts were all in and the engine bay was looking like a engine bay. Timed the car and put my covers and pulleys. noticed the arm for the alternator tensioner was loose at the water pump.

Snugged it up and a quarter turn, and my ratchet skipped a tooth. Pull it off the head of the bolt and the bolt is loose! GOD BLESS AMERICA! It broke off right at the top of the first thread. It has been awhile since I have snapped a bolt. Now I have to take the whole water pump off and my timing which isn't a huge deal, I just did it, and could do it in my sleep.

But how in the hell am I going to get a drill in there to get an easy out in there? I am :pray: that some of the bolt will be sticking out of the block. Otherwise I bet the whole engine will have to come out.

Rant over.
 
See? Doesn't always have to be hard. There's more than one way to get a bolt out.
 
nuclearr said:
You might have to take a dremel tool with a cutting blade and make a cut in the bolt so you can take it out with a stubby flat head screw driver.
Click to expand...

That's a really good idea, I've never thought/heard of doing that. Not sure if it can help the OP but it might help me out in the future! :thumb:
 
Nuclearr that just might work in his situation as well as mine. Thanks for the idea.

I'm from slidell as well...was just there in april and I'll be back in Oct most likely. I'll def look you up!
 
95burgundyesi said:
Last night I was really getting things done on the car, mounts were all in and the engine bay was looking like a engine bay. Timed the car and put my covers and pulleys. noticed the arm for the alternator tensioner was loose at the water pump.
Click to expand...

Dude! The day before yesterday, My car threw the alternator belt. It did this 1 block from my house.:hellyeah: I put on a new belt, but it made horrible squeeling noises. A t-storm began, and I called it a night. At 1am, while having a final beer, trying not to fall asleep on the couch, :aha: I realized I never tightened that bolt! A week before, I replaced the t-belt cover & idler pulleys, V/C, Turbo and manifold, and a bunch of other stuff, but I NEVER remembered to tighten that 1 bolt! So yesterday, 1st thing, 7am, I was outside tightening THAT EXACT BOLT! I didn't break it, though. That wasn't the problem though: I had put the outer waterpump pulley on backwards! There's nothing to stop you from doing it. Anyone else ever pull this boner before?

My vote for worst place? I once snapped one of the bolts holding the rear mount to the sub-frame. Take off the IM? The steering rack? I said "F-it". I welded that corner of the mount to the subframe.

Good luck. I don't think welding will help you, but maybe a blob of weld would give you something to grab with the pliers, once the mount, belts and pulleys are out of the way.
 
i did that on my turbo (long story i was rethreading it) i just took my welder and welded another bolt to it, it took a few tries but worked after like 10 minutes
 
nah for getting out wheel locks (and this is not for you pricks who steal rims you should all go get a job and/or kill yourself) you take a impact socket that just barly doesnt fit over the lock and hammer it on, take the bolt off then use an air chisel to get the wheel lock out of the socket and repeat
 
VTEC_THIS said:
That's a really good idea, I've never thought/heard of doing that. Not sure if it can help the OP but it might help me out in the future! :thumb:
Click to expand...

yea alot of hondas have those kind of bolts.... specially on the tps... so when you want to change it... you have to grind a little straight line to fit a screw driver there...!!!!
 
At least you didn't snap both your intermediate shaft bolts and had them be stuck partway in the block. :(
 
Update if you care: took the water pump off and there was a Cnut hair sticking out and I could twist it with my finger nail! Timing side and belts are all back together and I have no clue why the bolt broke.
 
Small charge of C4......... or one of the suggestions above would work too if you don't like explosions.
 
brownfinger said:
Good luck. I don't think welding will help you, but maybe a blob of weld would give you something to grab with the pliers, once the mount, belts and pulleys are out of the way.
Click to expand...

Welding a nut onto the broken bolt should work, it will give you something to grip and the heat from the weld will act as if you were heating up a bolt to remove it.

-Oliver
 
wow I hope that you have gotten it all taken care of as I remember I had to deal with something alike not to long ago and it was not fun LOL
 
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