Thread: Gav's 101.

Although I have enough access for an angled drill, drilling it will be a last resort as there is so little meat around the bolt, and the bolt so small that I could easier stuff the housing trying this. If that happens, then it's off with the oil pump, dizzy, front cover... Not something I want to risk, especially since this one has no corrosion on it and finding a replacement in similar condition could be tricky and expensive.

Mick is bringing his mig around this arvo, and I'll have a crack at welding a washer to it, then a nut to the washer. Remembering that although there is room to work, it is in a difficult spot to access to do any detailed or fine work to - I'm lying on the drivers seat with my feet hanging out and I can just reach where I need to get to. Can't get any decent access from below without pulling the front diff out...

Easiest way would be to whip the engine out, but I'm not doing that either. If the mig doesn't work, I'll be seeing how the silastic holds for the time being.

Gav - I have had a similar issue in the past I know how tight it is in there). Really as suggested, plug welding a washer onto the end of the bolt (make sure the hole in the washer is smaller in dia than than the bolt) and then plug welding a bolt to the washer.

The heat of the welding process will most likely loosen the bolt anyway.

If you are as lucky as me - when you try to use easy-outs the drill will slip off the center of the bolt into the soft aluminium and start drilling there - and then even if you drill the hole right the easy-outs will not grip. Also to do this you will need to take the radiator out which is a real pain, so you will have the room to get the drill in etc.

I feel your pain.

Garry

Originally Posted by garrycol

Gav - I have had a similar issue in the past I know how tight it is in there). Really as suggested, plug welding a washer onto the end of the bolt (make sure the hole in the washer is smaller in dia than than the bolt) and then plug welding a bolt to the washer.

The heat of the welding process will most likely loosen the bolt anyway.

If you are as lucky as me - when you try to use easy-outs the drill will slip off the center of the bolt into the soft aluminium and start drilling there - and then even if you drill the hole right the easy-outs will not grip. Also to do this you will need to take the radiator out which is a real pain, so you will have the room to get the drill in etc.

I feel your pain.

Garry

That's my biggest concern mate - no room for error with this one, and too hard to access to get it right first go.

If you were to drill bolt the cover back on make up a sleeve and drill thru that.Keeps every thing central and square .Drill right thru the bolt and hit it with freeze and release .If welding I usualy drill a hole in a short piece of1"x1/8 stainless and tig it on with 309 filler rod then just tap it round The heat seems to work All easier said than done with limited access
AM

Go the MIG/washer, even if you have to somehow make the space to get to it. I fear snapped off easy outs. What the hell will drill one of them out once you have snapped it off Given the bolt sheered due to a seized thread, why would as easyout work

I've never had luck with trying to drill frozen fasteners. Let me guess it's into aluminium ?? Does your local head place have one of the machines that can burn bolts out of alloy

seeya,
Shane L.

Originally Posted by DoubleChevron

Go the MIG/washer, even if you have to somehow make the space to get to it. I fear snapped off easy outs. What the hell will drill one of them out once you have snapped it off Given the bolt sheered due to a seized thread, why would as easyout work

I've never had luck with trying to drill frozen fasteners. Let me guess it's into aluminium ?? Does your local head place have one of the machines that can burn bolts out of alloy

seeya,
Shane L.

X2

Well, Mick came over - thanks heaps mate - with his MIG and we gave that a shot, but to no avail. The bolt doesn't seem to take a weld. Filed it back so we had clean metal to weld to, got what seemed to be a solid weld on it, but whatever we welded to it came off easily.

Got to the stage that I might damage the housing by continuing, so have pulled the pin on that.

Looks like its back to the silastic idea, and if that doesn't work, off with the whole front cover so I can work on it properly.

Off to look at the workshop manual about how to do that ....

Originally Posted by bacicat

MIG and we gave that a shot, but to no avail. The bolt doesn't seem to take a weld.

Bummer - out with the radiator and in through the tunnel - centre punch the broken bolt and drill a pilot hole ever so carefully with the smallest size drill bit you have. Then enlarge to the max you dare and then heat with a propane torch (not oxy on this stuff) and let cool (or freeze with the freeze pressure pack) then heat again and use the ease out - but never never use any pressure as - as mentioned they break and then you will be really be up the creek without a paddle. If it doesn't come loose with minimal turning then head/cool, providing shock via hammer and centre punch and repeat, repeat.

I have used the silastic sealer (sometimes combined with chemical weld in the coolant) and it works in the short term but the leak comes back - can be managed with chemical weld but is a pain to manage.

Good luck

Garry