WyattsRide

In the middle of my TB/WP job. I need to remove the Porkensioner Bracket to do the bolt upgrades. (Please don't make this a "Don't use" - "Use" Porkensioner sound off thread)

Well of course the Flat Head Allen bolt stripped trying to remove it. I first tried these. NO good. Just ended up rounding the drive.


Then we tried these. NO good. Busted the tip off in the bolt. Tip is still there.




Here is where the bolt is located on the tensioner bracket. It has the blue line across it and the bracket.





With the WP removed the bracket can swing CCW for a little bit until it hits the AC bracket below. But, the Bolt is moving with the bracket as you can see the blue line doesn't break.

Please disregard the dirty engine and old WP gasket. I haven't got the cleaning part. Only the TP removal dance.

All recommendations on removing that bolt would be appreciated. Going to be working on it again tomorrow morning.

alex70

I really like the 'weld a nut on to the broken bolt' technique.

I see you're in PA. There has gotta be a neighbor with a welder to drop in for you. Might take a couple of nuts to weld, but it's a great fix!

Please mind the attached electrical components/battery when welding. (Disconnect).

This may seem far fetched, but if you can borrow a flux core welder (one without shielding gas) you can pull it off yourself. Hit the broken bolt first and work your way around to the nut circular, and fill the nut almost full. Taken many out this way but with regular MIG.

Mrmerlin

turn the bracket as far as you can loose,
then with a chisel tap the inside edge of the bolt,
after you have a few gouges for chisel to grip on,
heat the head of the bolt with a Mapp gas torch for about 20 seconds,
than hit with chisel, this should be enough to get it loose

Imo000

cut the bracket apart with a dremmel then pin out the broken bolt and order the most up to date version of the bracket.

Bertrand Daoust

+1.

This should work brother.
Good luck.

GT6ixer

Last resort would be to drill out the bolt and install a helicoil.

Eplebnista

Go with Stan's advice first. Then try dremel on the bracket. If that doesn't work then try a reverse twist drill bit if you can get a drill in there. Pick a bit 1/2 the size of the bolt. If that doesn't work, then you at least have a pilot hole for the last resort.

dr bob

The bolt head, the tapered part, is stuck to the bracket. To get it to release, rotate the bracket to the farthest counter-clockwise position that you can. Then tap the BRACKET towards the block around the bolt head. Do this before you start damaging the bolt head if you can, as dinging the edge of the bolt will tighten the grip on the bracket unless you can turn the bolt at the same time. Some quick MAPP-gas heat on the bolt head may help it "release" its bond to the bracket if done while the bracket and bolt are turned out even a little bit.

Trying to "drift" a tapered-head bolt out with a chisel is iffy at best, You need a lot more turning than driving or you make the problem worse. Meanwhile, a hard smack on the braket under even the slightly loosened bolt usually pops it free.

When reassembling, use copulous (that's a LOT of f***ing...) amounts of anti-seize on the threads and on the tapered faces of a new high-strength bolt. Torque it only to spec.

linderpat

^^^^This is what I was thinking this morning too. When you said the bolt turns with the bracket, that indicated to me that the bolt is actually fused to the bracket and not the block. Dr Bob's advice should do it. At least, if all else fails, sacrifice the bracket, which is easily replaceable, and not the motor. I'll be over in a bit.

worf928

I agree with Stan and Dr.B.

Do not think drilling out the head will be easy or possible. The tip of the easy-out - never use those again btw - that's broken off in the old bolt is harder than your drill bit. You'll just ruin the bit against it.

Imo000

No need, the bolt is loose.

rellim

Always start with Kroil

WyattsRide

I thought of this early on and I do have a neighbor that might have been able to do this for me. But, he works night shift so I hate to bother him if I really don't need to.

We did try a version of this and what Dr Bob suggested. No dice.

Ultimately, It looks like I have to go this route.

Couldn't drill out the bolt as Wolf928 pointed out. The damn broken end of the extractor was there. The bolt was loose anyways so that wasn't the problem.

See above answer about the drilling out. We tried the reverse twist drill bit before the extractor broke.


Tried everything noted above. Just didn't work.

Correct

Well, I didn't have Kroil. But, I did start with 50/50 Acetone/ATF.

We ended up having to grind the head off with a Dremel. Thanks Ed for the help! So it looks like the bracket is shot. The threaded part of the bolt unscrewed easily and no damage to the block threads. E-mail to Porken about a bracket will be soon.




Thanks all for the suggestions. Wish some would have worked. Not the end of the world though. Just made things a little more complicated and take longer.

Did a lot of engine cleaning today and had a cigar!