Big Dave

I have 2 cam cover bolts (the infamous under-the-cover spacers that are stock on '85-86 models) that are sheared off slightly below the surface.

I have EasyOut extractors:


I have a center-punch.

Is the correct procedure:
1. Center-punch (obviously in the dead-center of the broken bolt)
2. Left-hand drill (slowly) a pilot hole, appropriately sized for the size of the EasyOut (i.e., slightly smaller than the EasyOut)
3. Hammer in the EasyOut
4. Turn the EasyOut (slowly) and pray the bolts come out, too.

I've been soaking the broken bolts in a penetrating lubricant to help removal.

cdbtx

You have my sympathy - Been there and actually had to cut the cam cover off to get to the bolts - and was still unable to remove one. I tried every trick I could to no avail... Let me know if you're successful and how you manage to remove it.


Chuck


83 Kiln Red 928S

Kevin in Atlanta

BD, I had to pull several of these out of you old heads. The procedure sounds good. I would add that using a small butane torch to heat the head in the area of the broken bolt will loosen up the locktite.

Good luck.

Big Dave

Yep, I noticed that the ones I removed successfully had Loctite on them. These are on my "new" replacement head, which is why they had the spacers. The ones that came out w/o breaking were (a) whacked with a small hammer, and (b) initially turned clockwise before counterclockwise. It's scary how much a breaking fastener sounds like one that's coming out cleanly...I was worried that each one was breaking until it actually came out.

I've not seen anyone put together a web page with pictures on this process, so I'll make sure I document it. The head is on my workbench, so it ought to be a little easier than working in the engine bay.

As for using a butane torch, I've seen warnings that it could bugger the head or expand the bolt, making extraction tougher. How did you get the spacers out of my old cylinder head?

Kevin in Atlanta

"How did you get the spacers out of my old cylinder head?"

Heated the head in the area of the spacer. Slowly tighten and loosen the spacer until it backed out all the way. A tap to the head of the spacer may have helped, too.

kary4th

I never had to hammer in the extractor. Usually, a little force while turning was all that was necessary. I have, however, broken an extractor off inside the bolt I was attempting to remove. Avoid this at all costs. The EasyOut is one hard piece of metal. I had to drill the whole thing out (bolt and EasyOut) and re-thread.

checkmate1996

Dave,

When I removed my 4.5L engine and could not for the life of me get one of the CAM TOWER bolts out, I used a tear-dropped shaped, diamond cutting bit with a dremel tool to get the hole started. This ate right into the bolt and gave me an excellent starting point for the ezout.

I would never recommend hammering, at any point, an ezout. They are brittle and if they break, it makes the job that much harder. But with the method above, I got some 30+ year old bolts out with no problem. Of course, heat and PB blaster can't hurt either prior to starting!

GOOD LUCK!

Gretch

Dave, are the bolts broken off at the surface, or are there stubs sticking out?

In any event, I do not recommend you HAMMER in the easy out. The easy out is threaded/fluted such that with a bit of pressure and twisting at the same time, it should gain purchase on the dtilled out bolt. Hammering on it puts you in danger of breaking off the easy out. THAT is way more trouble than you want.

If the bolt is broken off at the surface, I would start by taking a drift punch and rapping on the top of the bolt, pretty smartly. Hit it say a half a dozen times. Then center punch the bolt and drill out as much meat of the bolt as possible, both diameter and depth. Then insert the easy out. Tap it in LIGHTLY, and slowly twist it to see if the remaining bolt threads will break loose.

If there is a stub sticking up, use a different process to remove the bolt, before you go the easy out method.

Ie. Rap it with the drift punch, (smartly)......you almost can't over do this, just avoid peening over the bolt stub too much. Then get a good hold on it with a vise grip and slowly, in small increments, twist it back and forth.

The application of heat is a good idea too..... use butane not MAP.... heat the bolt surround, NOT the bolt.

Use of easy outs is NOT for the ham handed, it is precision work.........

Big Dave

OK...so no hammer on the EasyOut.

I'll give it a shot and see how it goes.

SharkSkin

In addition to the risk of breaking the easy-out, hammering or otherwise forcing it in can expand the bolt and make it dig into the aluminum -- BTDT.

Loctite usually lets go at ~400°F, so you might want to get a temp indicator stick from a welding supply. Basically it's a crayon that you use to mark the surface; it either melts or changes color at the indicated temp.

Big Dave

Is there any risk that the torch will damage the cylinder head? Aluminum in general makes me nervous.

F451

I would never use an Easy Out. They are very hard, but that means they are very brittle. They snap off very easily. Think about how much force gets applied to them while you try to back out that stuck bolt.

And once that easy out is snapped off in there, its a bear to drill it out.

And I don't have any better solution to recommend, except to maybe use the diamond tipped dremel bit (I've heard good things about them) and then a left hand bit to get it out.

In any case, good luck and keep us posted on how you make out.

Ed

SharkSkin

Dave, it depends. A propane torch probably can't hurt the head, but will take a long time to heat it up. MAPP gas or oxy/acetylene may get hot enough to melt aluminum. That's why I suggested the temp stick, so you don't overheat it. If you're nervous, don't do it. This is one of those things where a little experience goes a long way.

If you want to be really safe, start by soaking in acetone or find the recommended Loctite product that releases the threadlocker. Soak it real thoroughly, then go after it with a left-handed drill bit. If that doesn't spin it out, you can work away at the bolt using a dremel bit under strong light with a magnifier. When you get to the point where all that's left of the bolt is a spiral from the threads, you can pick it out with a dental pick. Clean the threads with a thread chaser(preferably not a tap) and you're done.

Bill Ball

There are alterantive extractors to Easy Outs that are less brittle and less likely to snap off and create a worse mess.

I have used these three alternatives successfully:

http://www.aldn.com/drillout/

http://www.irwin.com/irwin/consumer/...rwinProd100509

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductD...egoryCode=3386
(straight flute extractors)

TAREK

What bill said. Easy-Out never worked for me. I've had better success with drilling out