drscottsmith

So....(seth you were right)...

Broke the head off a thermostat housing bolt. Tried to use a vise grip to remove the bolt but not budging. Decided to get ambitious and attempt to drill the bolt out or set up for an easy out...

Well...in drilling, the bit broke, and did a complete swish right into the middle of the rabbit hole (down towards the water pump. Dum Dum here did not anticipate anything going up and over into the rabbit hole (its the lower t-stat bolt) so I did not put anything in there. It is about an inch or so of relatively small drill bit in there somewhere.

I have tried to use two different magnetic pickups on a flex line to "fish" it out but no such luck so far.

What does it look like in terms of cutout in there? It does not seem like a far distance from the water bridge to the thermostat. COuld it have dropped below the thermostat? Would draining the block likely cause it to come out of a drain hole? I don't know enough about the cooling setup to know how the drains are oriented in relation to the water pump.

Looking for suggestions.

Thanks -

-scott

cpayne

Sorry to hear of your misfortune. Odd how the laws of physics seem to bend when we least expect it.

Maybe one of those Harbor Freight cameras with a light to scope it? or Auto-parts store may have a loaner.
http://www.harborfreight.com/digital...era-61839.html

Good Luck

GlenL

Get a parts-grabber with a magnet on the end. Luckily the block is aluminum and the bit is steel. You might get lucky and fish it out.

Bilal928S4

Is the pump off the block?

skpyle

Aw hell...sorry buddy.


Seth K. Pyle

drscottsmith

Pump is still on block...would like to leave it that way as my understanding is it was recently replaced and there are no leaks at all. Hate to disturb if there is any alternative.

Will try to go fishing again this evening. May try to cut my magnet down a little in size to see if it will get down to the bottom of the water pump housing (under the blades). My guess is that is where the bit lies.

Thermostat housing is off at present.

-scott

Bilal928S4

As Sean has mentioned it is better to use a hammer type drill to remove the bolts. The bolts tend not to break with the hammering action.

V2Rocket

Could you use a garden hose to flush the bit "up and out"?

drscottsmith

....where would be the place to flush from?

GT6ixer

I'd buy the largest neodymium magnet you can find on eBay that will fit down the hole and mount it securely to the end of your flex line. The magnets on your typical flex line are only good if you can place them right on the object you are trying to pick up. With a larger neo magnet you'll be able to be inches away from the bit and it'll suck it right up.

dr bob

Pull the water bridge. It gives you full access down through the coolant passages. Plus you can put the bridge in the drill press to get the bolt (and bit stub?) out for Timeserts. Maybe better, get a good used water bridge from Mark & Tom from the half-price bin, with the seals'gaskets needed for installation.

In my experience, Fig Newton's Fourth Law of Mechanical Reciprocity suggests that the broken stub of the bit will find its way into the pump cavity and do some damage. No real option to leave it in there and hope it finds a safe and permanent resting place. My luck is such that I can't depend on it for stuff like this. Maybe you've been living a cleaner life and are willing to risk it; that's not really an option for me.

drscottsmith

i had thought about pulling the WB instead of the pump, but I feel like I am sure to break another bolt from WB. What do you think?

-scott

pumpedTSI

Magnet on some fishing line or copper wire.....

linderpat

I think you are all in at this point, and no turning back. Pull the bridge - it's a bastard of a job, but the only way to avoid an engine pull and tear down is to keep yanking the bolt-on stuff off, fishing with a strong magnet like Nate says, and hoping you get it. Good luck.

drooman

Water bridge bolts have high break potential. Use some heat or you'll be back at the drilling