The end of the bolt that sheared off in my highway debris accident is still in the A/C compressor flange - how do I get it out?

 

drill the center of it out as big as you can, get an easy out or removal tool and pull er out.

 

I had that happen once before with the rear bolt. With the compressor attached to the big mounting bracket but removed from the car I started to drill out the bolt when it rotated a few turns until it was sticking out the other end of the flange a bit. I stopped drilling (to avoid damaging the flange threads) and was able to remove the bolt by rotating the protruding part with needle nose pliers until it was fully out of the flange.

If you have to drill, use a centre punch to make a good sized punch mark and do your best to centre the mark in the middle of the bolt ie try your best to be drilling the bolt dead centre. I take the part to the drill press wherever possible. This saves the hole getting off centre because ultimately you dont want to have an extractor tool that has engaged the flange rather than just the bolt. This is possible the hole is off centre or too large.

 

A LH drill bit has saved the day for me more than once. You just center punch and start drilling. The bolt usually just comes out with the force of the LH drill bit.

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