drilling sheared bolts??!!

[matt86]

just sheared an oil temperature sensor in my new omori oil setup.. :peek:

will drilling it out be my best option or does anyone know of a "tool" for this kind of problem..??

cheers.

[ke70dave]

one of those reverse screw things might do the trick. "easy out" i belive they are called. ive had success with them once.

how big is it? oil temp sensor woudl be fairly large right? how did you snap it?

how tight is it in there?

and how deep is it?

if you can get access to it, you might be able to put the item in a vice, and slowly tap the bolt on the edge. spinning it out bit by bit. use something sharp and a small hammer.

[Dazzla86]

try left hand drill bits an if that doesnt get it out, then try easy out it, an if that doent work crc it overnight, then retry!! Get it all the time on machines at work, an you will surprise yourself with what you can get out :thumbup:

[matt86]

great!! thanks alot!!

the sensor is not that large.. like a 3/8 diameter brass bolt, but its hollow down the middle and the top sheared off so no chance of hitting it out witha screwdriver but the easy out option sounds the go!!

cheers

[Tim.duncan]

if its got a hole already easy out will be real easy.

BUT first like dave said get a centre punch on one side of the snaped sensor and tap it so you have a nice centre pop "dimple" now angle the centre punch 45 deg and lightly tap in a anti clockwise direction and try and undo the sensor. most of the time my easy outs dont leave the tool box because this little trick works. that said its not a bad idea to go buy some easy outs like the saying goes

he who dies with the most tools wins!

[lolgti]

I usually just hacksaw a cut down the middle and screw it out with a flat blade if that helps..

[takai]

Grab an old Torx bit which is slightly larger than the existing hole and tap that in first, then screw it out with that. If that doesnt work then use an easy out, if not the easy out then redrill and tap it.

Here is something i wrote up a while ago:



So in the vein of Babs' hako thread, and Edos camerawork, i put together a little howto on removing a sheared bolt.

Firstly, find a bolt that has sheared off, like this alternator bolt, soak it with penetrene/rp7/wd40.
http://gallery2.plebeians.net/d/27776-1/Image224.jpg
And pop a nice little punch mark into the center of it.

Then take your drilling tool of choice, in my case a re-cased Bluepoint air drill:
http://gallery2.plebeians.net/d/27779-1/Image226.jpg
Internals by bluepoint, casing by supercrap.

Drill a hole down the center of the bolt, carefully. I chose a 3mm bit for this task:
http://gallery2.plebeians.net/d/27782-1/Image225.jpg
I blame edo for the crap photo.

Then source an appropriate torx bit (i buy them up when they are going cheap at bunnings) and hammer it into the bolt.
http://gallery2.plebeians.net/d/27785-1/Image227.jpg

Take one shifter with a 1/4" socket on the end and slowly and gently wind it out:
http://gallery2.plebeians.net/d/27788-1/Image228.jpg

Voila, one removed bolt:
http://gallery2.plebeians.net/d/27791-1/Image230.jpg


Of course there are other ways of getting bolts out, my favourite if that method doesnt work is to put a tack weld between the torx bit and the bolt.
If that doesnt work then ill drill out to 4.5mm and try an ezybreak... ooops ezyout.... and if that doesnt work ill drill out further and retap/helicoil.

[Stain]

I used an easyout when i snapped a camshaft cap bolt... I tell ya, that wasnt fun.

Had to be really careful getting it out... being such a small bolt/hole and being so close to the cam and valves!
http://stain.id.au/blue86/153-Hole.jpg

Got the bitch tho. :)
http://stain.id.au/blue86/154-Bolt.jpg

[matt86]

WOW what a mission.. thanks for all your help.. i merged alot of the ideas and built a hybrid solution :P
ended up cutting a square hole into the brass and using a square ended screw driver with opposing vice grips on the handle wings as leverage..

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/1/4/4/5/26687.jpg

check out the twist on the solid screw driver shaft!! it was SOO ridiculously tight.. :P my bad..

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/1/4/4/5/26688.jpg

well the guages are in and everything works!! WIN!!

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/1/4/4/5/26689.jpg

thanks again

[Ae86sam]

I call Thread king.. Cost like $40 or something and took him about 2 minutes.. was painful to watch though.. he made it look way too easy..

[driftke70]

i use 1/4 inch shit unless otherwise required :)

[driftke70]

also strain that stud looks broken on both sides?

[rolledup]

Once youve snapped a bolt, You'll know when its about to snap next time. And you'll stop turning. We all learn the hard way