red7

I was doing a thermostat change since my old one was stuck open. Well when I was taking the bolts out one of them snap off. I drilled a hole in to put an easy out with no problem but after I tap in the easy out and was turning it with a wrench I got it to turn about 1/4 turn and the easy out bit snap. Now is become imposible to drill was left out since the easy out bit is a hard metal. In the meanwhile I can't move my car. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance

FB + AWDDSM

Dude that sucks. Your probally gonna have to drill and re-tap the hole. Just get a nice bit and keep it lubricated.

But I kinda know how you feel - we changed the front brakes like 4 weeks ago, but we can't get the driver's piston back in! It probally needs a rebuild or replace, but we can't get the brake hose off! So she's still sitting in our driveway with a caliper sitting on the lower arm.

red7

What kind of drill bit? I tried titanium coated drill bits but nothing. Also what do you mean to keep it lubricated, what kind of lubricant?

FlyGuy2000

same thing happened to me on my 90 GTU. i chiseled it off and got the best quality stainless steel bolts i could find along with washers and put them on the remaining 2 holes. also got high-temp gasket put it around the thermosat housing unit and bolted it all down.

hasn't leaked or anything yet, and the washers give it a wider area to hold down the housing unit.

it's either that or you can try to re-drill, but it'll probably just mess up your water pump housing.

red7

This one only has two bolts, if I only put one I don't think it will hold.

stinkfist

If there are any threads sticking above the hole get a pair of vise grips and clamp them on there as tight as you can and turn the bolt out. hit it with penitrating oil to get it loose. Work the vise grips back and forth to loosen the bolt before you try to back it out. If all else fails you should be able to find a water pump housing fairly cheap.

Good luck,
Mike

mpetersrx7

Dude had the same thing happen on other screws.... what I did was use a dremel to try to cut a hatch for a flathead screw driver. Then got a small propane torch that the wife had for cooking and heated up the surrounding area. After the area was hot, the screw came out no problem.

Hope this helps.

-mark

davo22

actually it's not to bad removing the water pump housing & while your at that just update to the second gen aluminum version. that's if of course the heat solution doesn't work.

red7

Thanks for all the replies. I forgot tu mention that I already try the vice-grip but now there is not enough of the screw sticking out. Also when I put the easy out in I got it to turn about 1/4 turn but it was still just as tight and eventually broke the easy out. So it seems that the previous owner got it in cross threaded and the only way for me to get it out will be to drill. I am going to get cobalt drill bits later today, suposed to be able to drill in hard metal. As far as findind another water housing it can be hard here, small island and I already check all junkyards and no 7's. So a 2nd gen water housing fits a 12a?

davo22

haven't tried it on a 12A, I was however thinking of my 13b. You really just need a new housing.

red7

Got it fixed. Here is what I did: Took the water housing to a machinist. He drill it with a carbide cutter on a high speed rotary tool like the dremel flex chaft but air operated. Not only he got it out but didn't damage the threats so now I just need another bolt and the water housing to engine gasket. By the way it only cost me a case of beer.