Broken bolt in thermostat housing -_-
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From: Minnesota
Broken bolt in thermostat housing -_-
Hi guys! I would search the archive but I'm only on the mobile site and my phone is terribly slow so I'm just making a new thread.
I went to change my thermostat since my engine was getting quite hot, and I broke the head of a bolt off of the part that connects to the motors front cover (correct my termonology). I have tried easy outs to no avail, and a friend of mine wanted to drill it out, so now I have a hole that's not aligned with the original. Is it feasible to take it to a mechanic? Or have I gotten it to the point of no return? Is the front part of the motor where the thermostat sits replacable? I need help, and any advise is welcome. Thanks! I don't really know where else to turn.
I went to change my thermostat since my engine was getting quite hot, and I broke the head of a bolt off of the part that connects to the motors front cover (correct my termonology). I have tried easy outs to no avail, and a friend of mine wanted to drill it out, so now I have a hole that's not aligned with the original. Is it feasible to take it to a mechanic? Or have I gotten it to the point of no return? Is the front part of the motor where the thermostat sits replacable? I need help, and any advise is welcome. Thanks! I don't really know where else to turn.
The thermostat neck gets bolted to the waterpump housing, not the front cover. The best thing is the remove the waterpump housing and either:
1. Get a used one (there not expensive used) or
2. Drill and tap the hole or
3. Drill the hole to accecpt a heli-coil
1. Get a used one (there not expensive used) or
2. Drill and tap the hole or
3. Drill the hole to accecpt a heli-coil
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From: Holland, Michigan/ Afganistan/ Iraq/ Itatly
REPU got it on the money, but you can also try bringing it a machinist or weldor near you they can extract the bolt easy maybe for say 10 bucks or so. otherwise i have a couple spares just pay shiping and its yours
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Don't forget to order in a new water pump housing to block gasket. Also remember the placement of the steel shim washers and reinstall them in the proper place upon reassembly. If the water pump has not been replaced now would be a good time to do so. Also check your belts and hoses.
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Looks like now's the time to do what I want for those parts. The water pump was replaced with a rebuilt core, they're cheap so if there's anything specific I should look for then lemme know and I'll pick it up! The hoses are new too, also cheap, but I am liking the Idea of the RB or Corksport silicone hoses now that I've been looking into it. My belts are also bad -_- I should sell this car, I just don't want to give up on it.
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From: Chino Hills, CA
Belts & hoses are stuff that everybody used to expect to change out every couple years, back in the day that these cars were produced.
People today are spoiled: 100k-mile spark plugs, 50k+-mile belts, "tune-ups" that consist of nothing more than a fluid change and plugging a code reader into the computer.
/shakes cane and smacks gums...
People today are spoiled: 100k-mile spark plugs, 50k+-mile belts, "tune-ups" that consist of nothing more than a fluid change and plugging a code reader into the computer.
/shakes cane and smacks gums...
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haha I do hear ya. My current cars that I've been blessed to work on and have owned have been the 87 celica and now my 85 rx7. when you said 50k+ belts, that amazed me. No, I want to build this thing from ground up, then improve it from there.
east fix that works. requires a welder but it VERY effective. remove the waterpump housing from the engine and clean the area with a wire wheel on a drill or bench. put the wp housing in a vise and tack a new bolt (at the bottom) onto teh snapped bolt. the heat will expand the housing and the bolt but not so much that teh bolt will remain locked in place and the new bolt will serve as an "original" bolt allowing you to extract your new "stud". once the housing is cool and the bolt removed, tap the housing to remove any burred threads and corrosion and replace the bolts and use grease or antiseize on the new bolts. do not forget to order the water pump gasket as well as the engine to wp housing gasket
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From: Holland, Michigan/ Afganistan/ Iraq/ Itatly
i bet money the bolt snapped at the housing so welding like you say would be out of the question he would have to build a sodder pile on top of the broken bolt without touching the treads or housing then weld a piece of scrap on it at a 90 degree angle so as to make a wrench turn counterclockwise and bam your home free. the heat from the pile will melt the coroshion and free the bolt.
Did you overtighten the bolt during reassembly or did it break off when you were trying to remove it??
Whenever I break off a bolt like this, here's a trick that I've always had great luck with. Drill a small hole in the center of the broken bolt, like 1/8" or so. You'll want it to be about 3/8" deep. Then use one of these Craftsman left hand screw extractors with your electric drill set on counterclockwise:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...3&blockType=G3
Stick the nose of the screw extractor down into the hole you drilled. Lean against the drill with all your weight to keep the extractor down in the hole tight. Then slowly pull the trigger on the drill. Don't go full speed with the drill or it will just grind out the inside of the hole. That's obviously not what you want. If you go slow the extractor will spin inside the hole just a little bit and then after it works its way down into the hole you drilled it will start to grip into the broken bolt. After that the broken bolt will usually spin right out. For extra tough bolts I usually heat them up with a torch or MAP gas or something before trying the extractor.
Whenever I break off a bolt like this, here's a trick that I've always had great luck with. Drill a small hole in the center of the broken bolt, like 1/8" or so. You'll want it to be about 3/8" deep. Then use one of these Craftsman left hand screw extractors with your electric drill set on counterclockwise:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...3&blockType=G3
Stick the nose of the screw extractor down into the hole you drilled. Lean against the drill with all your weight to keep the extractor down in the hole tight. Then slowly pull the trigger on the drill. Don't go full speed with the drill or it will just grind out the inside of the hole. That's obviously not what you want. If you go slow the extractor will spin inside the hole just a little bit and then after it works its way down into the hole you drilled it will start to grip into the broken bolt. After that the broken bolt will usually spin right out. For extra tough bolts I usually heat them up with a torch or MAP gas or something before trying the extractor.
Joined: May 2006
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From: Holland, Michigan/ Afganistan/ Iraq/ Itatly
Did you overtighten the bolt during reassembly or did it break off when you were trying to remove it??
Whenever I break off a bolt like this, here's a trick that I've always had great luck with. Drill a small hole in the center of the broken bolt, like 1/8" or so. You'll want it to be about 3/8" deep. Then use one of these Craftsman left hand screw extractors with your electric drill set on counterclockwise:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...3&blockType=G3
Stick the nose of the screw extractor down into the hole you drilled. Lean against the drill with all your weight to keep the extractor down in the hole tight. Then slowly pull the trigger on the drill. Don't go full speed with the drill or it will just grind out the inside of the hole. That's obviously not what you want. If you go slow the extractor will spin inside the hole just a little bit and then after it works its way down into the hole you drilled it will start to grip into the broken bolt. After that the broken bolt will usually spin right out. For extra tough bolts I usually heat them up with a torch or MAP gas or something before trying the extractor.
Whenever I break off a bolt like this, here's a trick that I've always had great luck with. Drill a small hole in the center of the broken bolt, like 1/8" or so. You'll want it to be about 3/8" deep. Then use one of these Craftsman left hand screw extractors with your electric drill set on counterclockwise:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...3&blockType=G3
Stick the nose of the screw extractor down into the hole you drilled. Lean against the drill with all your weight to keep the extractor down in the hole tight. Then slowly pull the trigger on the drill. Don't go full speed with the drill or it will just grind out the inside of the hole. That's obviously not what you want. If you go slow the extractor will spin inside the hole just a little bit and then after it works its way down into the hole you drilled it will start to grip into the broken bolt. After that the broken bolt will usually spin right out. For extra tough bolts I usually heat them up with a torch or MAP gas or something before trying the extractor.
thats a good idea, i forgot about that way the welder made me lazy
Did you overtighten the bolt during reassembly or did it break off when you were trying to remove it??
Whenever I break off a bolt like this, here's a trick that I've always had great luck with. Drill a small hole in the center of the broken bolt, like 1/8" or so. You'll want it to be about 3/8" deep. Then use one of these Craftsman left hand screw extractors with your electric drill set on counterclockwise:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...3&blockType=G3
Stick the nose of the screw extractor down into the hole you drilled. Lean against the drill with all your weight to keep the extractor down in the hole tight. Then slowly pull the trigger on the drill. Don't go full speed with the drill or it will just grind out the inside of the hole. That's obviously not what you want. If you go slow the extractor will spin inside the hole just a little bit and then after it works its way down into the hole you drilled it will start to grip into the broken bolt. After that the broken bolt will usually spin right out. For extra tough bolts I usually heat them up with a torch or MAP gas or something before trying the extractor.
Whenever I break off a bolt like this, here's a trick that I've always had great luck with. Drill a small hole in the center of the broken bolt, like 1/8" or so. You'll want it to be about 3/8" deep. Then use one of these Craftsman left hand screw extractors with your electric drill set on counterclockwise:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...3&blockType=G3
Stick the nose of the screw extractor down into the hole you drilled. Lean against the drill with all your weight to keep the extractor down in the hole tight. Then slowly pull the trigger on the drill. Don't go full speed with the drill or it will just grind out the inside of the hole. That's obviously not what you want. If you go slow the extractor will spin inside the hole just a little bit and then after it works its way down into the hole you drilled it will start to grip into the broken bolt. After that the broken bolt will usually spin right out. For extra tough bolts I usually heat them up with a torch or MAP gas or something before trying the extractor.
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