water flange bolt sheared off in cylinder head

[Nick_Micouris 0]

tried to remove a coolant flange from a 1.6 Golf 2 driver yesterday and the bolt snapped off!

Have tried WD40 and molegrips and heating it and it will not budge. How do we get this thing out??? Ideas?

:mad:

Cheers :)

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Did the bolt snap off flush with the head? It'll need to be drilled out if that's the case.

 

I did the same on a MK1 GTi engine and luckily there was about 5mm thread left to grab hold of and it came out.

[Nick_Micouris 0]

nope - not flush - about 5mm but we (and the rac) have tried but it wont budge.

How do I go about drilling and not damaging the thread? Never done it before. Are there special tools?

Sorry for sounding like an idiot! :oops:

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Get some plus gas (anti seize bolt/nut spray from motorfactors) and soak the remains of the bolt. Leave that for a while then try again. If still no joy, you could try sawing a groove into the bolt with a hacksaw blade and use an impact driver in reverse mode.

 

Failing that, the bolt will need to filed smooth and flat. Dot punched dead centre and then drilled out with a reverse drill, or an 'Easi-out' bolt extractor.

[Yandards 0]

As well as sawing a groove in the top of the bolt file two flats on either side, this way you should be able to get an adjustable as well as a screwdriver into play when you try to undo it.

 

I would recommend trying to find some cobalt drill bits for drilling the remains out and then use an easi-out or other extractor - think you can get them from halfords. The reason for the cobalt bits is that they eat through steel but you need a flat surface and they can shatter if they are abused! so wear goggles.

 

Laters,

Yan

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yep agreed on the fragile nature of the easi-outs et al! When you drill, you have to ensure the pilot hole or dot punch is dead central otherwise the easi-out will chew out the alloy thread in the head too!

 

And it goes without saying, stick loads of copper grease on the replacement bolts to prevent a reoccurance!

[Nick_Micouris 0]

okay guys - thanks for your help :)

[Storm 0]

Nick,

 

as you've got a section of stud available, this type of stud extractor may help you.

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 7912951510

 

top right in the picture.

[Nick_Micouris 0]

Storm, nice one, thanks!