I haven't been following closely but if you can heat the surrounding metal
(carefully!) with a torch this can expand the hole with repsect to the bolt and
can work wonders. Just do it immediately prior to any attempt to turn out the
bolt.
If using WD40 or whatever be very careful as it is flammable.
Do NOT heat to the point of glowing metal, in fact cut back way short of that.
Use a rosebud tip on a propane and evenly heat the metal around the bolt for
about 10 seconds tops. Don't dwell on any one spot. Avoid heating the bolt
itself as you are able. Before it has a chance to cool, try to remove the
bolt.
Just heating and allowing to cool repeatedly can work wonders also. This
thermally stresses (cracks etc) the oxidation or whatever that has built up on
the threads between the bolt and the hole and can really loosen it up.
WD-40 _overnight_or_longer_ , not just minutes or a few hours before, can also
be extremely effective.
When I know I need to do header/muffler work on my baja, but I am too lazy to
actually do it, I compromise by going out and spraying some WD40 on the
hardware to let it 'soak' (kind of like letting the dishes 'soak' before doing
them ;-) strangely, in both cases there is more than a grain of truth here;
soaking does 90 percent of the work if you let it). This way I feel I did
something productive without getting dirty, heh heh. Sometimes I've done this
2 or 3 times before finally getting around to actually doing the work several
days/weeks later. I can say with complete confidence that the times I spray
repeated days in advance result in nut/bolt removal being about 10 times easier
than when I just jump on it cold or with a quick WD40 a few minutes or few
hours before. That stuff can really penetrate right down to the end of the
threads but it needs time!
Marty
Sorry to hear about your woes.
Michael Stepka wrote:
> Well I soaked the bolt in Liquid Wrench, took my time and I drilled the bolt
> in the middle. Put an ez out screw in it, and SNAP, the ez out snapped
> inside the bolt. Now I am really screwed, literally. So nothing yet.
> I called my brother in law who is a mechanic and he is coming down, we are
> going to try to retap it. That better work or I am screwed!
>
> Thanks.
>
> Mike
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-dakota-truck@BUFFNET.NET
> [mailto:owner-dakota-truck@BUFFNET.NET]On Behalf Of Josh Hancock
> Sent: Sunday, May 27, 2001 7:17 AM
> To: dakota-truck@BUFFNET.NET
> Subject: DML: Re: changing thermostat, bolt snaps inside hole!!!
>
> Mike the same thing happened to me just two weeks ago.
> so I know how you feel! ;-( I tried the reverse drill bit ,
> easy out and a few others but ended up drilling it out
> and retapping one size bigger.
> I hope you can get it out!
>
> Josh
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Michael Stepka" <genesisd@mediaone.net>
> To: <dakota-truck@BUFFNET.NET>
> Sent: Saturday, May 26, 2001 10:27 PM
> Subject: DML: changing thermostat, bolt snaps inside hole!!!
>
> > I was changing my thermostat today and the bolt snapped inside the hole.
> I
> > don't know what to do. I can't use the truck till I fix it. Any
> > suggestions, do you think if I drill the bolt out I can retap it?
> >
> > thanks.
> >
> >
> > Mike
> > genesisd@mediaone.net
> >
> >
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