Bummer - Stripped thread

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This morning, thought it would be a good idea to give the car a well deserved major service.

Thing is, when it came time to do the plugs, I managed to get the coil pack off and then back on again, but in the process of doing so - snapped one of the heads off the bolts which holds the coil pack into the tappet cover...I'm blaming the age of the bolt and that it is subject to high temperatures, although the realist in me puts it down to my shit DIY skills.

So what is the remedy to get the remainder of the screw out - car still runs and drives, as the coil pack is firmly in place, albeit without one of the heads on the screws holding it down!

Any suggestions - I'll be mighty annoyed if I have to get the tappet cover off, although it would give me an excuse for a PeterT cam :tongue:
 
get yourself down to trade tools or somewhere like that and pick up an easy out and matching drillbit, the guys behind the counter will be able to choose the right size for you if you tell them what size the bolt is.

they will tell you how to use it as well but heres a quick run down

get the drill bit you bought and drill out the centre of the broken bolt, now get the easyout put it in the hole and give it a very gentle tap to lock it in, now with a shifter (or a tapping handle) simply undo the bolt and the whole lot should come out as one
 
A small drill down the centre, then drive in a torx bit.
 
get yourself down to trade tools or somewhere like that and pick up an easy out and matching drillbit, the guys behind the counter will be able to choose the right size for you if you tell them what size the bolt is.

they will tell you how to use it as well but heres a quick run down

get the drill bit you bought and drill out the centre of the broken bolt, now get the easyout put it in the hole and give it a very gentle tap to lock it in, now with a shifter (or a tapping handle) simply undo the bolt and the whole lot should come out as one

You missed the "sheer off the ezyout .... " Now you have the hardest metal known to man to try and drill :roflmao :clown:

seeya,
Shane L.
 
You missed the "sheer off the ezyout .... " Now you have the hardest metal known to man to try and drill :roflmao :clown:

seeya,
Shane L.

Second that. I have never managed to successfully use any of the different versions of this contraption. They have the most impossible to grip little square shank and snap off invariably flush with the hole.

My suggestion is this:

Get yourself a brand new, never used drill bit of small diameter (perhaps 2mm is a good start) to drill a small pilot hole, take your time, drill it perfectly square and dead straight down the middle of the offending bolt (this is why you need a good, new drillbit). Enlarge then the hole progressively with larger bits to the tapping size of the bolt (i.e. 4.8mm for a 6mm bolt), then run a no.1 tap of appropiate size down the hole then no.2 and no.3. Job done. Take your time, don't push the drills down hard or you'll deviate the hole. Let the sharpness of the cutting edge of the drillbit do the job. I found my hand drill was exactly the right weight to do it, so I didn't have to press down at all.
 
Are you able to remove the coil pack again and will it then make the remainder of the screw/bolt a little accessible? If so you may be able to have a better go a removing it with a special remover from the hardware ( cant think of the name ) It grips it tighter as you turn it the way required to get it out.

Make sense?

Cam
 
Get yourself a brand new, never used drill bit of small diameter (perhaps 2mm is a good start) to drill a small pilot hole, take your time, drill it perfectly square and dead straight down the middle of the offending bolt (this is why you need a good, new drillbit). Enlarge then the hole progressively with larger bits to the tapping size of the bolt (i.e. 4.8mm for a 6mm bolt), then run a no.1 tap of appropiate size down the hole then no.2 and no.3. Job done. Take your time, don't push the drills down hard or you'll deviate the hole. Let the sharpness of the cutting edge of the drillbit do the job. I found my hand drill was exactly the right weight to do it, so I didn't have to press down at all.

You would do that if all else fails. ie try the torx bit first. And it's Ø5mm for an M6x1 thread. The correct terminology for taps is taper, intermediate and plug.
 
Cam - makes perfect sense! I know what you are talking about - I've given up with cars for the day, but i'll try and score one during the week!

If not, the car is getting its timing belt and water pump done during the week so I may cop the easy way out and let someone else do it if I end up with no time - sounds like the easy way out, but i'm flat chat this week and need the car sorted!

Peter - cheers for that, much appreciated!
 
If the object ie coil is still in place and the offending bolt has broken off below the coil . Leave coil in place then using a drill that fits neatly down the hole gently start the drill and make a centering 'dint' in the broken bolt. Now you can commence drilling in stages to accomodate the removing device. [Torx driver sounds good PeterT].
If drilling to suit the 6mm tap size follow schlitzagen's procedure.

I have found the both tips to work well with broken 404 /504 water pump studs.
 
Cam - makes perfect sense! I know what you are talking about - I've given up with cars for the day, but i'll try and score one during the week!

If not, the car is getting its timing belt and water pump done during the week so I may cop the easy way out and let someone else do it if I end up with no time - sounds like the easy way out, but i'm flat chat this week and need the car sorted!

Peter - cheers for that, much appreciated!

Without meaning any offence, If your brutish manly strength stripped it the first time, and you have never removed sheered studs, i'd leave it for someone with a degree of experience in the task.
Failure is a really bad option for this type of thing and a 'knack' is certainly an advantage.

Jo
 
You missed the "sheer off the ezyout .... " Now you have the hardest metal known to man to try and drill :roflmao :clown:

seeya,
Shane L.

im assuming by the little clown face at the end of your post you are calling me a clown

im a fitter and turner and i use easyouts all the time without a problem....dont know what your problem is if you keep breaking them you are probably using the smallest one avail to try and save money or what ever reason when you should be using the correct size one (about 3/4 the size of the snapped bolt) and ill bet your using a 24" shifter or something stupid along those lines to try and remove the bolt, and thats another reason why they snap people dont realise how much leverage they are applying, instead of a small tapping handle or a 6" shifter (thats is for something around the size of a 6mm bolt)

i cant believe everyone is going for the torx key idea......thats rough as guts...something id expect from a 1st year apprentice, and if i caught an apprentice doing that id kick his arse......torx keys are designed for undoing and doing up torx headed bolts, not ment for hammering into a hole too small for it..........next thing people will say is use your 1/2" ratchet as a hammer, and micrometers make good g clamps for welding, perhaps we can use a screw driver as a pinch bar??????????

one things for sure im not lending my tools to anyone on this forum

thats my little rant overwith, i wont be waiting for any replys so say what ever you want.
 
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You would do that if all else fails. ie try the torx bit first. And it's Ø5mm for an M6x1 thread. The correct terminology for taps is taper, intermediate and plug.

My taps are numbered with roman numerals as I, II and III, that's why I just call them that. But yes, you're probbaly right. I have also heard the terms bottom, second and taper so there you go , an amalgam of numerals, shapes and depth of reach.

As for the correct size, my mistake, you're right.

As for doing it when all else fails, good luck trying to remove a bit of easy-out or torx key out of there after it snapped in flush.
 
im assuming by the little clown face at the end of your post you are calling me a clown

im a fitter and turner and i use easyouts all the time without a problem....dont know what your problem is if you keep breaking them you are probably using the smallest one avail to try and save money or what ever reason when you should be using the correct size one (about 3/4 the size of the snapped bolt) and ill bet your using a 24" shifter or something stupid along those lines to try and remove the bolt, and thats another reason why they snap people dont realise how much leverage they are applying, instead of a small tapping handle or a 6" shifter (thats is for something around the size of a 6mm bolt)

i cant believe everyone is going for the torx key idea......thats rough as guts...something id expect from a 1st year apprentice, and if i caught an apprentice doing that id kick his arse......torx keys are designed for undoing and doing up torx headed bolts, not ment for hammering into a hole too small for it..........next thing people will say is use your 1/2" ratchet as a hammer, and micrometers make good g clamps for welding, perhaps we can use a screw driver as a pinch bar??????????

one things for sure im not lending my tools to anyone on this forum

thats my little rant overwith, i wont be waiting for any replys so say what ever you want.

And the quality of information above is why AF sometimes proves to be very useful. Thanks.
 
i cant believe everyone is going for the torx key idea......thats rough as guts...something id expect from a 1st year apprentice, and if i caught an apprentice doing that id kick his arse......torx keys are designed for undoing and doing up torx headed bolts, not ment for hammering into a hole too small for it..........next thing people will say is use your 1/2" ratchet as a hammer, and micrometers make good g clamps for welding, perhaps we can use a screw driver as a pinch bar??????????

I was once a F/T too, even worked in a toolroom. Hammering in a cheap torx bit is no different to using an easy out. The torx bit is tougher than the easyout however and the chance of a complete stuff up less. The best method would of course be to remove the cam cover and set it up in a mill. Trust me, torx bits are expendable.
 
I was once a F/T too, even worked in a toolroom. Hammering in a cheap torx bit is no different to using an easy out. The torx bit is tougher than the easyout however and the chance of a complete stuff up less. The best method would of course be to remove the cam cover and set it up in a mill. Trust me, torx bits are expendable.

i'll back that as also being a F/Machinist, c'mon we all know turners are old hack :D
 
If you can be bothered going to the trouble and expence of finding a left hand drill ( I think Snap On sell them) they will often spin the remaining bit of thread out while drilling for the easy out .
Have fun
Graham Lewis
 
In most cases I would use and easy out your doomed to failure from the start. The reason the bolt sheered in the first place is the threads are rusted or seized for some reason (eg: salty soggy pommy car). So by drilling out and using an ezyout you trying to unscrew the bolt with something that has less strength than the original bolt you sheered would have had. Add to that the fact the ezyout tends to "expand" the hole freezing the thread even more solidly.

Ezy outs will work where a stud or bolt has been over-tighten and sheered, however I've never had sucess where the bolts threads were initially the cause of the problem.

Hey Joel, what's wrong with a cable tie to hold it all together .... It is only a Xantia clone with bouncy springs after all :p

I like the torx idea as all you would be likely to do if it fails is strip the edges from the torx driver rather than sheer it off in the hole.

seeya,
Shane L.
 
I agree with all condemnation of easyouts. They have never worked for me, and I have had some very nasty sheared off bits that took a long time to get out. One thing that can often help is to tap the centre with a clean punch to jar the seized bit. In fact if this had been done before attempting to undo it , the head may not have sheared. I've been converted from WD40 to Innox or actually Lannox with lanolin. A much better product and it seems to penetrate much better.
The alternative to a torx bit is of course an oversized allen key. This has often worked for me even with seized exhaust manifold studs.
But the last time I sheared one of those I paid the engineer to fix it, and they of course stuffed it, then fitted a helicoil which failed and then I had to tap in a solid insert which is holding, touch wood. So engineers and fitters can stuff up too, specially the arrogant ones.
 
I think there may be some confusion about Ezyouts. I have encountered two types. The first is the left hand thread variety that must be screwed into the centred and drilled hole which I have used with much success after liberal applications of CRC or WD40. The other sort is marketed by F H Prager and has a very coarse slightly left hand inclined thread. This one is designed to be hammered in. I would not use these in a fit. (Sheer butchery).
 
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