Finishing up cam install and...
Mar 31, 2006, 10:58 AM
#16
Originally Posted by VIIII
have you used an ez out before??? i had a focus with a snapped header bolt and the ez out ended up snapping, just go super slow and try to get the largest ez out you can in there, if the bolt doesn't budge with the ezout DO NOT go any further, the ez out WILL snap, take it suuuuuper slow, also someone suggested to me a butane torch,heat the area around the bolt, not the bolt itself, don't know if this is valid with whatever material the cap is(warping,ect)so don't take my word, sorry if you already know all of this, just trying to help
Mar 31, 2006, 11:07 AM
#18
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Once you start drilling you'll have metal shaving all over. Not a good Idea with the head still on the car, It would be best to take the head off. And when drilling the hole for the Easy out use the reverse drill bits as stated above.
Mar 31, 2006, 12:27 PM
#19
Dont take it personally but you have already broken some bolts. Do the smart thing and soak it. Pull the head off the car and bring it to a machine shop and have them yank the bolt out. If you drill it, you need the head off from metal shavings (And thats if you dont overdrill or drill through the side or mess up the threads). An easy out most likely wont fit in there far enough and the one that does will most likely snap as well (Obviously have alot more than 15 lbs of TQ on it).
Mar 31, 2006, 02:47 PM
#22
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yea to tell you the truth your prolly gonna wind using a hand drill to drill the center of the bolt out its gonna be next to impossible to drill the hole straight though
and if you snap the ez out off inside that bolt chances are you wont be able to ever get the bolt out the ez out is made of tool grade steel its not the easiest thing to drill out (trust me i did one once)
and if you snap the ez out off inside that bolt chances are you wont be able to ever get the bolt out the ez out is made of tool grade steel its not the easiest thing to drill out (trust me i did one once)
Mar 31, 2006, 03:02 PM
#24
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Originally Posted by hotrod2448
I'm amazed the bolt broke before it pulled the thread out of the head. Steel Vs. Alum.
Mar 31, 2006, 05:50 PM
#26
I was trying to make a picture of what exactly could have happened on that screwed up install and this is what I came up with; You guys must have layed the cam on the head, layed all the caps on the cam and went to town tightening each one down to 15lbs, one at a time. Now 15lbs is not enough to break a bolt, heck even 40lbs wont break those hardened bolts, but without properly and progressively tightening down each cap you will have one cap bearing all of the pressure of all the valve springs, therefore possibly snapping a bolt. At this point I would'nt doubt that the caps are also deformed due to overtightening. And to top it off you also snapped the tensioner tool 
You guys are tools Kidding.
After having installed over 30 cam sets on Evos I highly and very honestly make the same suggestion that others have made which is to run to your nearest PROFFESIONAL shop and have them take care of it. Do not attempt to pull the head off yourself as someone suggested, a good shop will work that bolt right out without any issues. Hey, you live and learn
You guys are tools Kidding. After having installed over 30 cam sets on Evos I highly and very honestly make the same suggestion that others have made which is to run to your nearest PROFFESIONAL shop and have them take care of it. Do not attempt to pull the head off yourself as someone suggested, a good shop will work that bolt right out without any issues. Hey, you live and learn
Mar 31, 2006, 07:15 PM
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I work as a mechanic for the airforce I have to take care of problems like this with my younger troops all the time. First I would look at the other holes and see if you bolt is bottomed out in the hole. Im guessing it did not and this is good. This mean the reason iit broke was due to the bolt just twisting apart. I would first take a very small punch and tap the head of the bolt in a counter clock wise motion with tiny taps. Some times this will work it out. If this does not work you can take a chissel that is a tad bit smaller than the bolt and tap it in the center of the bolt cutting a groove in it like a flat head screw. then try turn it wout witha screw driver. Easy outs are to be used as a last resort. And 99% of the time in untrained hands cause damage to the threads of the hole as the drill walks of the head of the unpreped broken bolt. If you need more info IM me and ill give ya my phone number. But honestly getting bolts out cake 90% of the time. But then again I do it all day long. Finally before you decide to take a drill any where near your head. Get a ride to a close machine shop and pay the guy in the back a few buck to come to your house and look at it. changes are he can get the bolt out in a few mins without having to pull the head. To bad your not lose by or I would stop over and bust it out for free for ya.
Last edited by damianhindley; Mar 31, 2006 at 07:19 PM.
Mar 31, 2006, 07:34 PM
#29
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I'm still kind of dumbfounded here.
How do you snap a steel bolt off in an aluminum head just by barely tightening it?
The broken tensioner tool is pretty easy to do if you go too quick or use cheap threaded stock but, every situation I can think of should have pulled the threads out of the head before the bolt broke. Unless there was something inherently faulty with the bolt.
Are you sure your buddy didn't use the bolt as a pry bar or something to pop the bearing caps off when you were removing the factory cams or something similarly not smart? There is something missing here.
How do you snap a steel bolt off in an aluminum head just by barely tightening it?
The broken tensioner tool is pretty easy to do if you go too quick or use cheap threaded stock but, every situation I can think of should have pulled the threads out of the head before the bolt broke. Unless there was something inherently faulty with the bolt.
Are you sure your buddy didn't use the bolt as a pry bar or something to pop the bearing caps off when you were removing the factory cams or something similarly not smart? There is something missing here.
Apr 1, 2006, 06:22 AM
#30
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Ok guys thanks for all the concern and suggestions! I was stressed out all day trying to decide what to do... We got a "bolt extractor set" which cost $50 @ Sears 
I know I could have gotten it cheaper elsewhere but I didnt care @ that point, I just wanted that bolt out of there. So we get all set up and cover the entire head (except for the hole in question) with rags as to not get any metal shavings in there. We practiced with one of the other bolts that were snapped and it didnt go too smoothly, but we got it out w/out damaging any threads. So then we went ahead and tried to get the main bolt out from where we were tightening down the caps, and believe it or not, it came out very easily, just by using a reverse drill bit!! 
We cleaned up all the shavings off the rags then we tightened down the rest of the caps and called it a day for the cam install!
- When we took back the torque wrench back to Sears, they tested it out and it was indeed broken, but they wouldnt warranty it! I always thought that Craftsman had a lifetime warranty? Oh well, just bought one @ auto zone for like $25, and it actually works very well
I would reccomend it for the price. Anyway now we have to finish up modifying my downpipe to fit my GT35r kit and a intercooler pipe to fit as well and we will be finished with the power upgrades!!
Once again thanks for all the concern! This is why I joined, b/c everyone really does try to help when you have a prob.
I know I could have gotten it cheaper elsewhere but I didnt care @ that point, I just wanted that bolt out of there. So we get all set up and cover the entire head (except for the hole in question) with rags as to not get any metal shavings in there. We practiced with one of the other bolts that were snapped and it didnt go too smoothly, but we got it out w/out damaging any threads. So then we went ahead and tried to get the main bolt out from where we were tightening down the caps, and believe it or not, it came out very easily, just by using a reverse drill bit!! We cleaned up all the shavings off the rags then we tightened down the rest of the caps and called it a day for the cam install! - When we took back the torque wrench back to Sears, they tested it out and it was indeed broken, but they wouldnt warranty it! I always thought that Craftsman had a lifetime warranty? Oh well, just bought one @ auto zone for like $25, and it actually works very well
I would reccomend it for the price. Anyway now we have to finish up modifying my downpipe to fit my GT35r kit and a intercooler pipe to fit as well and we will be finished with the power upgrades!! Once again thanks for all the concern! This is why I joined, b/c everyone really does try to help when you have a prob.