Broken bolt in cast aluminum need help

[firemanast]

Weld a nut to the bolt remains.

Gives you a wrench/grab surface and the intense heat (thermal expansion and contraction) helps to loosen the frozen threads.

Nut breaks off after welding and the bolt remains didn't come out yet? Repeat until the bolt remains come out.

It will probably take longer to get the welder out and 'mask' off the ****** bottom (couple of rags, you really don't want to get any sort of ****/crud into the ******) than to do the actual welding. A MIG (actual MIG aka GMAW) welder is perfect for this sort of thing. FCAW can work, but more splatter and slag to deal with (see note above about ****/crud in a ******). SMAW (aka stick) welding can work, but again some slag to deal with (for bigger bolts/studs, there are actually some 'special' electrodes made just for this sort of thing, although pretty much any electrode can work).

Hmmm, about 5 minutes of welding (including the prep time ) versus grind the bolt remains down (see above note about ****/crud in a ******) and then drill and tap for additional fasteners and modify the pan for those additional fasteners? Welding wins in this case IMNSHO.

Pretty much like owenst7 said, except I usually prefer to use an old set of vise-grips to grab the nut while welding. No having to constantly remember to squeeze the handle on a pair of needle nose pliers so you don't drop the nut, and the vise-grips are already clamped onto the nut once the welding is done so you can just turn the vise-grips and remove the welded nut-n-bolt.

It works great I have done it many times !

 

[Shadowdog500]

If you do weld a nut to it cover the opening of the pan, you don't want sparks and welding **** everywhere in that Trans. Also put the grounding clamp on the ****** case close to the repair, such as on a stud that was placed in an adjacent pan hole. I saw the results of someone welding on a boat outdrive when they put the grounding clamp on the output shaft. He wound up welding the gears inside the lower unit together.


Chris

 

[burnedzr2]

Do as so many have suggested just weld the nut to the broken off piece and take it out. I did the same to my Silverado, I took out 3 broken studs out of the aluminum heads.

 

[rsanter]

Is it a blind hole or do you have access to the back side of the hole?

First I would try is the weld a nut on option

If not I mightnlookmto see if I could use a small C clamp in place of a bolt if you can gat to the back side

Bob

 

[coldh2o]

Would the welded nut method work for a hardened steel tap broken off 1/4" into a cast pinion yoke?

 

[owenst7]

Would the welded nut method work for a hardened steel tap broken off 1/4" into a cast pinion yoke?

I have done it on many a strap style yoke, especially on the gm 10.5".

Sometimes you have to start with a washer and then weld through the nut to the washer.

 

[TheEquineFencer]

Would the welded nut method work for a hardened steel tap broken off 1/4" into a cast pinion yoke?

For broken "taps" I've taken a stick welder and jammed it into the broken tap so it starts to weld then "sticks" and switch the welder off and "wiggle" the rod. It'll make the broken tap stick to the rod and pull small pieces of the tap out a little at the time.

For this broken bolt, I'd spray the **** out of the hole with anti-spatter and put a Mig to the bolt in short burst until I got the weld close to the surface, then weld a flat washer through the center, then weld the nut to the flat washer. let it sit a couple of minutes and back it out.

Another option, not the best, is to take a TIG electrode to it with a stick welder for power, turned up and when the bolt melts blow the molten metal out with an air blower. I saw this work pretty good on a 6.2 block with and easy out broke off in it.

 

[gorilla]

If I read the first post correctly the drill is carbon steel. If that's the case it can be ground out with a ball shaped stone in a die grinder or a Dremmel tool. Grind most of the bolt out drill and install a heli-cioil.

 

[sberry]

If I can help it I weld it out, super fast and easy. I thought about it the other day, I should have tossed all these I did over the years in a can.

 

[TheEquineFencer]

Well?

 

[SAATR]

Well?

Well?

Well?

Bueller?

 

[srmofo]

You have room on either/both sides of that hole to drill two smaller holes, tap them, STUD THEM, and nut them through the pan.

Easy fix. Quit Jacking with that hole and put two 5mm studs in.

There are other slightly more complicated ways to fix this.
A girdle can still be made. But it now requires grinding the case by the thickness of the girdle and a plate on the bottom side of the pan, sandwiching the pan.
That's not complicated but at this point you can try my stud method, or put the pan on with goop, pray, and then go to a professional if it leaks beyond reason.

No more drilling on that bolt!

That sure looks like he access to the back side of that hole and it appears to be flat. At this point I might be tempted to recommend a small cheap c-clamp to hold that corner together and some of your goop and be done with it.

Then again Ive been burned enough times with jobs like this that I know to pay attention and go slow to avoid situations just like this.

 

[nickelmore]

I If you can see the bolt and the drill bit, weld a nut over both of them. The weld won't stick to the aluminum. You stand a better chance going that route that you will trying to drill it. You might also want to try a pointed punch and shatter the carbide bit. If it is down in the hole, get a punch that will fit in behind it, and give it hell. Then get a small pick and pick out the pieces.
.

If you have a welder this is the route I would take. Laying a weld inside the nut actually heats up the stuck bolt so you are able to put a wrech on it and turn it out.

 

[ironmutt]

get a nut little bigger then the bolt hole weld it to th broken bit use slow wire speed and med volt age while it is still warm unscrew it with a rachet the weld might mar the face of aluminium alittle , just clean the threads with a good tap apply a little rtv when you reinstall pan all will be good