Head bolt snapped!
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Head bolt snapped! The number 1 headbolt on the passenger side head snapped and the bottom of the bolt is stuck in the block. What is the best way to get this SOB out of there so I can use a new bolt? It is a GM bolt too not an ARP bolt. Search isn't working either, maybe somebody is trying to tell me something!
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From: Milwaukee, WI
Originally Posted by SiL3NtXWS6
Not true. I had to get mine drilled and a stud put in its place.
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Originally Posted by HAMRHEAD
The number 1 headbolt on the passenger side head snapped and the bottom of the bolt is stuck in the block. What is the best way to get this SOB out of there so I can use a new bolt? It is a GM bolt too not an ARP bolt. Search isn't working either, maybe somebody is trying to tell me something!
You didn't say how far down the bolt is broken off below the deck surface. I would use a sleeve as a guide for my drill bit. I would fabricate one if I had to, but I certainly would NOT try to do subterrainian drilling without using a sleeve to guide the drill bit to the center of the broken bolt. You were supposed to have thoroughly cleaned and dried those bolts holes and then lightly lubricated them before installing the NEW bolts which I'm sure you did, right? That's so you don't have this problem and don't end up having to ask this question. You can make a thread chaser by grinding flat one side of the old bolts (large and small, one each) so that the NEW bolts go into the block smoothly. That costs you nothing, but a few minutes on you bench grinder. Once you driilled a pilot hole into the broken bolt using the sleeve you fabricated you now have the problem of finding a screw extractor long enough to reach the bolt. You are going to have to get creative in order to come up with an extension long enough to reach that broken bolt. Good luck! Let's see if we can come up with an appropriate cliche here? An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. A stich in time saves nine. Get your ducks in a row, etc. If that bolt requires excessive torque to turn and you can clearly see that it has NOT bottomed out against the head, STOP TURNING! If it don't fit, force it is one cliche that does NOT belong in the mechanics toolbox.
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From: Milwaukee, WI
Originally Posted by eallanboggs
You didn't say how far down the bolt is broken off below the deck surface. I would use a sleeve as a guide for my drill bit. I would fabricate one if I had to, but I certainly would NOT try to do subterrainian drilling without using a sleeve to guide the drill bit to the center of the broken bolt. You were supposed to have thoroughly cleaned and dried those bolts holes and then lightly lubricated them before installing the NEW bolts which I'm sure you did, right? That's so you don't have this problem and don't end up having to ask this question. You can make a thread chaser by grinding flat one side of the old bolts (large and small, one each) so that the NEW bolts go into the block smoothly. That costs you nothing, but a few minutes on you bench grinder. Once you driilled a pilot hole into the broken bolt using the sleeve you fabricated you now have the problem of finding a screw extractor long enough to reach the bolt. You are going to have to get creative in order to come up with an extension long enough to reach that broken bolt. Good luck! Let's see if we can come up with an appropriate cliche here? An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. A stich in time saves nine. Get your ducks in a row, etc. If that bolt requires excessive torque to turn and you can clearly see that it has NOT bottomed out against the head, STOP TURNING! If it don't fit, force it is one cliche that does NOT belong in the mechanics toolbox.
Originally Posted by HAMRHEAD
Yes the holes were cleaned and all that was done. none of the other bolts had any problems. this one broke on the second pass in the sequence. There is no liquid or debris in the holes. Chased all the holes. It broke about an inch below the deck. All the cliches in the world aint gonna change that this damn bolt just snapped. All other bolts torqued up just fine. This one wasn't even close to the final torque, it just decided to break while trying to stretch the bolt.
Everyone was giving me hell when i broke mine saying i overtorqued or didn't clean enough too. Luckily, your's broke in a much easier to get to spot than mine. Mine broke passenger side in the back under the header.
Good luck with getting it out. I know for sure i will never use GM head bolts again. ARP all the way