So I'm replacing the clutch & slave, everything was going smooth, then I rounded the last bolt on the flywheel. I bought 2 different extraction socket sets (irwin & from autozone). Neither worked, only rounded it more. So I used a dremel to grind it flatter and tried a smaller socket, Nope. Then ground it down to a slit and tried vice grips, Nope. So now my only option is to drill it out and use an easy-out.
Has anyone used these on a Flywheel bolt before?

 

Try some heat. It may damage your rear seal, but that's easy to replace while you're there.

Andrew

 

If they're ARP bolts it'll be tough to drill. If you don't care about saving the flywheel, you might just grind the whole head off. Then with no tension on the bolt, it'll turn much more easier.

If you do the drill bit, get a left handed bit so if it does catch it'll naturally loosen rather than get tighter

 

like Darth V8r said, grind off the head of the bolt, now the bolt has no tension on it now. remove flywheel, and tap the bolt out with a punch or chisel. should turn out if no lock-tite was used. can also tack weld a bolt and use that to turn it out. both ways have worked for me in the past.

 

Thanks for the replies! They are not ARP bolts just stock. I have ARP replacement bolts anyways. I really don't want to lose the flywheel, but might be the only option. I'm just concerned that using an easy-out/left handed bit on a bolt torqued as tight as these that it would break and then I'm really in trouble.
Has anyone used one on a bolt torqued to 70+ ft lbs?

 

When you drill out a bolt, you relieve some tension on it. It partially shrinks away from the threads, which reduces the load needed to turn it. But, at 70 ft-lbs, you may not have a choice. And if it does break off, you're stuck grinding anyway.

Sucks, but it's where you are unfortunately.

 

OP

short of welding on a bar to then turn the bolt, you could try and file/grind the sides so some 5 point socket (metric or SAE) of a smaller size will then fit snug

If whoever installed the last FW used loc tite on the thread...that could make any removal harder. Soaking the bolt over night with power blaster may help

otherwise grind, cut, drill out the bolt. Just understand it is your crank that the bolt threads into so drilling it with a easy out type deal...you better be spot on with the drill

 

So I finally got that damn bolt out! Just kept grinding the head down and trying smaller extractor sockets and one finally worked. Thanks for all the input. Bet I had almost 8 hrs into that POS!