??How to fix a broken y-pipe stud/bolt??

[BlackMagik]

I broke the Y-pipe bolt/stud on the forward section my pipe during removal. This bolt/stud is the forward most one on my 94 ATX and is actually a hex-head bolt and not a stud and nut type like the other three on the car.

Would you:

A. Drill and tap the old one out and replace with an oversize stud?

B. Weld a new stud on and use a nut?

C. Any other suggestions?

Please forgive me for not scouring through all previous posts but after skimming through some things on the search I did not find a quick answer to this problem. Thanks for any insight!

 

[BlackOnBlackATX]

i think your best drilling and tapping. if youre careful with the bit you wont have to tap, you can get a new one and put it right in there. in the chiltons though it looks as if you should be able to twise it out with some vice grips if you can get them on there. i would say drilling would be pretty quick and painless though as long as you have good bits. maybe someone else here has tried a different approach.

 

[rangerj]

Blackmagik,

Center punch the piece left in the hole. Start with a small drill size and get about an eight inch deep hole started. Then move up a size drill bit. The object is to drill into the broken piece about a half an inch, or a little more, and be down the center of the piece of bolt.

Next, heat the metal around the piece until it is good and hot, and then screw in an easy out and try to extract the piece. An easy out gets turned counter-clockwise.
If it comes out, clean up the threads with a tap.
Use anti-sieze compound on the new bolt.

If that does not work, you can finish drilling the piece out and retap the threads the next size up. rangerj

 

[BlackMagik]

Just in case I break the EZ-Out, what kind of drill bit does it take to cut something as hard as an EZ-Out? Will a titanium coated bit do it?

 

[projectSHO89]

Just in case I break the EZ-Out, what kind of drill bit does it take to cut something as hard as an EZ-Out? Will a titanium coated bit do it?

You don't want to find out the answer to that one.

Just don't break the EZOut.

If the shaft of the stud is extended by at least 1/4 ", I would try a Craftsman Bolt-Out. Combined with PB Blaster, then heat, you might get lucky.

Steve

 

[SHOZ123]

If you are going to use a drill bit get some left handed ones. You drill in reverse and the bit will heat up the stud and catch. When it does you usually will back the broken stud out.

Use copious amounts of PB Blaster before and during.

 

[rangerj]

Blackmagik,

Lets put it all together. Steve recommends a Craftsman bolt out, and SHOZ123, recommends a reverse twist drill. Well I'll second both of them.

The Craftsman Bolt-Out set IS a reverse drill set-up. I should have thought of that earlier. I just bought a set of the Craftsman "Botl-Out" broken bolt removers. I used it one time, and it worked as advertized.

So, try the Bolt-Out WITH its REVERSE drill bits before you go the easy-out route. I second Steve again, you do not want to know what happens if you break an easy out. rangerj

PS SHOZ123 doesn't say much, but when he does it is a good idea to listen !

 

[RBade]

Just in case I break the EZ-Out, what kind of drill bit does it take to cut something as hard as an EZ-Out? Will a titanium coated bit do it?

I, unfortunately, know the answer to this. A cobalt bit can drill out an EZ-out. Got mine at Home Depot. Good luck!

 

[BlackMagik]

Thanks guys, I had no Idea that these tools existed. I'm snowed in so I'll try what I have on hand and if these EZ-Outs don't work I'll go the cobalt bit rout followed up with a Craftsman extractor set.

Thanks again!

 

[rlw001]

I have a set ATX exhaust manifolds with good studs if you are interested. It's probably alot easier to bolt on another manifold than removing the broken stud and taping another.

 

[SHOZ123]

If you need to drill a broken stud to insert the easy-out, why not use the reverse bit? You can get them at McMaster-Carr . Most people break the easy-outs because they use a wrench on them which puts uneven torque on it. You should use a drill tap holder.

 

[drivinhard]

Typically if you break a stud flush with the manifold, it ain't coming out with an EZ out. Heck you just broke the thing with a 1/2" ratchet, an EZ out ain't gonna have enough torque to free it. Usually drilling it out and re-tapping is the only way to go. Sometimes you get lucky though.