sbfishySC Posted March 28, 2013 Posted March 28, 2013 Hey guys, I seem to be in quite a predicament. I took my fuel pump out because my fuel line interior was old and had deteriorated so I had to clean all the chunks and pieces out of the pump. When I was reinstalling the pump, as I was tightening down the bolts, one of the bolts snapped right in half in the middle of the hole in the fuel pump. Because of this, there seems to be a little fuel leaking from the area. What can I do? How do I get the broken bolt out to try to put a new one in? The head part just slides right out. It broke just below the threads, so the majority of the threaded part is the part stuck. Should I get one of those screw/bolt remover drill bits? Thanks, Stephen Quote
sbfishySC Posted March 28, 2013 Author Posted March 28, 2013 Just went out and checked and realized since the broken bolt is the one on the bottom of the fuel pump, the drill won't fit down in there to use something like that. Quote
Super User slonezp Posted March 28, 2013 Super User Posted March 28, 2013 Is it a good size bolt or a small one? If it's not too tight, and it may not be, maybe a small metal rod with a dab of epoxy on the tip. Epoxy the rod to the bolt and unscrew. Need to be careful not to get epoxy in the threads. Quote
sbfishySC Posted March 28, 2013 Author Posted March 28, 2013 It's a pretty good sized bolt. I want to say it's 5/16" but I can't remember off the top of my head without going out and measuring. From what I can tell it's tight. It's nothing but threads that are broken off and stuck. I will see what I can do about the epoxy and rod tomorrow afternoon. Quote
Super User Fishing Rhino Posted March 28, 2013 Super User Posted March 28, 2013 If you do the epoxy thing, grease the threads on the bolt, leaving only the end clean. Spray some cleaning solvent such as acetone into the hole with the broken bolt, just to be sure the end of the broken bolt is clean. Remember, when you have a drop of epoxy on the bolt end, it will spread. Use a very small drop on the end of the bolt, Thread it carefully into the hole. As soon as you feel the slightest resistance, stop. It would be a good idea to drill a depression that is centered into the end of the bolt. That will keep the epoxy away from the edges. Good luck. It's going to be a tricky job. Quote
Super User Way2slow Posted March 29, 2013 Super User Posted March 29, 2013 You've created a problem for yourself. Not sure what kind of motor, but I would think you should be able to drop the lower pan and gain access with a drill. Center punch the bolt, (and I mean CENTER punch) because you want to be sure you drill the absolute center of the bolt because if you end up having to drill it out and using a tap to chase the threads, if off center, you will end up having to install a heli-coil. If it screwed in easily, you didn't cross thread it or bottom it out, and just broke from over tightening, it should come out fairly easily. Drill the center with a 3/16" bit and the use a 1/4" LH bit, reverse the drill and it should spin out. If you don't have a LH bit, grind a RH bit with a reverse angle on it. If it tight, be very careful with those tapered easy outs, they spread the bolt and will actually make it bite harder.I don't use those. They make a set that looks similar to a Torx you drive in and they work much better. Just be sure to drill the full length of the bolt to relieve the stress. Quote
Super User Fishing Rhino Posted March 29, 2013 Super User Posted March 29, 2013 Here's a suggestion. If you have enough threads to get another bolt to screw into the hole, using a drill press, drill a hole down the center of that bolt. Use a drill the size you will need for the tool you are using. Then screw the bolt in, and use it as a pilot to drill through the broken bolt along the center line. 1 Quote
Super User tomustang Posted March 29, 2013 Super User Posted March 29, 2013 He still couldn't get the drill in. I say you need to start removing things until you can get a drill in there Quote
Super User slonezp Posted March 29, 2013 Super User Posted March 29, 2013 He still couldn't get the drill in. I say you need to start removing things until you can get a drill in there That's what she said 1 Quote
sbfishySC Posted March 29, 2013 Author Posted March 29, 2013 I appreciate all the help and replies. Fortunately, my "inner genius" woke up this morning and realized that there are no threads in the fuel pump itself, so I took the top bolt off, slid the pump off, and sprayed some PB Blaster on the bolt piece that was stuck in (because it was tight and wasn't moving) and within minutes I was able to just twist it out with a pair of pliers. New bolt installed and no fuel leaking. Good as new. Quote
Super User Fishing Rhino Posted March 29, 2013 Super User Posted March 29, 2013 Glad you got it squared away. Quote
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