OH CRAP! Just broke something important!

[guyryan100]

Torquing down the damper bolt in the end of the crank and was almost all the way down when it felt wrong. Started to back it off and it SNAPPED! Most of the bolt is still in the crank and it snapped just far enough in the end of the crank that I can't even touch it with pliars or any other means of grabbing it. The damper is about 1/8" away from being in far enough. What can I do NOW?!?!?!

[ChevLoRay]

Haven't had that problem, but my guess is that you need to get a puller and remove the harmonic balancer. If that required a bolt that threaded into the end of the crank where the bolt is broken, then another type of puller may work.

Then, I'm going to say that with the damper removed, there should be sufficient length exposed to offer an opportunity for other tools to grip it. There are several different types of extraction tools that may be appropriate, depending on what you see.

I am going to guess that drilling into the end of the broken bolt is difficult at best, if not next to impossible. If you could, and did, I don't know if an extraction tool would be able to back out the broken bolt. It may be that someone can, if appropriate and safe to do, weld a nut onto the exposed portion and that would enable you to get a wrench on it.

As to why it happened: it could be that there was some dirt that caused the bolt threads to become galled and bind up in the threaded bore. Without knowing a lot of the particulars that you know, it becomes speculative.

Good luck. There will be a lot of other suggestions and I am sure someone has had the same problem and knows just exactly how to "git 'er done".

[guyryan100]

i have a puller that I can use to remove the damper, but there is no bolt exposed outside the crank - the break is actually inset about 1/16" in the end of the crank :-(

[neonlarry]

Some people may say otherwise, but you should never use the balencer bolt to pull the harmonic balencer onto the crank. It is way too easy to snap the bolt if you do it that way. There are 2 things you can do to fix it, first, try using an easy out to get the broken peice of the bolt out. Otherwise, you will have to drill it out, and tap the hole for a big block size balencer bolt.

[OhioDan]

Do you have access to left-handed drill bits? ( Don't laugh, I bought mine off the Snap-on tool truck) Start with the smallest size and work your way to the larger size. It should grab the bolt and spin it back out. Have had lots of good luck doing this. Just be sure to get it center punched in the center before you start. Just my $.02 .

[Fred T]

NeonLarry is right about not using the bolt to pull down the damper. You have just learned why. Sounds like you bottomed out the bolt in the hole, which makes it harder to extract. And a grade 8 bolt is a sob to drill.

First, pull the damper to have better access. I doubt if it broke clean, which means you will need to get a flat spot in the center of the bolt so you can start the drill. I would use a carbide burr in a dremel tool if one is available. Left handed drill bits might work. The proper size hole and an easy out also might work.

The bolt should come out with an easy out, but if you end up having to drill out the bolt here's a link for tap drill sizes.
http://www.newmantools.com/tapdrill.htm
Your current bolt should be 7/16-20.

The correct way to install a damper is with a damper installation tool like this
http://www.lislecorp.com/tool_detail.cfm?detail=914
Another option is to get a long 7/16-20 bolt. Cut off the head and thread the shank for a 7/16-14. Then use a nut and big washer to pull the damper down. Also use anti-seize on the threads to reduce the friction.

[Super Duck]

I have made such a tool with good all thread and some nuts and washers. works like a champ. used it many times

[neonlarry]

If it snapped when he was trying to loosen it, its very likely its not going to come out. It cant hurt anything to try, but dont try hard enough to snap an easy out off in there too. If you buy a balencer installer tool, do not get the one from mososo that you can put different size ends on. I had one, and it broke in half the 3rd time I used it, and it says right in the catalog of the place I ordered it from they will not replace them if they break.

[lngbed71]

My bolt is still broken inside the crank too. I tried extractors, odd-ball tools and new cuss words. Nothing worked so I said to he!! with it and put the balancer back on it, lined it up, and tailor made another shorter 7/16 20 bolt. Haven't had a problem with it since. I've had the balancer off/on the thing what seems like a dozen times.

[Tx Firefighter]

May the screaming begin by the non-believers....

I have tack welded balancers on before when a similar thing happened. Turn the mig up high and give it a good 1 second tack. It'll never give you any trouble again.

Heck, early small blocks didn't even have a hole tapped into the crank for a bolt. They were a press fit stock, same for many inline 6 cylinder Chevy engines.

People can say it's not right, but it works.

[guyryan100]

And the fun continues... picked up a set if Titanium bits, drilled an 1/8" hole in the center of the bolt - no problem. Drilled a bit larger, no problem. Now ready for the 3/8" bit. "But wait, " I said to myself - "why not try this EZ-Out first?". Well you know the rest of the story. I've been through a set of Titanium bits, some cobalt bits, a diamond-tip engraving tool on the dremel, and still have the end of an EZ-Out in the hole in the bolt. Those things don't go easily! Any ideas as to how I can get through that thing? The bolt metal is relatively soft, but the ez out is a PITA. Can I heat the end of the crank with a torch without damaging the crank or engine internals?

Alternatively, looking at TX's idea, how can I get the balancer on the crank without the luxury of the bolt hole? Seems like sledging it on would be damaging....

[jhow66]

Take block of hard wood and big hammer and drive it on. Do NOT hit on outer ring of damper (beyond rubber ring). If you are not worried about getting it off again use RED Loctite-just make sure both surfaces a clean and dry.

[Tx Firefighter]

I'm with jhow, thump it on and don't worry about everyone saying you're going to damage the thrust bearing. That's what I always do.

Think about how tough that thrust bearing is. It takes all of the load from the pressure plate on a standard vehicle when you have you foot on the clutch pedal. That's a lot of load.

[jhow66]

Hey Tx Fire' bet that was a loooooong tow from ITALY. LOL

[Tx Firefighter]

I had to stop for gas several times on the trip back for sure.

[jamis]

yep.........beat it on with a dead blow hammer. Weld it like Tx said.....dont put much more then a big tack you can drill away , incase you have to pull it off in the future. Done plenty of boat motors that way never had a problem.

[WRMZ71]

Man i so feel your pain with that easy out. I was replacing a water pump and the bolt borke in the block just like yours and then i had the ez out bust in there just like yours. theres not a drill bit anywhere thatwill touch that thing. I ended up finally taking a torch to it and got it nice and hot. Then i just hit it with the blast and that ez out popped right out. I had some more problems with it but it was just because i tried welding a bolt in there prior. what ended up happening was the slag got in the thread and jacked it all up. If you're not experienced with a torch find somebody who is or take it to a welding shop. My redneck butt would probably do the no bolt thing as well but that is an absolute last i'm dead type o thing that you probably don't want to do. I had to trash a steel crank one time because of the same thing happening so be careful. Good luck!!!

[Tx Firefighter]

My father in law taught me years ago about eaze outs.

He said "If that bolt broke off because it's seized in there, what makes you think an EZ out which is even smaller than the bolt ain't going to break too?"

I know the EZ out is made of super hard metal compared to a bolt, but more times than not, he is right.

[guyryan100]

see, fathers in law ARE good for something. That ez-out broke with about 20 ftlbs of pressure on it - at least I got my $4 back. The one thing I don't want to to is make it any worse than it already is.

[robertwb]

I have one of those henrob torches and I beleive it could cut that bolt out of the hole w/o damaging the threads-never done it on a crank bolt but have a few times on similar stuff with good results-also heat would soften that easy out enough to drill it-but you need VERY precise heat either way-I don't think a regular torch could do it-but with the right operator you never know

[Harold Shepard]

To help put the dampner on get a old pot or pan and fill it with water, put it on the stove and let it get boiling hot, the dampner will be much easier to put on if you do this, especially if you are going to drive it on. Harold

[Warbones]

I don't know anything about nothing. You can tell by my threads. But is there anyway you can use jb weld? Welding something to the broken bolt and somehow backing it out? Just an idea. I'll let someone else run with it or shoot it down.

[rustyold72]

Originally Posted by Warbones

I don't know anything about nothing. You can tell by my threads. But is there anyway you can use jb weld? Welding something to the broken bolt and somehow backing it out? Just an idea. I'll let someone else run with it or shoot it down.

From looking at the picture I think the bolt is broken too far down in the hole to weld it, and I doubt JBWeld would hold up either, but I'm agreeing with TX just drive it on, and put a little tack weld on it, it may be a little redneck, but it works (oh and heating the dampner in the boiling water before putting it on is a good idea)

[arkracing]

just on a side note...your photo reveals something odd to me.
the end seal that goes between the oil pan end and the timing chain...isn't installed right (at least i don't think) those ends aren't supposed to "twist" out of the cover and be visible. they should mate with the pan rail gaskets...unless you have a lot of blue/black gook in there it might leak.

as far as the bolt....
never trust those easy outs..i hate them. reverse drill bits...keep going up in size until you get almost to the same thread size as the hole and then use an easy out or a chisel/punch to rotate the broken bolt. or a carbide cutter on your "die grinder" and grind one side of the broken bolt down to the threads then use a chisel to "colapse" the remains of the bolt to relieve the pressure and it will spin right out.

you going to have to pull out all the stops to get the ez-out out of there...just keep drilling it till you can get it out..

otherwise..put the balancer back on and give it a little tack (hopefully not throwing the balance of the motor off)

let us know the end result

[poff]

I always use a balancer installer. The Snap-on one is only $45:
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....re&dir=catalog

Picture doesn't show it but this should be the bearing style which is the prefered style. Cornwell sells the same one, probably cheaper, (My Cornwell guy didn't have one in stock and the Snap-on guy did).

I always use a larger ez-out than recommended. The more bolt you drill out the easier it comes out. Just make sure you get the hole centered and straight.

I don't know for a fact, but, I would guess beating on the thrust bearing can't be good.