Alternator bracket bots broke off!

[SEVENTY1]

350 short block

I was driving to work this past friday, and i noticed that my temperature started to go up. I got off my truck and popped the hood to find the whole alternator/alternator bracket completely loose. All the bolts broke off!

It seems that the bracket has three bolts holding the alternator in place. Two of the bolts bolt up to the block, and the other one bolts up somewhere else. Is this right? It seems to fragile to handle the torque from the engine, I dont know what could have happened. I had the engine rebuilt about 400 miles ago. Has anyone ever had this problem? I dont know if the shop installed it correctly, does anyone have pics of how the bracket goes?

Any help or suggestion is appreciated.

Also how would I remove the remaining bolts that stayed in the block? Is there a tool that can help me remove them?

Thanks

[erikrcks]

If there is anything left of the bolt sticking out past that block you could possibly weld on another bolt to the broken one and try turning it out like normal. Drillin it is always and option and the rethreading it. an E-Z out is an optioin too but i've never had much luck with them.

[Highsteel]

Here's a few of my set-up. I think it was on the other side at one time, but I'm not sure. There are some wires on the other side of the engine that I think went to an Alt.
I've found that sometimes broken bolts can be screwed out using fingers,pliers,screw drivers, etc. because after the tension is released they just aren't tight, unless they were stripped or something.
Hope these help.
Sorry for the POS camera.

Jerry

[SEVENTY1]

Originally Posted by Highsteel

Here's a few of my set-up. I think it was on the other side at one time, but I'm not sure. There are some wires on the other side of the engine that I think went to an Alt.
I've found that sometimes broken bolts can be screwed out using fingers,pliers,screw drivers, etc. because after the tension is released they just aren't tight, unless they were stripped or something.
Hope these help.
Sorry for the POS camera.

Jerry

Thanks for the photos, It looks like mine was set-up just the same, I dont know what could have caused them to break off like that, my only guess is that the shop that installed the motor did not tighten them up enough. I dont know for sure though.

Anyone else have any other suggestions.

thanks

[Green Machine]

When you get them out, use a grade 5 (3 line) or better bolt. Maybe they were just soft grade 2 bolts that might have gotten over tightened ? Or just get some grade 8 bolts for a few cents more for extra insurance.

[mrein3]

Highsteel is correct in that you don't bottom out those bolts so you SHOULD be able to get them out easily. I usually use a flat blade screw driver and a hammer. Catch a burr of the broken bolt and tap it around until you get enough to grab with your fingers or a vise grips.

I had these exact same issues on my truck. What finally solved it was switching to a factory original water pump pully that matches the factory original crank pulley.

What was happening in my case - and probably in yours too - is that the pulley mismatch causes WILD vibrations at some rpms. In other words if you are on fast idle or slow idle, hood up you won't see the alternator bracket shake. But when you buzz it up to a certain rpm, the alternator looks like Elvis gyrating on stage.

Before the correct pulley I tried grade 5 bolts. Sheared them off. Then I tried grade 8 bolts. Yup. Those broke too. I tried various thicknesses of washers between the alternator bracket and the head and still managed to sheer them off. da-burb sold me a waterpump pulley off of a truck that still had it's GM-given configuration and all my problems went away.