Ummm.... This Sucks
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Capac MI
Ummm.... This Sucks
Well, Went to change my thermostat, (I can probably end it here) Sprayed the bolts on the housing a couple hours prior, top one started ok, Bottom one was a little iffy but coming. I got the top one almost out and the bottom one stopped turning. So i thought about it for a while, i desided to turn it back in and either A forget about it, B keep on spraying and working it slowly, so i went with B and as i went to go turn it in it broke. After i threw my tools everywhere i started thinking about options. So i was going to drill and easy out it out, Well the bolt was very soft and i drilled a hole, not to deep, Put the easy out in and after a couple of turns that broke, now i cant even drill. What do you guys suggest. I know im freakin screwed.
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,117
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From: Over Yonder, MN
Well you can drill through an easy out… it not fun though. You’re kind of limited on options. You can dull out a few drill bits to get yourself another hole to retry in combination with a torch to loosen things up. You can drill it out and retap it for a slightly larger bolt. Sometimes if you can get the bolt loosened up a reverse drill bit will get enough grab to turn it. Lastly you could weld something to it to give you handle to turn it with. These are the methods I know, maybe someone’s got a better one I’m missing.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: sunny fla sometimes windy
Propane persuasion goes a long way in freeing stuck hardware! Its still worth it to use heat with an easy out. How much bolt is sticking out? And how mangled? I have in the past just cut threads on what was left of the bolt and put a nut on it(kind a like a stud)
Always use silver antisieze it takes a couple of seconds but can save you hours in the future!!! If you plan on keeping the truck that is!
Always use silver antisieze it takes a couple of seconds but can save you hours in the future!!! If you plan on keeping the truck that is!
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,117
Likes: 8
From: Over Yonder, MN
You will have to be the judge on how big you can go, I don’t have a Bronco to reference anymore, but I'd avoid anything that would open up into the intake. A little heat can go a long way if you can get a grip on it again.
Last edited by screwy; Sep 2, 2007 at 03:09 PM.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Capac MI
I cant get a grip on it tho, its broke off flush with the intake and i drilled a hole right dead in the center and then the easy out broke off, if i use the heat how should i be able to grip it? And the heat wont hurt the aluminum?
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Capac MI
I always use antisieze its the first time ive ever takin the housing off. My temp guage would never say that the motor is warm and the coolant doesnt go back into my overflow tank so im figuring its a stuck open thermostat
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Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,117
Likes: 8
From: Over Yonder, MN
Ouch. Well I’m going to give you the safe answer and tell you not to heat the aluminum. Aluminum is tricky and easy to warp if you get it too hot. The best advice I can give you is to try and drill it out dead center and if you’re lucky you can rethread onto the old threads and keep your bolt size, otherwise you’ll have to go bigger. Avoid anything that would make a nice passageway to anything internal, if for some reason the gasket leaks you could end up with water in the intake. Might want to give it a little time and see if anyone wiser comes along.
Last edited by screwy; Sep 2, 2007 at 03:29 PM.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: sunny fla sometimes windy
If you can drill it out just use a heli coilhttp://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/HEL-5521-6.html Don't worry about using heat on any metal just heat it up a little at a time Spraying with PB blaster until you get it to break free( it should break free way before it's too hot!) If you were heating up the intake and with half the intake bolts loose then you might have a warpage problem if it's bolted tight all the way around shouldn't be a problem!
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Ontario
Her's how I would do it.
Buy yourself the hardest Rockwell hardness drill bit and get yourself a good sharply pointed centre punch( no Center is not spelled wrong, it's how we spell it in Canada).
If you get a machinists drill bit it should cut through that not so EasyOut like a hot knife through butter.
Make sure when you drill this time you drill most all of the threads out so you can use a bigger easyout.
If you happen to damage the threads there are now Epoxies that will fix that problem so don't sweat it just take you time if it doesn't work you can always change the intake as a last resort.
GL, and let us know how it works out.
Rick.
If you get a machinists drill bit it should cut through that not so EasyOut like a hot knife through butter.
Make sure when you drill this time you drill most all of the threads out so you can use a bigger easyout.
If you happen to damage the threads there are now Epoxies that will fix that problem so don't sweat it just take you time if it doesn't work you can always change the intake as a last resort.
GL, and let us know how it works out.
Rick.
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I dont agree that a good drill will drill a easyout. I would try to bust up the easyout with a center punch. Than I would use heat and either a reverse drill or try to unthred it with the punch. You tap on the very edge in the direction of rotation if you know what I mean. Sometimes you can pound a slot in the bolt with a small chisel or screwdriver and unthred it with same. I would use a oxy-exedlean torch. The heat is amazing. Just taping straight in will loosen the threds. I know I cant spell worth s**t, But I assure you I have been there with an aircraft engine many times. Its alot scaryier screwing around with a $25,000 engine. if you wreck the threds, a helicoil will get you back to stock size.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Capac MI
Umm i got the easy out out, good news. Bad news is the hole is not really usable anymore. My questions now are, What size can i drill this hole out? And my other question is, are the intake manifold bolts going to break to because i gotta take it off. I tried taking my punch and hitting it in the direction the bolt would thread out, and nothing this bolt is insanly siezed in there. I tried everything i can think of. This is one huge mess
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: sunny fla sometimes windy
If the hole is an oval now. Fill the hole up with JB weld get the helicoil kit and use the supplied drill bit and drill it out and insert the helicoil. As long as you have 50% of the original metal it should hold no problem! We can't really tell you if the intake is going to come off easy but if this happened, The rest of the hardware on this motor is probably nasty too!
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Capac MI
Yea thats what i was thinking. And i cant find just a new lower intake. What we are going to do is... tell me if this seams like it would work. As of right now i have a hole. I put my housing back on with the top bolt and used a paint marker and marked the hole that i started drilling. Well we are going to drill that hole a little deeper and put a stud in place. Then JB weld it in place and the other crap i got going on in there, then smooth it out with my angle grinder and permatex the gasket and housing on. YES! its not the way i would ever want to do it, but i cant afford to break another bolt nor a 500 dollar intake kit. If it comes down to it i will find a intake but really at this point i have nothing at all to lose. When i get back on my feet and my account back up with money i will have to go through the whole motor. Its a shame that i have to do this stupid mcgiver crap to a motor thats only got 70,000 on it. Im probably going to take a loan out to go through the whole motor 
! Is the lower intake from a 302 the same as the 351? Thanks for all your help!
! Is the lower intake from a 302 the same as the 351? Thanks for all your help!