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ok so i finally got the 5.0 in my 84 mercury capri, it even fired up the first time i tried it, timing and carb was set close enough just by dropping them on, which i figured was a pretty good omen. but the motor got hot really fast, and it didn't in its previous home, point all suspitions to the old thrmostat in my weiand aluminum intake, since it has been untouched since i got the intake (used).
but the problem came when the pass side thermostat bolt broke off. i drilled a hole into it for an easy out no problem, and i even heated it up and ran some wax down into it for good measure. and the easy out broke. now i got a bolt broke off flush in an 175 doller (to replace) intake with an easy out core that has dulled my punches and hurt my chisels. any suggestions? i have had the car for three years and really want to drive it...
I take it that it's an aluminum intake. Since you aren't able to get it out as it is, my suggestion would be to pull it and take it to a reputable machine shop and let then drill it out and re-thread it. This would be a safe bet. Talk to them first and get a good price. Shouldn't be a big job for a good machine shop. Be sure and explain to them where you stand with it before taking it to them.
Bolts are usually very hard material. If they are not half rusted in two, and they break, an "easy out" will not get them to move. It is a waste of time trying to do so. Steel in aluminum sticks like it is welded in many cases.
Usually, you can work the broken bit out by tapping gently around the end with a small punch to get it to loosen up. I use needle nosed pliers to work it back and forth. I take a smalll drill bit and go around the sides of the broken bit to get access being careful not to break the bit along with the easy out. jd
I've also had luck removing the temper from broken drill bits and easyouts
with repeated heating to red hot and cooling. Then you can drill them out, a little at a time. You've have to be super careful with aluminum though.
Another thing I've had luck with that you could try if the physical circumstances allow it (good access to the easyout, not recessed in too deep) is to take a nut made for a bolt about the size of the easyout place it as clse to the as posible to the easyout and arc weld it to the easyout. I wouldn't try to get the broken bolt out using that, but it might work to get the easyout out. This works real well for larger broken bolts and studs - might work for you if the situation is right.
I read that some shops have an electrical process that basically destroys the
EZout. Don't have any idea of price, but you might ask about it.
ford2go
i heard about abook to build a homemade machine that does that, uses an arc welder and a tool engraver that eats away at the metal. it was in a lindsay technical catalog
Find a machine shop that has a EDM (Fine/solid-core) or a Tap Burner... When I had to use ours; especially with alum. as the mating mat'l, I had to take some xtra-precautions to not "burn" through it (most of the time it was a blind hole).
EDM is usually (Best) great for making Very straight and Tiny (diameter) holes in solid stock. Mostly (in our case) it's going through 55+ RC S.S. injection rods- I've also seen it used in your case to burn out a busted tap/endmill/ e-z out etc... Really depending on the size of the opening.
On EDIT: If this burning process is hard to do where you are... find a reputable machine shop that would:
Core--> press/Plug--> then drill and tap a Brand new hole.
Of course this is for the exact spot where the busted bolt and e-z out currently resides. (Our shop; charges less for this process than the Tap burner or EDM)
Last edited by FTE Trigger; Oct 10, 2007 at 08:31 PM.