Even the simplest jobs can go to crap

[Evadd]

I went to drain and flush my coolant today. Pretty simple task, yeah? Why on earth did I remove the water pump outlet pipe for that?

Normally, you'd have no reason to take it off to just change the coolant.



But then, stuff like this happens.

Yeah, that is the coolant drain bolt sheared off in the pipe.



I'm going to go buy a bolt removal kit and see if i can get it out of there, but I'm not optimistic.

[jasnmar]

This is exactly the kind of shit that usually happens to me. 20 minute job takes 2 days.

Use plenty of spray penetrant. Let it soak into the threads. Use some more.

If I were doing this I'd probably try drilling a small pilot hole all the way through the plug before trying the extractor (you'll need to drill some of the way through it to try the extractor, but going all the way through might help to free some things up).

Best of luck!

[Evadd]

Thanks for the tip, Jason. It's been so long time since I've tried to extract a bolt I forgot all about drilling all the way through. What do you suggest for 'spray penetrant' other than WD-40 (the solution to anything stuck)?

[Rossco]

PB Blaster

[Evadd]

Thanks, Rossco. This stuff? I had to look it up - never heard of it before.

[Rossco]

Yup, that's it. If you can't get it out, you can always bring that pipe to a CNC machinist shop, I've worked on some rusty neglected things, and I've never had them fail to get a bolt out.

[obsolete]

This is exactly the kind of shit that usually happens to me. 20 minute job takes 2 days.

Use plenty of spray penetrant. Let it soak into the threads. Use some more.

If I were doing this I'd probably try drilling a small pilot hole all the way through the plug before trying the extractor (you'll need to drill some of the way through it to try the extractor, but going all the way through might help to free some things up).

Best of luck!

To add to this, when you drill or extract use a spring loaded punch to get a nice divit in the center of the broken bolt.

[Kurlon]

If you can, get a set of reverse drill bits. If you're lucky as you're drilling it the bolt will decide that it's game over anyways and back out for you.

[tropicoz]

Worst case scenario, just drill all the way through with a progressively larger bit and then run a tap through there once you see the slightest hint of threads to clean it out. It goes without saying, but get the drill as straight as possible through the plug.

[Duffy21690]

Reverse drill bits are always my go to and I have had awesome luck with them. Just get a quality set, it is worth the money.

[G21forme]

What jasnmar said, I'm no expert but this method has worked for me very well in the past.

[tsorfas]

and thats why i want to do nothing at my bike besides oil change

[jasnmar]

and thats why i want to do nothing at my bike besides oil change

I've just learned to enjoy the pain.

Dave - just order a new water pump outlet.

[bstnsboy]

It also doesnt hurt to apply some heat via propane torch to help loosen corrosion between the bolt and the tube.

[Evadd]

Thanks, everyone.



A drill press and vise helps immensely in this task. Not sure I would have been able to do it cleanly without one since it's such an awkwardly shaped piece. The interesting thing was when I was drilling out the center of the bolt, it started moving down. I figured I had loosened it up, and then tried to back it out with the extractor. It got to the lip, and was stuck there. It was not coming out. So I decided to try to go down and hope that the threads went all the way through. They did, and I actually ended up pushing it down and into the pipe rather than back it out. When I tried to re-insert it from top (the threads on the bolt are fine - no corrosion or messed up edges), it gets pretty stuck. So I'm not sure that I'm out of the woods just yet - the threads of the pipe might be what's jacked up. I'll pick up a new bolt and see what happens...

[obsolete]

Run a tap to clean the threads first.

[Evadd]

Good idea. Tapping I've never done (successfully). Do you do it by hand or with a drill (I assume at a lower speed?) And how do I know which tap to use?

[csmutty]

Good idea. Tapping I've never done (successfully). Do you do it by hand or with a drill (I assume at a lower speed?) And how do I know which tap to use?

By hand. And I match the bolt threads up with the tap. But that only works if you have multiple taps...or bring it to the auto parts store and they will be able to tell you which tap.

[obsolete]

Yea, you're not looking to actually cut all new threads so nice and easy by hand with lube.

[csmutty]

Yea, you're not looking to actually cut all new threads so nice and easy by hand with lube.

[jasnmar]

By hand, as others have said.

Your tap needs to match the existing threads. They need to be the same size and same pitch.

The goal of the tap, in this case is simply to clean up the existing threads. Taps can also be used to cut entirely new threads, but that isn't your goal here.

The tap is tapered. It "should" allow you to align the threads but "re-cut" the starter threads allowing the new plug to go in correctly. If you need to use any significant pressure, something bad is probably happening.

[nhbubba]

This thread reminds me that I need to invest in a metric tap set. Lest my 20 minute, turned 2 hour projects turn into 2 day projects. Love it when that happens.

[Jim]

and thats why i want to do nothing at my bike besides oil change

Remind me to never buy a bike from you then

[Kurlon]

If you can, get a thread chaser rather than a tap. The chaser will roll the existing threads back into place rather than cutting away material.

[Evadd]

I want to thank you all for your help. Even for the giggities. Great forum to get so much help so quickly. I realized the thread pitch on the bolts is the same as many that Yamaha uses, so I grabbed another and just tried it by hand. It went all the way through without issue, so I think I'm good. The original bolt, despite looking fine, must have had some defective threads. Just need to get a replacment.

By the way, this is the way the bolt came from the assembly line. First time I've removed it.