00xj-classic

Its been about a year and a half since i snapped the TOP bolt while replacing my water pump... it leaks a LIttle coolant but not enough to leave any on the ground..i think the only time it leaks i when mt engine is cold..My question is how would I go about drilling that out??? I am probally going to remove my radiator so i can get in there good with a drill.. If you guys have any good input on how to get this bolt out let me know.. thanks, GLEN..

warthog

Are you talking about what to use to get it out or how to fit a drill in there?

jonnyb78

b4 u start drilling... i would pull the waterpump off and see if u can grap the broken bolt with vice grips or something and turn it out

robertj

That bolt is a pretty common one to break. The good news is that it usually snaps off with about a 1/4" sticking out and is easily removed with vice grips.

00xj-classic

thanks a lot fot the replys... I hope you are right ROBERT!!! I have been putting the job aside for a while now.. any one know what size that bolt is??? .. What would be the most practical way to drill that bolt out if needed??

perez1989

Depends how it broke, but if it's flush you can get a punch and hit it on the edge and make it spin out enough to be able to get it out with vise grips.

93XJLI

i broke mine like 3 years ago, i havent fixed it. when i change waterpumps i put a good amount of black RTV around it and its never given me a problem.

Hommersimpson

get a can of PB blaster .... you can get at walmart kmart any parts store.. spray hell out of it and keep spraying for a few hrs on and off let it soak in.... then try the vise grips.. or easyout what ever you end up doing...

also some shock theropy helps... if its sticking out some smack it with hammer a few times... helps loosen the crud up...

00xj-classic

thanks for the posts guys....I hope its not snapped flush... thanks for the input, GLEN

claygrassmann

one thing you can do to get a better grip on it is to grind two sides of it flat and if you get it close enough you can prolly get the right sized wrench on there and that will make it super easy

rdeskater

vise grips like to strip n spin in my experience, try a pipe wrench, works like a charm. the harder you crank the more pressure and torque you put on it

5-90

Getting it out:
- Remove the pump. You should do this however you go.
- Inspect the broken screw. If enough protrudes above the surface of the block casting (1/4" or so,) grip it with a vice grip and try to turn. If it doesn't turn, don't force it! Heat just the screw up with a propane torch until it just starts to glow red, then touch a block of paraffin wax to the junction of the screw and block casting. The screw expanded to force the threads open, and then the paraffin will wick in between the internal and external threads. Let it return to room temperature (or close to it) before you try to turn it again (you should be able to hold your fingertip on the screw for 3-5 seconds without pulling off due to heat.)
- If the screw is broken off flush or close to it, you've got a little more work to do. See following:
* Centre punch the screw. This is important! You want to prevent "drill walk" and make sure the drill stays in the screw body!
* If you have one available to you, use a centre drill next to make sure the real drill stays centred. A #0 or #1 will serve neatly here.
* Use a 1/8" or 3/16" left-hand twist drill bit. You can usually find LH drill bits at hardware stores anymore. Why left-hand twist? About half the time, the drill will grab the screw and back it out for you. Slow the drill down if you feel the bit "bite" in the screw! The objective is to remove the screw, not ream the damned thing out...
* If the drill bit didn't work, you can use an "easy-out" screw extractor. I suggest doing the torch/wax trick given above before using the "easy-out" (if you break the easy-out, you're hooped...) and maybe even before reaching for the drill motor and left-hand twist bit (centre-punching and centre-drilling the screw won't release the thing, so it's no trouble to do those.)

Replacing the thing:
- In preferred order, the replacement screw should be brass, bronze, or stainless steel. Carbon steel only if you can't find suitable replacements in previous materials.
- Coat the screw threads (all materials) and shank (carbon steel especially) with PTFE paste or RTV before installation. Torque on the screw is low enough that you need not modify the value for PTFE - RTV doesn't affect torque anyhow. Include the tip of the screw, for carbon steel (SAE5 or SAE8) screws.

Brass or bronze should not seize against iron (hasn't on me yet,) but why take chances? CRES and carbon steel can and sometimes do - the use of RTV or PTFE prevents this. Coating the shank and tip of carbon steel screws prevents corrosion, which prevents screw weakening (which is probably what broke the screw off in the first place!)

SantosClaus

I did the same and had the same issue with coolant, the only problem with me was that I did not know I was losing coolant and almost blew my head...when I took of the water pump, I was able to grab the bolt with vice grips...

kgm

Yep broke mine too. Put a mini torch on it for a minute and unscrewed it with some vice grips.

XJlimitedx99

X2 on the left hand bit if vise grips don't work.

I also usually file or grind flat spots on the bolt to grab it by, but this will weaken the bolt. Try just cranking on it first.