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Sooo... I screwed up... Need advice on bolt extraction and dealing with seized bolts

Removing broken bolts is a learned SKILL. It's your motor and you can do as you please, but it is likely you will fail and more than likely you will mess up something $$$$ expensive. You will save money and maybe a motor by getting experienced help. Your choice.

BTW, there is no such thing as an Easy-Out. It ain't easy, and they won't get it out. If the bolt itself wasn't strong enough to come out without breaking, how can you expect a skinny, brittle easy out to do it?

I have removed many thousands of broken bolts over my career and every one was is a challenge. Bring me one with a broken easy out or thread tap, and I'll probably tell you something you don't want to hear.
Seldom have truer words been typed on a help site.
You need to read this post again. Stop, think, then read it again. I learned this lesson as a kid, with my Can Am dirt bike, & an easy looking Allen head bolt. I had the benefit of my best friends Dad was mechanic in the War, was very patient with us kids, & had a full shop on their ranch, including valve grinding machines.
When you break off that Easy-Out, ( I deliberately said when, not if), flush with the hole,you are really screwed. There is no easy way to drill that hardened steel bit. Even drilling your initial hole without a drill press is a crap shoot for an inexperienced shade tree mechanic.
Spend the money NOW, & bring it to a competent machine shop.
 
Seldom have truer words been typed on a help site.
You need to read this post again. Stop, think, then read it again. I learned this lesson as a kid, with my Can Am dirt bike, & an easy looking Allen head bolt. I had the benefit of my best friends Dad was mechanic in the War, was very patient with us kids, & had a full shop on their ranch, including valve grinding machines.
When you break off that Easy-Out, ( I deliberately said when, not if), flush with the hole,you are really screwed. There is no easy way to drill that hardened steel bit. Even drilling your initial hole without a drill press is a crap shoot for an inexperienced shade tree mechanic.
Spend the money NOW, & bring it to a competent machine shop.

haha I can speak from experience. I just did this last week. I patiently drilled out a 1/4-20 and got back to threads, I then confidently went to hard on a thread chaser and broke it off after i just had clear threads. I didnt eat for 2 days.

I sat back, and drilled and chipped bits of hardened steel thread chaser for a few years. then got a helicoil and bumped it up to a metric. and called it a day.

I am no pro and i wish i didnt ever use the thread chaser after i was back to threads :mad:

learned alot
 
Tackling the bolts again tomorrow. I've been spraying pbblaster on them and will be hitting it up with heat and tapping tomorrow. Gonna take my time and not use extractors unless absolutely necessary.

With those water jacket gaskets and head gaskets, do I need any kind of sealant or just put them in and tighten them to torque specs? Also does anyone know what the torque specs and order of tightening is on this motor?
 
Haven't really thought about that. I just want to get in the water finally. I'm $8k into this after having been told it was water ready. Yes, I am aware I got taken, but I'm trying to make the best of it. Figured I'd try to get into boating... Figured I'd just be able to maintain the engine with a proper tune up and maybe change out the thermostats, but this whole ordeal has been a nightmare...

So no.. I haven't even thought about selling the engine. I just want to go fishing...

Tried again last night for an hour with the propane torch, oil, hammer, and a ratchet... Still can't get any of those last 5 to budge whatsoever. How much do you guys think a machine shop would charge to get the rest of the 4 bolts out and that broken stud (was free, but I overtightened it when I tried to just retighten the head and leave it be)?
 
Haven't really thought about that. I just want to get in the water finally. I'm $8k into this after having been told it was water ready. Yes, I am aware I got taken, but I'm trying to make the best of it. Figured I'd try to get into boating... Figured I'd just be able to maintain the engine with a proper tune up and maybe change out the thermostats, but this whole ordeal has been a nightmare...

So no.. I haven't even thought about selling the engine. I just want to go fishing...

Tried again last night for an hour with the propane torch, oil, hammer, and a ratchet... Still can't get any of those last 5 to budge whatsoever. How much do you guys think a machine shop would charge to get the rest of the 4 bolts out and that broken stud (was free, but I overtightened it when I tried to just retighten the head and leave it be)?

Working on old stuff and NY winter salt I have broken many bolts.
I had one broken with no stud sticking out. Shops wanted $150-200 for just one bolt!

I have been trying to help. I would call all mechanics. I made a marketplace ad (on the book of faces Facebook) and found a guy who works at precision shop doing side jobs.

I paid him 60 then tipped 10 bucks, and he drilled out 3 bolts and helicoiled 2.

some guys would just find a way to put motor together and sell it I applaud you for honesty and wanting to fish!
 
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I confess, the question about selling it was kind of a loaded question. We hear it all the time "I just bought this motor, and______". Fill in the blanks. P.T. Barnum was right. I applaud you for not having that scheme in mind. Thank you.

Yeah, machine shops are going to charge $100/hr or more.
 
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