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Bad Luck

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ibanez540r

Contributing Member
So just felt like venting, and a little hope someone has some miracle trick, although I kind of know the obvious.

Anyway, I've always had a very small oil leak in my port side 454/350. Originally thought it was a rear main seal, but later diagnosed it down to the oil pressure sender sometime earlier this year. Has been a pretty busy summer, so never got to tossing a wrench on it. Anyway this past weekend when I got to the boat and stepped on, leaning the boat and kicking on the bilge, I see mud being pumped out. "Uh-oh" Open the hatches and see my bilge filled with oil. Immediatly pull the dipsticks to find the port motor not reading on the stick. Starboard was fine. Start feeling around that sender and sure enough it was real wet. Luckily I had checked the oil prior to the last short trip and all was well. So I know it had just pumped out in a very short trip. ...Was able to get almost 4 quarts in it to top off, not good, but not bone dry. Anyway got to tightening the sender, which seemed to tighten forever before finally getting snug. Easy enough... fire the motor to see a pressurized stream of oil shoot straight out the side of the motor from the sender. "Uh-oh". Decided it would be wise to completly take the sender off and put some teflon on the threads. Pull the sender to find it doesn't thread directly into the block, rather into a brass fitting which then goes into the block. "Cool" Must have been the fitting which was loose. Toss a socket on it, 2 easy light turns, and "SNAP"... head of the brass fitting snaped off clean at the block. "*%#@*" Was about to walk away in anger when I realized I happened to have my set of easy out / extractors in the car. "Sweet". Thinking soft brass, easy outs, simple enough. Pull the brass get a new fitting, get onto my evening of taking out my mother who had come up. NOPE. Couple cranks of the easy out in the fitting and "TING!!!" The F'ing easy out snaps off inside of the fitting, again flush with the block. The weekend which hadn't even started just ended...

Obviously the easy out is going to have to be somehow drilled to then attempt getting the brass out. Problem is it is obviously made of hardened tool steel. So drilling is not going to be easy. On top of it, having a decent surface to get a bit going is going to be another adventure. I tried with some basic bits I had, no go... Anyway, as much as it hurts to do, I actually called the local shop to take a peek while I'm back home until Labor day weekend. Hoping it will be less of a headache for me, although not a single call all week yet, so not even sure if they have made an attempt. Really hopeing it gets done before the holiday weekend, as it's nearing the end of the season here on lake Erie. Wish me luck...
 
VERY difficult getting a snapped off Easy Out out. The usual way is to weld a nut to it, then try to unscrew it (clockwise). If you get lucky, and the damn thing comes out, do NOT try another one! Drill the brass piece out and retap the block. (If it's an 1/8 inch NPT--probably--then use a 5/16 " bit.) And be sure to crank the motor over FIRST to blow out any chips, along with MORE oil to sop up.

Good luck! I'm pulling for you.

Jeff
 
Hi,

Before you attempt to drill out an Easy Out consider this. If it broke in such a fashion that the flutes are exposed on the broken end, you might be able to twist it back out with a sturdy pair of snap ring pliers if you can get the tips in between the flutes. I believe Snap On has a specific tool for this. I checked my MAC catalog and did not see one. You may want to check with a local tool dealer that services car dealers as he may have something. Lisle, Thexton and KD tools come to mind. If you do have to drill it out don't waste your time with anything less than a Cobalt bit. Cobalt might not be tough enough but it is the toughest out one there without going to a specialty bit manufacturer.

Good Luck
Jon Allen
 
I just changed my Stb sending unit a couple of weeks ago so I know exactly what you're talking about. I know every boat is different, I get the sense you at least have access. On my boat, the stringers are so high that I had to reach down in order to get the sender and threaded brass extension.
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I'm surprised it snapped considering that it's been soaking in oil.*Without seeing a pic, I'm thinking that cutting it*cleanly might give you a better surface to tap into. If you can drill* the broken easy out, you might be able to drill out*the*brass part by using a bit slightly smaller than the*diameter. My experience has been that by doing this the*whole piece will*come out when you get about 75% of the way through.*
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Good luck, simple thing gone horribly wrong..... we've all been there.
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Bob
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I just had a nightmare where I was doing this stuff professionally, and had quoted this job at 1/2 hour labor and ten cents material for some PST sealant. On my port engine, any real operation on this oil port would require the engine come out. Does the engine sorta need rebuilding anyway? Is the rear seal not leaking? I'd be mentally preparing myself for all the good things I could do by yanking out the motor.
 
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You can take the temper out of the easyout by heating it red with a acetylene torch. The easyout will heat up before the block will. You don't have to worry about a fire as I have welded oil pans still on the car with no problem. There won't be enough oxygen there to do anything. If you have doubts shoot some CO2 down the oil filler. I have a set of tap removers that have flutes that go down the tap and will allow it to be removed but I don't know about a easyout.

You might also be able to loosen it with a small punch hitting it to make it reverse but I have my doubts. The welding a bolt to it might work after it is loosened.
 
Dave...you are so optimistic... ;) and 100% right. I tend to see this as Bob does...IF IF IF you get lucky enough that in some way this starts to move while trying to drill out the brass, it may be a simpler task. On the other hand Dave's thought is what we did last year in July when the drive damper problem developed.... We found that hauling the engine out did not prove to be such a monster job as we had thought and we were prepared to do a host of other repairs and maintenance that could not have been accomplished otherwise. Even new angle iron and motormounts

I know it is no consolation but it may just prove that Labor Day weekend is a washout with the forecast hurricanes spinning about in the Atlantic
 
Well, to those with the thought on biting onto the easy out, there is nothing protruding from the block, so no go there. The idea of heating it red to get rid of the temper sounds interesting. Also, not a bad idea to just drill out as much of the brass as I can to possibly loosen up the easy out.

...I was lucky enough that the stringers are just the right height that I can rest my drill on it and be perfectly parellel to drill it. Anyway havn't heard back from the local shop, and havn't been back up to the boat yet. So we'll give them this week, and if nothing I'll be up for labor day weekend to give it a shot.
 
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