Broken Clutch Cover Lower Bolt

PHeller

Erie, PA
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Using a drill to quickly install side cover bolts is fine as long as you dont get carried away with making sure they are snug. This one is snug, and now broken off real far down in the lower hole on the clutch cover. It's the bolt with the sleeve.

I tried an easy out, but it was making virtually no dent in the broken bolt, not enough to grab anyway.

I'm tempted to just leave it be until this engine gets removed some day down the road and have a machine shop remove the bolt with a press.

suggestions?
 
How about drilling the head off the bolt with a cobalt bit, unscrew the rest of the bolts and remove the side cover? Then, you outta be able to grab the remaining shaft of the stuck bolt with pliers and unscrew it.
 
I tried an easy out, but it was making virtually no dent in the broken bolt, not enough to grab anyway.

I think I don't understand what "easy out" you are referring to.

LH drill bits are the ham handed's friend. In stock at your local auto store. Often that's all that's needed, as the drill bit catches it usually runs the remains of the screw out.

Center, center, center, before drilling, a piece of brass or steel tube can really help keep the bit centered on the bolt shank. If you can't get a good center stop and leave it alone because you will make a bigger problem.
 
That was part of my problem. I couldn't get it to center that well.

It's also really far down there, no chance to grab it, side cover is already off.
 
Often times when they break at the threads, you are left with a sloping surface that mirrors the thread pitch. This is probably the worst case scenario fo getting a center, but you have to start correctly. you can use the fact that it is buried in there to your advantage. I use an automatic center punch. Using a scribe as a depth gauge, surmise which way the face is sloping, and mark the lowest side on the surrounding material with a china marker or something similar. lay the shaft of the automatic center punch at the mark, and angled to the opposite side of the hole. You may want to pivot it all the way across the face of the broken surface at this point to get a good feel for center. If you can see it, even better. Once center is reckoned, strike the face one time with the center punch, and assess the result. If you have a good positive mark, you may reinforce it with a second strike. You want a spot that will capture the end of the center punch in a definitive manner. Once you have this, you will want a high speed steel drill bit, in 3/32 diameter to get your start. I lay them in at an angle, same way as the punch, and lift them off the side just enough to clear. Give it 3-4 revolutions to seat the drill into the material, then stand it up straight, while turning. 400 rpm is plenty for steel. With a bit that small, stop frequently so you do not smoke the bit. You'll want about 1/8" of depth on that, and then you have a good purchase for your left handed drill bit. Works for me, takes some practice, which you can break small bolts off in a vice to make practice pieces, but once you have it down, ya go from high hurdles to no hill for a stepper.
 
I'm with gggGary. Even if you get a hole in it to insert an ez out when you get the ez out driven in there it will expand the bolt against the sides of the hole. Sometimes you can use a pencil and draw it out.
 
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