Broke an extractor

Robj

Robj

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I Started a rebuild thread :) http://www.xs400.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7411


Hi,

I have decided to pull the motor off my 79 xs and restore the bike.I have been fighting a striped oil filter case bolt for several hours now with the bolt winning. I used a monkey wrench with no luck. So then I decided to drill it then use a screw extractor on it the first size did nothing but strip the small hole so I drilled a bigger hole, big enough for the next size extractor I put the extractor in and it broke off in the hole.. :doh: So frustrating were do I go next, heat, drill again or weld. I have heard cobolt drill-bits can drill out the Hardend Steel of the extractors but they are expensive. Perhaps its worth renting a welding torch. How will I ever get this bolt out and worse the motor wont come out unless the bolt s out of the way and why is it so stuck... :mad: (Yes I have been torquing counter clockwise).

.
BAD.
6884724838_5b87fffff7.jpg

.
WORSE.
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How did it get stripped so badly?! Since you don't have a way to weld something on it, I would try a good vise-grip and set it as tight as you can get it. Let it soak in penetrating oil for a while before you try that, so you have a little better shot of it working. Failing that, the best thing to do is weld a nut on top of it.
 
Use a dremel and cut a strip through the middle big enough for the baddest flat-bladed screw driver you own. I have had bad luck with the bolts on these bikes; the metal they are made of is very hard and it snaps extractors like tooth picks.

Cutting a notch for a flat screw driver has yielded the most consistent success for me out of everything I've ever tried.
 
I have used these in the past to get out old bolts. Its just called bolt extractor by craftsman. They come in different sizes and the teeth gab the bolt so you can put enough pressure to break them loose:)
 
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Put vise grips, very, very tightly on the bolt head, then get about a 3 or 4 foot cheater bar, put it on the vise grips and apply pressure slowly and constantly. Don't get anxious, just gradually apply pressure and when you feel like it's as much as you can without popping the vise grips off and hold it there for a while just apply as much pressure as you think you can. You need constant torque. It may take time, but I think it will work.

....and of course warming up the block wouldn't hurt.
 
Or use the method I keep repeating on here and weld a big nut over the old one and it comes off no problem.

the new bolts have a bigger head on them for some strange reason :rolleyes:
 
Thanks for all the great advice, and moral support. The bolt got striped initially by my socket.I then applied liquid wrench on it over night and came back the next day with a monkey wrench. I thought I could clamp and mussel the bolt out with the wrench. I could not get it. I ended up smacking the monkey wrench with a hammer..After that failed that's when I decided to drill it and use an extractor with failed results. Perhaps I should try the monkey wrench again with a little more constant pressure. I like the idea of the dermal tool notch, but I don't own one and with the level of torque iv applied to this bolt I'm not sure a flat head screw driver will budge the bolt, I might look out for some of those craftsman extractor but again this bolt it like nothing I have seen before. ... So this leaves me with weld a bolt option, I don't own a wielder what kind should I rent ? Also for the cost of renting I could probably buy a new oil cover so I could just cut the oil cover out? Then work on the bolt from the inside do you think that is Great idea and possible or just an extremely bad idea?
 
Looking into it. I can get a replacement cover and bolt for $20 so im thinking im going to cut the bolt out. Is there anything behind the cover that is delicate?
 
There is a spring and washer getup for the oil filter, but that's pretty much it. Keep in mind that if you plan on just cutting the bolt, there will still be threads of it in the engine that you would need to get out. Hard metals = hard to cut through. It just seems like you are making more work for yourself :shrug:

I can't believe that vise-grips didn't work on it though, must be a real tough son of a bolt!
 
I had a similar issue on an old 82 Suzuki GS650 that i bought from a guy in Bellingham WA and i think every bolt on that thing was rusted solid. I snapped at least 4 off working on it. I used a hack saw to cut a notch in the rounded off bolt heads and used a big ass screw driver. The position the oil filter cover is in might be a little hard to get a hack saw on it. A couple of the bolts i drilled the head off and then used a metal file to make two flat sides on the shaft of the bolt so i could get an adjustable head wrench on it and get them to turn. Good luck buddy!
 
Robj said:
I like the idea of the dermal tool notch, but I don't own one and with the level of torque iv applied to this bolt I'm not sure a flat head screw driver will budge the bolt
Click to expand...

A dremel is as cheap as $30 and incredibly useful. You can also get cutting wheels for air compressors. I have some giant screw drivers; literally 2 feet long with a blade 1 inch across. You can also get t-handle drivers for more torque! You might think you're dealing with high levels of torque, but the problem, if you're rounding the bolt, is that you're not able to deliver much torque before slipping occurs.

Failing removal of the bolt, the dremel will make quick work of the oil filter cover, just mind the mating surface! I had to cut my alternator cover off and I used a dremel; a new one in perfect condition was only like $25.
 
Thank-you everyone once again for all the excellent ideas and support. So I finally got the bolt out and this is what I learned.
- Patience (lots of swearing at the bolt) and you will get that evil bolt out. :thumbsup:

-I used a grinder to cut the bold head flat on two sides and tried again to wrench the bolt off. This is a good technique and im sure would work for many situations, but unfortunately not this bolt... it striped again.

-So I ended up grinding off the bolt and bolt head flush to the cover. This allowed for the oil filter case to be pulled free! To my surprise the bolt was only hand tight into the engine block.

-This means that the large washer sized bold head was the cause of all the friction and prevented the bolt extraction. So if your faced with this problem focus your energy on freeing the bolt head at interface with the filter case and you might have better luck than me.

7037838171_da3154fd74.jpg
 
Good to here that you got the bolt out! This is why it is a good idea to change your oil filter once a year so it don't get fused on there:wink2:
 
it is a good idea to change your oil filter once a year
Click to expand...

This is a good point.I wonder what one would do when putting the bike into storage.

Is the cover salvageable?
Click to expand...

Unfortunately I had to grind into the cover to get the bolt flush with the surface of the cover. One might be-able to fix the cover by remodelling it with jb weld? or recast it. Any ideas?
 
get a new one, its under 70lns pressure and you don't want oil spraying over your front wheel.
My advice to weld a nut on would have saved you that cover and now it'll cost you more :shrug:
 

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