Ugh Need some help/ideas

[73pony]

OK. Well subject says it all. Getting prepped to reinstall my valve covers and there were a few I noticed during removal of the bolts that were grabbing somewhat so I decided it was a good idea to run a tap to clean up the threads. Well got to the last one and the damn tap snapped off in the hole just below the surface. See pic below. Any ideas on how to get this out? As always I appreciate any help/ideas!

 

[Studdley]

If you're careful you could try an undersized drill bit and save the threads, I'd use a punch and steady hands. I've also had luck with using a small drill bit, go about 1/2 way through the bolt and reverse the drill. Good luck

 

[Fabrice]

@studdley was faster

It hapen me once on a toyota corolla engine. I grinded very roughtly a concrete drill, to give it teeth, heat gunned the block near hole and was lucky enough to get it out almost right away with the drill on reverse and set on hammer position while pushing relatively hard.

If your thread was originaly just full of crap which is likely the case for valves cover small holes, You can hope its not stuck bitting very hard, and it could get loose after just few attempts. You are lucky its not flat broken, you should get some friction...

Crossing fingers for you!

 

[73pony]

Problem is it isn't a bolt. It is a tap so it is hardened steel. There is no way to drill into it being hardened steel and no flat spot to try and even get one started. I tried an automatic center punch on it to see if I could get a spot to start a drill bit and didn't make a mark.

 

[73pony]

@studdley was faster

It hapen me once on a toyota corolla engine. I grinded very roughtly a concrete drill, to give it teeth, heat gunned the block near hole and was lucky enough to get it out almost right away with the drill on reverse and set on hammer position while pushing relatively hard.

If your thread was originaly just full of crap which is likely the case for valves cover small holes, You can hope its not stuck bitting very hard, and it could get loose after just few attempts. You are lucky its not flat broken, you should get some friction...

Crossing fingers for you!

That might be the ticket there Fabrice. I have a good assortment of concrete bits so I am thinking I will get that a go.

 

[Bentworker]

Problem is it isn't a bolt. It is a tap so it is hardened steel. There is no way to drill into it being hardened steel and no flat spot to try and even get one started. I tried an automatic center punch on it to see if I could get a spot to start a drill bit and didn't make a mark.

Stop while you are ahead... Drink a beer.

Do NOT drill it.

Try a tap extractor first.  Buy a quality one that is the right size for the tap you broke.  The one below is for a 4 flute 1/4" tap.  If that fails to work then you can go to other methods.  I would hesitate to try a punch until you try a tap extractor first. Sometimes if they are really stuck the tap will just fracture when trying to unscrew it with a punch.  A quality USA made tap extractor is worth it's weight in gold.

 

[Fabrice]

That might be the ticket there Fabrice. I have a good assortment of concrete bits so I am thinking I will get that a go.

Its hard to see while zoomed pict to max, but looks like you could also try grind/cut a bit in a tripod shape, so the teeth would bite on the sides rather than the center.

When it broke btw, was it you seeing a nice girl walking by your garage and you suddenly moved or were you using a tad too much force? These things are usually quite hard.

 

[73pony]

That might be the ticket there Fabrice. I have a good assortment of concrete bits so I am thinking I will get that a go.

Its hard to see while zoomed pict to max, but looks like you could also try grind/cut a bit in a tripod shape, so the teeth would bite on the sides rather than the center.

When it broke btw, was it you seeing a nice girl walking by your garage and you suddenly moved or were you using a tad too much force? These things are usually quite hard.

Ha good one. Neither unfortunately. I was using a hand tap wrench with not much force and the garage door was closed so I can use that excuse either.

 

[Fabrice]

Try a tap extractor first. 

Wait, there is a tool for these unlucky moments?

 

[73pony]

Problem is it isn't a bolt. It is a tap so it is hardened steel. There is no way to drill into it being hardened steel and no flat spot to try and even get one started. I tried an automatic center punch on it to see if I could get a spot to start a drill bit and didn't make a mark.

Stop while you are ahead... Drink a beer.

Do NOT drill it.

Try a tap extractor first.  Buy a quality one that is the right size for the tap you broke.  The one below is for a 4 flute 1/4" tap.  If that fails to work then you can go to other methods.  I would hesitate to try a punch until you try a tap extractor first. Sometimes if they are really stuck the tap will just fracture when trying to unscrew it with a punch.  A quality USA made tap extractor is worth it's weight in gold.

I have that exact one I ordered from them when this happened. I have been unable to get the fingers to go down into the flutes more that 1/16 to 1/8 inch. I know if I try to put any force on it with that little bit of contact I'm just going to break the extractor.

 

[Bentworker]

With PPE I would try to blow any little chunks out of the flutes and use a pick or small drill bit with your fingers to help clean them out.  The more chips you can remove the better.  Once you get it cleaned up a bit you should be able to get the extractor fingers in there a ways, then loosen the allen screw and lower the sleeve until it touches the top of the head, then retighten the screw.  Put a handle on it and gently wiggle it CW / CCW.  Hope for the best and you should be able to get it out.

It is possible the extractor you have is a little large for your tap.

 

[c9zx]

The hail Mary plan, 90 degree snap ring pliers, penetrating oil, heat from a micro torch, and back and forth motion. It could happen! Invest in a rethreading set from Craftsman, about $50.00. and well worth it. I hope yogurt it out. Chuck

 

[Fabrice]

oh and don't forget to cover your rockers... the tiny pieces of metal that you may get out always find their way to the oil pan despite the near impossible odds...

 

[Don C]

I've done that a time or two, not easy to deal with, the smaller, the harder. Yes, get it cleaned out as much as possible, carb cleaner or WD40 down one groove to try to blast it out of the others, strong magnet to try to pull the broken bits out. I made my own extractor with 2 small screw drivers ground down to fit into the grooves. Worked them back and forth with a crescent wrench. Some WD40 helps to free it.

Last ditch effort would be to try to weld a smaller nut onto it with a wire feed.

 

[red351]

I have Dremel cut a slot into the top deep enough that I even needed to cut into surrounding area (it all gets covered). A flat screwdriver might work. Well it work for me.

 

[boilermaster]

Yup,

At one time I was unaware that there was a tap extractor tool so I made one

I took the remains of the big end of the tap and threaded a coupler nut on to it and then cut pieces

of hex keys into the flutes

got the length just right to fit the broken end (even lined up where the tap had broken) and ever so gently worked it and low and behold it worked

had an old machinist tell me once that if you drop a tap on a concrete floor to throw the tap away.

guess they are just that brittle.

Boilermaster

 

[73pony]

Thanks for all the tips on this guys. I will be working on it tonight and post any progress.

 

[Heavy Metal]

I liked all your ideas, the cleaning, penetrating oil ( AeroKroil ) works the best. Id put that stuff it in my coffee if they would let me....lol

Heat on the area and try work the tap loose side to side before removing it with the tap extractor.

I'll take a center-punch and hammer, and work the tap side to side to loosen.

Take your time and it should come out.

HVY MTL