Please give me some advice on how bad this really is.... Bolt broken in motor

[Silver400EXinBR]

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid115/p99693a04b9606b4683fb32562ebc4477/f8c597f6.jpg
I know this is long but please read....

Well there is my problem. Just gopt my bike done 1 1/2 tanks of gas ago from getting everything done to my bike thats in my sig. Aight.. And now, time for first oil change. I go to take off the bolt that goes from the oil filtr cover through the crankcase cover into the motor. And there it goes.. Breaks off... And am I pissed.. Well, i layed the oil filter cover back on and layed the bolt next to it to see it it might be sticking out a little through the crankcase cover and it might have 1/8" on an inch to turn it out, but that is giving it some too.... I think its pretty flush....Now how bad i this really.. I know i have to get crankcase cover gasket and a new bolt but whatelse do i need to buy to put it back together after I end up getting the bolt out. And what process do u think i am going to have to go to get it out or even having to drill it out. I know they make easy outs which may work.. and if that fails have to retap it out. But that is so critical becasue you have to be exactly center and cant tap it crooked because then it wont bolt up after going back together... Please help me out and calm me down.. I am stressin' load over here........... I would appreciate all the info I can get on fixing this....

[nicky slee]

Dude yeah try the easy out and go one size smaller if you can so you don't have tap a new thread!;)

[Dave83]

The easy out thing works most of the time.Be sure to use the spiral type and use even pressure on the EZ out(dont jerk on your wrench)because they can break.Maybe youll be lucky and there will a little of the bolt sticking out when the side cover is removed and you can get some vise grips on it.

[Silver400EXinBR]

have any of yall ever heard of this happening? I just dont know why they didnt put that bolt into the case just like the other one and put 1 freakin extra bolt in the case.. That way when **** like this hapened, u dont have to take the case off and work on it and if all else fails, u can just get a new case.... ughhhhh.... So whats the proper name for this easy out and can someone find some picture of it to i know what i can go get???

[Dave83]

Got mine at LOwes.I think the proper name is "screw extractor".A set with 4 or 5 diff. sizes cost less than $10.00.The package says what drill size to use for each size of extractor

[nicky slee]

I don't have a pic man, but go to local hardware store like Ace or whatever even a auto supply store and just ask some one they'll know. Have you ever taken the whole case off before?

[Shuee_400]

that doesnt look like fun........

[ridesa02400EX]

get a really long skinny drill bit, spray some WD40 in there and slowly drill it out

[ghak99]

If you have a welder or someone to do it. Set a small nut on top of it and have them tack it to the bolt. Make sure you don't let it get too hot, so take your time.

Even if it is flush this process has worked for me many times.

Or get a reverse drill bit and go at it, with any luck it will get caught and you will be able to turn it out.

Good luck what ever you do!

[ss440ex]

You will be alright,
Pull the side cover (clutch) off.
If there is any bolt lenth putruding out of the crank case
use a small good pair of vice grips and slowly turn counter clock wise.
Or do like 99 said and get a small nut welded on it.
It is a small bolt and should`nt have that much tourge on it.
Good luck,
Take your time.

[2004TRX450R]

OK don't panic. It isn't that big of a deal. If you have a long drill bit the same size as the hole in the side cover that will be your best bet for drilling it perfectly centered. When you start to drill into the bolt just go a little bit then take the cover off and use a smaller drill bit to drill through the bolt. Just make sure you are drilling it straight. Most likely the aluminum threads are stuck to the bolt and it won't just screw out with an easy out so you will probably have to drill the bolt out then put a thread insert in it. Timeserts are the best. A helicoil will work OK too. But if you don't listen to anything I or anyone else says please listen to this. If you have any doubt you can do it and get it drillled straight TAKE IT TO SOMEONE WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOING! It will cost WAY less than haveing to buy a center case and have someone install it because you screwd yours up.

[UglyMotha™]

ok anybody that said you need to use a drill bit and ez out need to seriously get lost, the best and easiest route you can take is to just pull the side cover off and more than likely your goin to have bout an inch of the bolt still sticking out after you get the case off you can then take a pair of vice grips or even a pair of pliers and the bolt will come right out, that is way to deep to use a drill bit and try to extact it with an ezout with the case still on

more than likely your not goin to have to retap or go with a heli coil or anything snapping bolt is very common on the side cases and the valve cover and usally after it snaps and if you have enough sticking out that you can get a hold of it will come out effortlessly

[AtvMxRider]

Originally posted by UglyMotha™
ok anybody that said you need to use a drill bit and ez out need to seriously get lost, the best and easiest route you can take is to just pull the side cover off and more than likely your goin to have bout an inch of the bolt still sticking out after you get the case off you can then take a pair of vice grips or even a pair of pliers and the bolt will come right out, that is way to deep to use a drill bit and try to extact it with an ezout with the case still on

more than likely your not goin to have to retap or go with a heli coil or anything snapping bolt is very common on the side cases and the valve cover and usally after it snaps and if you have enough sticking out that you can get a hold of it will come out effortlessly


With the eazy out you stand more of a chance of having a bigger problem. Just do what Ugly said and pull the cover off. The best way to not snap the bolt off next time is to make sure you warm the enginge before removing it.

[2004TRX450R]

Originally posted by UglyMotha™
ok anybody that said you need to use a drill bit and ez out need to seriously get lost, the best and easiest route you can take is to just pull the side cover off and more than likely your goin to have bout an inch of the bolt still sticking out after you get the case off you can then take a pair of vice grips or even a pair of pliers and the bolt will come right out, that is way to deep to use a drill bit and try to extact it with an ezout with the case still on

more than likely your not goin to have to retap or go with a heli coil or anything snapping bolt is very common on the side cases and the valve cover and usally after it snaps and if you have enough sticking out that you can get a hold of it will come out effortlessly

You obviously haven't done to much of this. Yes try to get it out with vice grips first if there is enough to get ahold of. However if it broke off on removal then it is probably forzen in the cases and will not come out. If you have a long drill bit starting to drill it with the case on with a drill bit the same size as the hole in the side case is going to be the best way to get it centered perfectly. Once you have it drilled enough so that you have started a hole in the bolt remove the side case and start with a smaller drill bit to get a pilot hole drilled. Also it would be best if you grind the bolt flat before you try to start drilling it. That way you have a flat surface to drill on and the bit will be less likely to walk on you. There is a very good chance that the aluminum threads are bonded to the end of the bolt and that is what is causing it to tighten up and brake. I've seen it many times. If that is the case then you will have to do some thread repair. In any wich case like I said before if you have any doubt about your ability to do it properly take it to someone. It is extreemely easy to drill it off center and then it is really hard to get it strait and get it out without messing up the case.

[UglyMotha™]

Originally posted by 2004TRX450R
You obviously haven't done to much of this.




reeeaaaaallly.......... that's funny i just ripped into a motor this past weekend and had to do it on 3 differnt bolts and god i can't even recall how many times i've came accross it in the past :o ............. but, nah, your right, ive never encoutered this problem :huh :rolleyes:

[AtvMxRider]

Originally posted by 2004TRX450R
You obviously haven't done to much of this. Yes try to get it out with vice grips first if there is enough to get ahold of. However if it broke off on removal then it is probably forzen in the cases and will not come out. If you have a long drill bit starting to drill it with the case on with a drill bit the same size as the hole in the side case is going to be the best way to get it centered perfectly. Once you have it drilled enough so that you have started a hole in the bolt remove the side case and start with a smaller drill bit to get a pilot hole drilled. Also it would be best if you grind the bolt flat before you try to start drilling it. That way you have a flat surface to drill on and the bit will be less likely to walk on you. There is a very good chance that the aluminum threads are bonded to the end of the bolt and that is what is causing it to tighten up and brake. I've seen it many times. If that is the case then you will have to do some thread repair. In any wich case like I said before if you have any doubt about your ability to do it properly take it to someone. It is extreemely easy to drill it off center and then it is really hard to get it strait and get it out without messing up the case.


I have used ez outs probably more that most of you and the best way to get that bolt out of there is to remove the cover or take it to someone that has done it before because it is too easy to drill the pilot hole off center and if you break the ez out(which is very easy) you are will have to remove the cover anyway.

[ss440ex]

Like dat ugly dude said,Pull duh cover!!!!
If you leave the cover on and drill you will not be able to
see where duh drill bit is going!
Then you will have an EXTRA bolt hoe.

[redrunner]

Originally posted by UglyMotha™
reeeaaaaallly.......... that's funny i just ripped into a motor this past weekend and had to do it on 3 differnt bolts and god i can't even recall how many times i've came accross it in the past :o ............. but, nah, your right, ive never encoutered this problem :huh :rolleyes:

:devil: hiss hiss

j/k Ugly, but you are right by taking the cover off first and doing the investigation from there. Grant it that we all are experts here and many of us have wealth of experiences good and bad with different methods of screw extraction. some work some don't Bottom line if you don't know what you are doing that looks like an expensive place to start. If you break off the ez out your screwed. I haven't tried the left handed drill thing but I here it works to loosen up the bolt as you drill, that and some JB blaster to heat it up and saturate thread surfaces. All right i'll shut up but i know what i would do.;)

[Dave83]

These guys are right.Ireread the 1st post and saw you were trying to remove the bolt when it broke.This means the threads are are bound up.The left handed bit thing is worth a shot but it works better on bolts that have backed out and been sheared off.In those cases the threads were loose already.Bolts that are over tightend and broke off usually come out with the ez out.Now yours may come right out also but if it dont a little heat usually does the trick.The aluminum housing should heat up more quickly than the bolt,thus expanding quicker,allowing the bolt to be turned.The trick is to get it only WARM enough to do the job and not ruin the case.Apply heat while someone tries to turn the bolt.This crap is pretty common where I work.I believe you can get it out yourself.

[2004TRX450R]

Originally posted by redrunner
[Byou are right by taking the cover off first and doing the investigation from there. [/B]

Yes take it off and inspect it first. Try the vice grips and see if they will work but I bet they won't because the threads are forzen and probably bonded to the bolt. I also stated at this point try to grind what's left of the bolt flat so that it will be easier to get the drill bit started so it doesn't want to walk around. Then IF you have a long drill bit the exact same size as the hole in the side case use it ONLY TO START THE HOLE so that it is perfectly centered. Doing this will use the side case as a guide for getting the hole perfectly centered. The drill bit HAS TO BE THE SAME SIZE AS THE HOLE though. If it is smaller it will not center properly. Once you get the hole just started take the side case off then use a smaller drill bit to drill the hole all the way through the bolt. Try an easy out and if that doesn't work just keep useing larger and larger drill bits until the bolt is completey drilled out. Then use the proper sized drill bit for a 6X1.0mm Helicoil and follow the Helicoil instructions. Like I said guys he said the bolt broke when he was REMOVEING the bolt. So it is FROZEN. It didn't brake from over tightneing where it the threads would be loose. If it broke once it will probably brake again if you use vice grips. Also if you do have to drill it out grind it down almost flush with the side of the case. It will be more likely to brake off again if you try to use an easy out on the portion of the bold sticking out of the case.

[uglyfatha]

IF YOU HAVE TO DRILL OUT THE BOLT YOU CAN PUT A SPLIT PIN IN THE BOLT HOLE IN COVER. THE PIN IS HARD AND WILL HOLD THE DRILL BIT IN CENTER AND KEEP YOU FROM DOING DAMAGE TO COVER.:)

[redrunner]

Originally posted by uglyfatha
IF YOU HAVE TO DRILL OUT THE BOLT YOU CAN PUT A SPLIT PIN IN THE BOLT HOLE IN COVER. THE PIN IS HARD AND WILL HOLD THE DRILL BIT IN CENTER AND KEEP YOU FROM DOING DAMAGE TO COVER.:)

I was trying to think of a way to protect the cover hole and there you go! Smart!;)

[adeptex]

Take the side cover off. If it is broken off flush or below, go buy an easy out. If any is sticking out, heat up the case half around the broken bolt with an electric heat gun. Don't use a torch unless you have experience or it will get too hot. The heat gun will work, the case will expand faster than the steel bolt. Then put vise-grips on it and turn.