Thank you... Forum tips on broken bolt removal got me out of a jam!

[Scottncol]

I picked up a new engine for the F3 and while swapping over the transmission cover, the valve cover and the oil pump cover, I broke one of the bolts off in the engine. RT engine to an F3 engine. The old engine (F3) has the powder coated covers, whereas the new (used) RT engine did not have the powder coated covers because it is covered by the plastics. I was using a torque wrench but not a good one. (Harbor Freight).

I searched the forum and sure enough, I read of SEVERAL ways to remove the bolt and the first way that I tried, worked.

Sprayed it with some PB Blaster to get everything loose. I used my Dremel tool and carved a grove into the bolt. I was able to BARELY get the grove made, making absolutely sure I did not hit the engine. Once the groove was made, got a screwdriver and out she came.

Thank you again!!

[Bfromla]

Hope rest of project goes well & good results

[safecracker]

Congrats on the bolt removal. I have used that method a few times, also. Bruce

[old Timer]

Excellent progress.

[Gwolf]

Just another suggestion for bolts harder to get out.

I got a tool in a bottom drawer on one of the tool boxes that is left over from the time when they used to put aluminum phillips head screws in the Japanese import sport bikes. It was almost impossible to get all the soft phillips head screws out without drilling the heads off or something else just as bad. I just looked at some tool websites and they still sell the impact drivers. The impact driver was a heavy duty steel screwdriver about inch and a half diameter. Inside the handle was a twist ramp so when you hit the bottom of it with a hammer it caused the bit in the nose to twist counter-clockwise direction. The force of the blow helped keep the bit seated in the screw head, and the twisting motion would usually break it loose and start it backing out. I still got the old impact driver tool, and still use it occasionally. They not very expensive. Just a big chunk of steel with only one moving part. The bits get broken or lost, but the hex head hardened bits for the large electric screw runners will fit it. Of course there will always be one that you tap gently and the head breaks off. Not really a big problem, because you can normally get those out with vise grips after the cases are separated.

The newer ones will work in either direction and cost around $20, which is about the cost of the time you save the first time you use it.
Still does not hurt a thing to soak the stuck fasteners over-night in Liquid Wrench.

Impact screwdriver looks like this;

[old Timer]

BTW, those impact screwdrivers work great, I have had one for years.