Help! Bolts snapped in case Poulan 3400

[Montana Squatch]

I was unscrewing the flywheel cover bolts and 2 of them got about halfway out and just snapped
Any tricks on how to get them out without splitting the crankcase in 2?


Thanks for the help!

 

[redfin]

Center punch, drill and use an easy-out. I would spray before you drill the heat will help pull the lube into the threads.

 

[Montana Squatch]

Thanks, they are pretty small wasn't sure they made a screw extractor small enough to fit in there

 

[fearofpavement]

In the future, if a fastener is moving but then starts locking up, screw it back in, lube it and then work it back and forth a number of times until you finally get it out. In my experience, if a fastener breaks while trying to remove it, an easy out is pretty ineffective. You may need to drill the broken section completely out.

 

[pantelis]

Thanks, they are pretty small wasn't sure they made a screw extractor small enough to fit in there

Drill completely out and make new threads, good luck

 

[towingace]

What Fear said is right on. If possible (it should be), take the extra time to make a jig to keep the drill bit centered in the hole. If you have enough material, sometimes it's just easier to drill out the threads and do a heli-coil or time-sert thread repair (but I would still make a jig). Good luck

 

[towingace]

Drill completely out and make new threads, good luck

Yeah, what you said. lol

 

[Red97]

Either way you do it, find a center punch that fits the remaining holes. That way you get your mark exactly in the center.

Steel bolt in mag is never fun.

I would try an extractor first. If that doesn't work I would use the tap drill size for the bolts then try to scrape the thread coil out.
Lastly make it oversize/ use helicoil/ insert

Everything relies on a good straight pilot hole

Good luck

 

[Montana Squatch]

In the future, if a fastener is moving but then starts locking up, screw it back in, lube it and then work it back and forth a number of times until you finally get it out. In my experience, if a fastener breaks while trying to remove it, an easy out is pretty ineffective. You may need to drill the broken section completely out.

They just popped don't remember torquing hard at all, didn't even notice until I went to put them back in and were different lengths! Oh well will be greasing new bolts thanks.

 

[Bilge Rat LT 20]

Get a good flat spot in the center and centerpunch it. Now get a small lefthanded drill bit and slowly drill it.
A small bit, about 1/4 the dia. of the broken bolt will stay closer to center and not wander out into the softer case metal. Once your bit wanders into the softer case you will not be able to drill the rest of the harder bolt out.

If the first bit does not back out the bolt as it drills and breaks thru the bottom end of the bolt use a little larger lefthanded bit and repeat.

The lefthanded bits turn counterclockwise and the torque of them turning/cutting will usually unscrew the bolt.

Lube the bolt to help loosen it before drilling.

Extractors are hard steel and brittle, if you break one off in a hole a drill bit will not cut them.
On small holes i don't use them, they break to easy. I don't use them much at all. I use the lefthand bits.

O)n larger bolts other methods can be used.

As FOP said a sticky bolt is screaming for lube, listen to what the machine is saying.

I can listen/communicate with machines better than people, i'm a hack mechanic and a grumpy old fart around some people.

 

[Wagnerwerks]

That's the key... Left handed drill bits. And heat... The mag will expand and suck the penetrating oil in then drill!

 

[towingace]

They just popped don't remember torquing hard at all, didn't even notice until I went to put them back in and were different lengths! Oh well will be greasing new bolts thanks.

So, what is "a little torque" by a sasquatch's standard of measurement?

 

[Montana Squatch]

So, what is "a little torque" by a sasquatch's standard of measurement?

Didn't need to put on my human skin gloves for extra grip, and zero milligrunts on the squatch scale or 0.00 sn's (squatch newtons)

 

[Modifiedmark]

I was unscrewing the flywheel cover bolts and 2 of them got about halfway out and just snapped
Any tricks on how to get them out without splitting the crankcase in 2?


Thanks for the help!

Really? Seriously? Your showing the picture of those 2 small holes in the outer side of the case?

From what I see there are no recoil screws broken off on that saw.

Show me a picture of the screws you took out.

 

[Montana Squatch]

Really? Seriously? Your showing the picture of those 2 small holes in the outer side of the case?

From what I see there are no recoil screws broken off on that saw.

Show me a picture of the screws you took out.

Umm wow you're right I'm an idiot. The 2 shorter bolts are different length and flat on the bottom while the 2 long carriage bolts are pointed. Looking thru the cover with a flashlight looked like they were supposed to go into those holes but the cover was off a smidge. Clearly adjusting to human life is a struggle for me at times, and your world still frighten and confuses me from time to time! But here's a pic anyway to show that I'm not a complete ape. While I gotcha MM, I heard you were the man regarding muffler mods but I can't find the thread, the images are kaput on another. Any pix you could share or a link?

As you can see I clearly want to drill holes in my machine somewhere, and in spots that won't destroy my machine!

 

[Modifiedmark]

Umm wow you're right I'm an idiot. The 2 shorter bolts are different length and flat on the bottom while the 2 long carriage bolts are pointed. Looking thru the cover with a flashlight looked like they were supposed to go into those holes but the cover was off a smidge. Clearly adjusting to human life is a struggle for me at times, and your world still frighten and confuses me from time to time! But here's a pic anyway to show that I'm not a complete ape. While I gotcha MM, I heard you were the man regarding muffler mods but I can't find the thread, the images are kaput on another. Any pix you could share or a link?

As you can see I clearly want to drill holes in my machine somewhere, and in spots that won't destroy my machine!

Well, you said it.

Thing is everyone else who commented in this thread is now suspect as well.

Maybe you should just stay away from drilling anything.

 

[redfin]

I measured the smallest easy out in my set at .08". Still an option for you if left hand drill bits don't work.

 

[redunshee]

Still don't see where you need to drill anything. Is this a joke? Those 4screws you show aren't broken. Also you better repair your fuel tank vent line i.e. You are missing it.

 

[towingace]

Well, you said it.

Thing is everyone else who commented in this thread is now suspect as well.

Maybe you should just stay away from drilling anything.

Well, no matter how many times I look at those pics on my little ol' 4"x 6" tablet, I absolutely can't tell if anything is broken or not, therefore, I refuse to be referred to as "suspect". My post was merely a suggestion as to how to remove a small broken off bolt, not to determine if it is actually broken or not.

At this point, I'm actually having a little trouble trying to determine who is joking and who isn't joking. On that note, maybe I am suspect after all.

 

[Montana Squatch]

Still don't see where you need to drill anything. Is this a joke? Those 4screws you show aren't broken. Also you better repair your fuel tank vent line i.e. You are missing it.

Yeah the old line on the vent broke like dry spaghetti thanks.