At a low point here-- had a very hard time installing a new water pump on my 98 z28. It was all back together but before I'm about to start the car I noticed the outlet leaking and that i forgot to install the o-ring.
I throw it in and as I'm torquing the bolts back on again the top one snaps... I can't budge it with pliers. Should I try to cut a notch in the bolt and use a screwdriver? Help!

 

You can do that or use an EZ Out extractor.

 

I'd try an easyout or put some vice grips on there real tight, and when I say tight, crank the vise grip screw down with another pair of plyers, then throw a pipe on it and slowly see if it will budge. I've had this happen on much worse screws that were frozen solid from rust and the vice grips usually works, 9 out of 10 times. I would'nt do the screwdriver method just yet as it might make it hard to use an easyout. If worse comes to worse you'll have to drill and tap another hole and thats pretty easy. It looks like there is room to do that if needed. Put some penetrating oil on there before cranking on it. if your really lazy you could drill it out and just put a bolt through it with a nut on the back as there seems to be plenty of room for that as well.

 

good advice-- thanks D James and Kraest... I was leaning towards the screwdriver approach so that I wouldn't have to remove the pump again and get any more coolant all over the new belts but I guess I might have to consider the hard(er) way.

I'll give the vice grips a shot first.

Thanks!

 

Vice grips 100%

An Easy-Out might work, but you have to know what you're doing with them to make them work. Do it wrong and snap off the Easy-Out and you're f*cked!

An old trick I learned: Heat up the area around the broken off bolt with a small butane torch (carefully!), once the area gets nice and hot - not necessarily glowing red, take a candle and touch the area where the bolt broke off. The candle wax will seep into most of the threads and aid in removal the bolt.

 

Vice grips would have been my first choice. Make sure you have to squeeze the heck of of it before it will lock.

 

very last method would be to put a 3/8 nut over the broken bolt and weld the two together in the middle of the nut and use a wrench to work the nut back and forth till it comes out. this method always works as a last resort and you might use multiple nuts.

 

did you ever get that thing out?

 

Yes! Came out with the vice grips fairly easily actually. I was worried because it was torqued down when it broke but it turned out that I didn't have to remove the pump again like I worried about.

Thanks to everyone--

Now I just have to find a replacement bolt...