3gc

So I'm pulling my heads to send to Ai to get ported i got everything off that needs to come off in order to get the heads out, just have the bolts left. So today I start to unbolt them. I got the drivers side completely unbolted fairly quickly. I start the passenger side and for some reason the it seems like it's getting tighter. And it was, because i'm a ******* retard and was turning the breaker bar the wrong way. I can't beleive I did that. I'm starting to think i might be dislexic. So i went through the bolts three times, doing about a half turn each time. Once i realized it I about **** a brick and threw the breaker bar on the ground while thoughts of the possibility of a cracked block, and heads go through my mind. After I cooled down I took the bolts out and ended up breaking one of them in the block.

So what could I have actually done? Warped the heads? If it means anything I followed the correct torque sequence when attempting to loosen the bolts.

How do you recommend i get that broken bolt out of the block? Just a tiny bit is sticking out, not enough to grip with vise grips and i'd be scared to chance marring the block.

Note to self... RIGHTY TIGHTY, LEFTY LOOSEY.

HectorM52

Get a "professional grade" bolt remover set. You in essence drill into the bolt, then put another "toothed" bit into the bolt and back it out.

The cheapo ones from AutoZone and Advance will probably break if you say it is in there that tight.

However, drilling most of the way through the bolt can relieve some of the pressure and help in the process.

RE AND CHERYL

YUP...That was real stupid. I wondered why ratchets always were labled for on and off.

The above suggestion is what I would go with.

WS Sick

If that doesnt work and you have the head off you can always wel a nut on the end and turn it out.

93black-ta

deffinately get a "good" bolt remover set. make sure you have the best possible drill bit you can get. drilling through the old bolt is the worst part to me.

on a side note i put an engine in and started bolting it to the trans before i realized i forgot to install the converter.

WS Sick

Ive done that before too, it is funny now, but not at the time...lol

3gc

I've done one better, I forgot to put the flexplate on when I did a motor swap on my old car.

Luckily the heads are going to be milled so I guess I shouldn't worry too much about them being warped.

I'm thinking about just pulling the motor and getting the bottom end rebuilt while the heads are off getting ported. With all the stories of spun bearings after head swaps and the fact a bunch of dirt somehow fell into the cylinders when the heads came off, plus i have nearly 90k miles, all that makes me a little concerned about the life of the motor after the swap if i don't rebuild it. I'm going to stop at a few places tomorrow and try and get a quote. I'll just have the shop rebuilding it remove the bolt if this is the route I go.

96capricemgr

EVERY single one of us has done something equally stupid, it takes a man to admit it and ask for help.

I would get some wide masking tape and mask off all around before trying anything above just to try to keep all shavings or welding spatter out of the lifter valley and cylinder bores. I would try the extractor and again as other said get good ones, I have MAC and have never had them work sucessfully but a borrowed Snap-on was great.

LJ93Z28GM

The bolt that sheered off will not be tight in there since you do not have the bolt head contacting the head to cause it to tighten so in all reality it is just a piece of threaded rod that is sitting in there with no tension holding it in place.

They do not bottom out either to cause tension.

Have fun drilling into the bolt since they are harded. As to what amount I am not sure I did hit the head of one of them one time with file and it did leave a mark so you should be able to to drill it .

Should not be that bad you could have done worse. Just make sure that is your only mistake on the build, best of luck.

96capricemgr

Good point it might not be all that tight in there. It could possibly even begin to spin in when you try to drill. A reverse drillbit would be good and since the heads are being mailed out you should have time to wait for one, I would give that a try, or if it starts to go in further with a regular drill stop immediately.

Mtrhds94Z

Yes try to find a left hand drill bit.. it very well may spin iot right out..
Or, if you have a Dremel tool cut a screwdriver slot in that stub and use a hand impact driver [the cheap kind that you tap with a hammer] to get it started coming out ... i have used both methods to remove broken bolts with some success..

hallbilly

would have been nice if the bolt would have broke and left some sticking out of the top of the block to get some vice grips on... good luck with it man!

revtime

Heres a little story to make you feel better.

About 10 years ago I had an 88 IROC Z, it was a 350 car I found on a "We finance anyone cause when you default on the loan we repo the car and sell it again lot" anywho I started modding it and one of the first things I did was install a Jet fan switch, this switch screws into the head and turns the fans on sooner. So I figure no big deal I will screw the old one out and screw the new one in real quick and I won,t have to drain the coolant. I am a genius.....so I crawl under the car with my trusty droplight which is securely plugged into an electrical outlet, I get ready and pull the old switch and put the new one inrealquick and I can,t find the hole and coolant is spewing into my eyes and I can,t see anything and I suddenly realize I am laying in a puddle of coolant with the droplight laying in the puddle with me..........I grabbed and threw in the same motion and it stung me the whole way.
I just layed there not caring that the rest of the coolant drained out on me, just not believing how stupid I am some times.
We have all been there at some point.
Good luck with the extraction.

LJ93Z28GM

At least the coolant was not hot watched my father do something along the same lines and burn himself nicely. Hospital trip. I am sure we can all go on and on about car related work injuries they are just bound to happen. My buddy no joke the other day almost dropped a car on himself by jacking a car up with a 4 x 4 that was 2 feet long he faced it up and down since the jack did not go high enough.

Skull Leader

I was bleeding the brakes last week, and I was turning the wrench on the driver's side rear caliper bleed screw and thought "that's awful hard" after putting alot of force into it.

I was upside down almost, and facing the opposite direction. So I was pushing away (clockwise) instead of correctly turning the wrench counterclockwise to open the valve.