Now We've Done It — Broken Water Pump Bolt

[DadAndLadZ]

So, after about a month's break, we are back out in the garage working on our 260Z. Put on the new water pump and everything went swimmingly — until this long, skinny bolt snapped ALL THE WAY DOWN INSIDE as I tightened it. How the hell am I gonna get the broken piece out of there, so deep inside the block? UGH!!!!!!!!

 

[jonbill]

you'll have to take the timing cover off. if you're lucky, there'll be enough sticking out of the block to get a tool on and unscrew. 

if not, drill and tap it.

did you use a torque wrench? it's only m6, so it can't take much. 5 ft lb or so. 

[SteveJ]

If there is enough to grab, you might want to put some heat on it before you try to turn it. Again, I'll pitch the induction heater. It's easier to direct the heat than mapp gas. If there isn't enough to grab, your options are to weld a nut to it or drill a hole in the center of the bolt and use an extractor.

[Dave WM]

if you decide you need to drill it out, I would recommend you get a OTC drill guide, its a small bolt and I think it would be hard to drill without a guide. Sorry to hear about the breakage, but as already mentioned you really need to follow the torque spec on those skinny bolts. Same goes for stuff like pan bolts, valve cover bolts etc. You may be in for a timing chain removal as well as I think you will have a hard time getting good access. A welded on nut would prob be the prefered method over drilling IMHO. I doubt its stuck since in broke on installation, so should come out easy if you can just get it started. 

Edited October 10, 2022 by Dave WM

[Pilgrim]

If the bolt wasn't resisting turning when it broke, take a dental pick or some other small tool with a sharp end and see if you can back/turn it out.  Sometimes that works if the bolt snaps from stretching rather than breaking because it resisted turning. 

[Mark Maras]

If you do end up drilling it, use a left hand twist drill bit. When the bit gets enough bite on the bolt, the bolt frequently screws out with the bit.

[DadAndLadZ]

Thanks for the tips, everybody. If it wasn’t so deep down in there it wouldn’t be such a quandary 

[mailnome]

If you could find a metal, or maybe even plastic, sleeve that fits the hole reasonably well and that would match a (reverse) bit on the inside, that would make it a little easier. Like said above, it will probably back it right out once it bites.

That or pull the timing cover


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