12 Jul 2003, 14:05, JIM HOLSONBACK (1:123/140), wrote to ROY J. TELLASON:

Hi JIM.

 RJT>> drilled into the middle of the bolt,  stuck an ez-out in there,  
 RJT>> and snapped *that* off.  Talk about some hard material?  I got 
 RJT>> carbide bits,  all sorts of stuff,  and nothing I tried would 
 RJT>> work to get that thing outta there.  I ended up going to a
 RJT>> junkyard and getting another intake manifold,  and putting that 
 RJT>> on there.

 JH> OUCH!  I _hate_ it when my 30-minute "projects" turn into a long 
 JH> weekend of hard work.

You mean they are not supposed to?  I thought I was just getting slower...

 RJT>> Next time I'll use a bigger one.  :-)

 JH> I guess there is some magic formula of what size of ez-out to 
 JH> use, and you used one a bit too small?

There actually _is_ such a formula, but I don't recall it right now.  I use
_only_ the tapered square 'removers'.  Those reverse twisted ones are
worthless, and only wedge the broken threaded part tighter against the
threads of the hole.

With the square ones, you hammer it into the broken screw to cut the
'grooves', then gently knock it loose again.  This action expands the
threaded part to break the rust loose, and when you knock the 'remover'
loose, the broken part 'relaxes' its grip on the threads.  Knock it in
again 'just snug', and try unscrewing.  If still tight, repeat hammering in
and knocking loose several times.  If rust is present, fill the threaded
area with water, as the water _will_ dissolve the rust, oil will NOT!  In
recent years I've been using rubbing alcohol as it gives much better
penetration than the plain water and has 30% water in it anyway.

Last summer getting ready for hurricane season, I removed a dozen 2"
pipe connections from my gas pump that had last been used 12 years ago
pumping salt water.  Poured alcohol over the threads, beat gently with a
hammer and repeated several times, and they all unscrewed by hand!


     Good luck...  M.

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)