lindenengineering
Well-known member
This post has prompted me to give you some tips on remedying the busted off easy out, drill or thread tap in a head,
Frankly I have lost count of how many times I have done this recently after DIY & Pro repairs have gone sideways. Mostly trying to correct leaks at exhaust manifolds.
First what a PITA job BUT with some patience and a measure of determination (in my case the Green money syndrome) you can cut them out!
The tools needed will a be Dremel tool, a flexible extension and the most important part some diamond tipped cutting bits and carbide cutter bit for finishing. All this can be got from Home Depot for about $175 tops.
Something to know about easy outs!
Although made of hard treated steel the tip is softer than the shank which IS hard & brittle and as many of you have discovered they snap like carrots if you get too rambunctious with them.
I prefer the square section easy out over the tapered spiral kind but both will break if you exert too much force on them!
The trick is to start at the edge and cut a hole boring into the work piece until severely reduced. I used 5 tips cutting out a medium sized easy out. Bore down about 3mm.
Start again radially opposite doing the same and repeat around the work piece weakening the metal structure not forgetting to perforate the center with a similar hole.
Don't expect to go too far--the hard metal will be turned to a dust and the diamond tip will be reduced to a nub! So a supply of tips are essential!
Once sufficiently bored into the work piece you can with a suitable tool fracture and break off fragments deep enough to enter the softer zone of the broken part.
You might be able to even pick the rest out; but by switching to the carbide tip you can be like a dentist and rip the out the remainder= including that broken stud you were trying to remove in the first place!
To fully recover the hole you can use a helicoil or a timesert, but also check on Grainger's site for threaded inserts which are thicker and account for wallowing out of the hole.
The 8x1mm variety is particularly useful in glow plug repairs on the later Vee 6 engine having locking taps, Use some Loctite 601 as an adhesive medium for good measure.
Tips from Dennis' fine English leather bound brass buggery tool box!
Plus an essential & universal but rare 'uman ingredient PATIENCE--found seldom in a woman never in a man .
All the best
Dennis
Frankly I have lost count of how many times I have done this recently after DIY & Pro repairs have gone sideways. Mostly trying to correct leaks at exhaust manifolds.
First what a PITA job BUT with some patience and a measure of determination (in my case the Green money syndrome) you can cut them out!
The tools needed will a be Dremel tool, a flexible extension and the most important part some diamond tipped cutting bits and carbide cutter bit for finishing. All this can be got from Home Depot for about $175 tops.
Something to know about easy outs!
Although made of hard treated steel the tip is softer than the shank which IS hard & brittle and as many of you have discovered they snap like carrots if you get too rambunctious with them.
I prefer the square section easy out over the tapered spiral kind but both will break if you exert too much force on them!
The trick is to start at the edge and cut a hole boring into the work piece until severely reduced. I used 5 tips cutting out a medium sized easy out. Bore down about 3mm.
Start again radially opposite doing the same and repeat around the work piece weakening the metal structure not forgetting to perforate the center with a similar hole.
Don't expect to go too far--the hard metal will be turned to a dust and the diamond tip will be reduced to a nub! So a supply of tips are essential!
Once sufficiently bored into the work piece you can with a suitable tool fracture and break off fragments deep enough to enter the softer zone of the broken part.
You might be able to even pick the rest out; but by switching to the carbide tip you can be like a dentist and rip the out the remainder= including that broken stud you were trying to remove in the first place!
To fully recover the hole you can use a helicoil or a timesert, but also check on Grainger's site for threaded inserts which are thicker and account for wallowing out of the hole.
The 8x1mm variety is particularly useful in glow plug repairs on the later Vee 6 engine having locking taps, Use some Loctite 601 as an adhesive medium for good measure.
Tips from Dennis' fine English leather bound brass buggery tool box!
Plus an essential & universal but rare 'uman ingredient PATIENCE--found seldom in a woman never in a man .
All the best
Dennis
