Broken Easy Out Removal?

[pete]

Hi all, I managed to finally get to touch the GS for a couple of hours yesterday and started by trying to get out two remains of crankcase bolts that snapped when I removed them originally and one screw that I had to drill the head off due to it being seized far too tight (and probably due to me not being patient enough).

Anyway, first crankcase bolt remains came out fine, drilled the 2mm pilot hole and came out nice and easy with the easy out.

Then I tried the screw which is where I hit trouble. Drilled the 2mm pilot hole, tried the easy out, and I thought it was giving, but the easy out was flexing and snapped.

So, how does one get a broken easy out out? It's tougher than my drill bit (easy out is tungsten chrome alloy apparently).

My initial thought is to buy a tougher 2mm drill bit and drill it out, but what's tougher? I have no idea...

Any tips welcome!

[trintek]

diamond carbide grinding bit and a high speed chuck (air or dremel), or carefully build up a lump of weld on it and try backing it out with locking pliers

[pete]

Thanks trintek, I don't have a welder (and wouldn't know what to do with one if I did) but I do have a dremel, so I'll see if I can get a bit if I don't have a suitable one already.

Not sure when I'll get back to it again, but hopefully this weekend sometime.

[trintek]

np, i've had that happen many times (main reason my 450 ran with a disconnected right exhaust the entire time i was in terlingua). at the time i had access to a load of regular tools and an oxy/acetylene rig, but no mig/tig/stick welder...

i removed the easy out on one of them using the carbide high speed grinding bit, on the other i used the mig... still have to get the bolts out of those two, will probably end up finding a nut that fits to protect the aluminum from spatter and just mig the nuts on. luckily it's one of the last things on the list, still waiting on parts, then will be testing the charging system and such.

a little advice for later, if you can (harbor freight, craigslist, etc) find a cheap mig welder, works better than ez outs or get a decent set of left hand drill bits. either one will save you hours of frustration.

[pete]

Thnanks again trintek.

I've thought about a welder before as I want a custom exhaust for my 450 once I get that far, but not sure if I'll be able to do it myself or not.

Big problem over here in Oz is the price of things, we don't have same level of competition that you guys in the US have with the big retailers, which tends to keep the prices way up unfortunately and things like welders are expensive unless you're happy to use useless junk.

Anyway, I'll try the dremel and will keep an eye out for a good set of left handed drill bits also.

[trintek]

let me know how it works out for you snap-on makes them, many manufacturers make them, so the left handers should be easy enough to come by.

[Roger P.]

Concrete drills are carbide tipped. They will drill an easy out, but finding one small enough might be a challenge.

[pete]

Cheers for that Roger.

Unfortunately my plan to get back to this soon has fallen on its face again, so still waiting for some time at the moment.

[pete]

Well I'm happy to say I finally got the screw out.

I've managed to break the $17 carbide drill I got to drill the broken easy out, but using a left hand high speed drill seemed to get me enough purchase to use a larger more sturdy easy out.

I then was able to use the larger easy out and very steadily and slowly got the screw out.

Yeehaa!

Now I can keep working towards prep'ing it for paint.