So I was swapping alternators

[SVTRob]

Yeah, so I was going to put on my new alternator today. I take off the belt, then I go to take the top two screws off of the alternator bracket, and on BOTH of them, the top breaks off. Man, now how the heck am I going to get that alternator off... :bash:

 

[SNAKEYE]

Yeah, so I was going to put on my new alternator today. I take off the belt, then I go to take the top two screws off of the alternator bracket, and on BOTH of them, the top breaks off. Man, now how the heck am I going to get that alternator off... :bash:

"EASY-OUT" or some other kind of bolt extractor.

 

[Dano]

You can get a small kit at Sears ... the bolt extractors look sort of like studs, with threads on them. You'll need the proper size drill bit (for drilling into bolts/screws). Drill the hole, and then turn the extractor into the hole (it has left handed threads). Use care in drilling the hole so nothing else gets drilled (like the threads in the alternator bracket). The larger the extractor you can get in the hole, the easier the broken bolt will come out. Use a small hammer and tap the end of the extractor as you turn it into the broken bolt/screw - that will make it easier to penetrate the broken screw/bolt.

It looks nearly impossible, but if you drill a large enough hole deep enough, and use the largest extractor that will fit the hole, and tap the end of it, it'll come right out.

 

[SNAKEYE]

I don't recall the diameter of those bolts, but it is possible, with the correct drill diameter and a very steady hand, to literally "core" the bolt out of the hole (drill right down the middle clear through the length of the broken off piece) leaving just the threaded shell in the threads of the hole. After the heat of drilling the remaining shell should be loose in the hole (in fact, it may wind up advancing down the hole as you drill, in which case stop and start screwing out the stub) and you can back it out by tapping a skinny screwdriver tip into the top of the cored-out piece and turning CCW.
Sears has/had a set of three different-sized extractors for about $20.
Whichever method you use, get a good penetrating oil on those bad boys and let'em soak overnight. And when you reassemble, use some Never Cease so it doesn't ever happen again. That aluminum case reacts with the steel bolts and that's all she wrote! An ounce of prevention.................

 

[Doug]

good luck with that. i had to replace an alt on a 4.6 expedition that had close to 200K miles on it. i'm very surprised that didn't happen.

 

[SVTRob]

OK, update. While using the craftsman extractor, it too broke in the bolt. I'm thinking of just drilling into it now.

 

[SVTStrikesBack]

Just imgine if you had broken a header bolt! That sucks monkey balls! We used a metal punch to start the whole, and used one of the kits mentioned above to get it out.

 

[white98snake]

perhaps u can drill it out then retap the holes for bigger bolts
good luck man

 

[Dano]

The extractors are made of very strong metal, and I seriously doubt that you'll be able to drill into it. Sounds like you may have used one of too small diameter. To be successful, you need as large an extractor as possible, for the bolt diameter. Sounds also like the bolt is really corroded - if the wrong bolt was used, galvanic corrosion probably set in (corrosion due to dis-similar metals, as stated above).

when you reassemble, use some Never Cease so it doesn't ever happen again. That aluminum case reacts with the steel bolts and that's all she wrote! An ounce of prevention.................

 

[SNAKEYE]

There is NO HOPE to be able to drill out a broken extractor by hand. They are just too hard. Tapping directly on top of it with a center punch may vibrate it enough for it to jiggle loose from the spiral grooves it cut going in. Don't forget, any twisting you may be able to impart to it to extract it need be clockwise as if you were trying to screw the bolt in.
As I said before, you are going to have to put some type of penetrating oil on those bad boys. Some dissimilar metals corrosion has taken place, and that's bad stuff. You may even need to VERY CAREFULLY (asbestos blanket careful!)apply heat to the bulk of the alternator to get the area around the bolt to expand and break the mechanical bond.
Keep in touch.

 

[SVTRob]

Thanks for the advice guys. There is a bit of the extractor that is out, so I think I'm going to try and un-screw it with pliers. If it comes out, then I'm trying it over with a larger extractor.

 

[Dano]

Yeah, use the largest extractor possible (drill as deep as you dare), considering the bolt diameter (you don't want to drill into the threads of the hole), and when you're turning it out (CCW), tap on the end of the tool firmly ... the shock will help break it loose. I've done this a lot on aircraft hardware. It's always a last ditch effort, so be careful.

 

[SVTRob]

Well we can't get the damn extractor off. I'm thinking of taking it to a shop, this is being too much of a pain.

 

[monkeyspunk79]

Sorry to hear that, bro. I had the same thing happen to 2 transmission pan bolts on my old F150. I broke 2 easy outs before I just said 'screw it' and took it in to a shop to fix. Cost me $60 for them to drill them out and helicoil them.

make sure when you / they get them out you throw some anti-seize on the threads. I use that stuff all over the place with my Cobra. Aluminum can be a real pain.

:beer: Good luck!

 

[Dano]

If there's enough of the extractor sticking out, it is possible to use a small chisel and tap on the side of the extractor, in the direction you want it to turn (clock wise). It only has to move a tiny bit, in order for it to loosen up enough to get it out ...

 

[97Redvenom]

Lefty loosy... righty tighty.... lol

 

[SNAKEYE]

If there's enough of the extractor sticking out, it is possible to use a small chisel and tap on the side of the extractor, in the direction you want it to turn (clock wise). It only has to move a tiny bit, in order for it to loosen up enough to get it out ...

Yeah, that thing ought to almost pop out of there. Its tapered and the slightest release means its out. I guess we have to be there to understand why it's not doing what we have experienced it should do.

 

[SNAKEYE]

Lefty loosy... righty tighty.... lol

Except with easy-outs! They get "tight" going left and "loose" going right.

 

[97Redvenom]

i was just jokin.. hopefully he didnt break both bolts b/c he wasnt going the right way...

 

[CobraBen98]

Those alternator bolts suck, I broke both sides when replacing the alternator on my 96 cobra that I had before. Good luck!