Starter bolt sheared off, what now?!

[vtdiesel]

I've got a 1985 GMC 6.2, and it's been starting hard lately, needs new glow plugs I think. This morning I was cranking it over trying to get it to fire up and all of a sudden the starter lost contact with the engine and was free spinning. I went under the truck and the bolt holding the starter in place closest to the passenger side of the truck was on the ground and had sheared off right at the base of the threads. This caused the starter to twist slightly and loose contact. I've never had to deal with a sheared bolt before and don't know where to go from here. I'm a 6.2 newbie and any help would be much appreciated.

[a5150nut]

Depends if the remainig part is rusted in or not. Some times you can coaxe them out with a small cold chisle. Just start by trying to angle into the bolt in the direction it would turn out. Clockwise tightens, counterclockwise loosens. Or as my son use to say " Righty tighty, lefty loosey".

Or drill them and use an easy out. why they cal them an "easy out" I don't know. Haven't found one that was easy yet. Sometimes a reverse twist drill will work. Just be carefull to stay centered and streight in the bolt hole.

[vr1967]

I've had a few shear on me during my driving time, and I am usually able to get them out with a small flat tip screwdriver just turning it like the above post mentioned about the chisel.

Worth a try, if it doesn't work, then grab the hammer and chisel.

[Robyn]

I would be very careful with chisels and such.
I would use a center punch and locate the center of the broken bolt and drill in a 1/8th inch pilot hole and then go up to 1/4" and use an easy out.
If one gets to beating around the surface can become distorted and the job can become far tougher.

Just my two cents worth

Robyn

[HammerWerf]

I've had to do this a couple of times. I went and bought a LEFT TWIST drill bit. You have to set you drill on Reverse to get the bit to bite. I've been able to spin the piece out.

LEFT TWIST drill bits are not that easy to find. The big box stores don't carry them. Asked once, and got the Deer in the headlights look. From what i've learned, older style hardware stores might carry them. The one I bought is made by Vermont American.

www.vermontamerican.com/Products/productdetail.htm?G=191053&GRP=191053&I=71098

HammerWerf

[Robyn]

Another little trick that you might try is to ise your little die grinder (dumore) and a little carbide bur nd grind a little slot across the end of the broken bolt and use a straight blade screw driver to back the sucker out.
If its not stuck tight this will be an easy solution.
This leaves the easy out option open as a last resort without using it the first shot out of the gate.

I did this on one that snapped off a couple years ago on my neighbors 92 6.5

best

Robyn

[spiff]

I was in the same place you are now about a year ago, Robyn has a good start on it, center punch the broken bolt and make your first attempt with a left handed drill bit. This is the critical part, make sure you get that initial center punch dead centered. Mine broke off just a bit below flush , so i made a sleeve for my punch that centered it. If you have an uneven surface and can get at it with a dremal or similar, consider leveling it off.

I'd first soak the thing repeatedly with Kroil penetrating oil. I'd not go anywhere near that with an "easy-out" you don't want to know what you have to do if you break one of those off in the damned bolt. But if you do, I now know (:cool: It involves heat, lots of heat, very high heat.

if the left hand drill bit doesn't do it the first time, then keep drilling the broken bolt until you get near the diameter of the threads, (Harbor Freight has a package of left handed long drill bits) you've now hollowed it out and can wedge a screwdriver or something similar into the bolt and unscrew it. If it still won't budge, very carefully with a drill that will leave only a bit of wall left, drill again. Then you should be able to take a dental pick or similar and remove the remainder of the old bolt.

When you get the broken bolt out, consider heli-coiling the bolt hole. I hate threads in cast iron... Also, make sure that you use the nose starter brace. I put a new starter on and the vendor didn't think I needed that....which was the beginning of my learning experience. Good starter, just bad advice.

[Craig M]

Had this probolem twice with my Suburban. Was affraid the left over piece would be hard to get out. I was lucky in my two efforts. Drilled the first hole into the bolt, not that far, and the easy-out unscrewed it easily.