Bigger OOPS

[GATigeguy]

OK, I'm really in a bad situation here. I bought the boat last year near end of summer, the PO said he changed the impeller previous year so I should replace this spring. That said, I decided to change my impeller this year, first time for me doing this. I followed the instructions posted in the "How to:" section and they were working great, until... SNAP! Broken bolt!
I tried all of the tricks that I know of:
-PB Blaster for 3 days... no joy
-Drill out center and use extractors... no joy (really stuck bugger)
-drilled out further and tried to re-tap... broke tap (now I'm really f'd)
-thought about using some heat to help get out tap but remember fuel lines are right there
-can't get ahold of the tap to back it out

HELP!! I am out of ideas and this has been kicking my a$$ for several days now.

[dogbert]

Got any pics?

[rollem wake]

I looked up Walton tools,they have tap extractor sets. Should get the broken tap out.

[gibbsmc]

GA Tige Guy,

The boys at Gainesville Marina would be glad to help you out on that. You can give Ricky a call at the shop at 770-536-2171. Another option is Gainesville Marina has some awesome deals on 2008 models or we can get you in a brand new 2009. I am the sales manager for your area and happen to live right down the street from the Marina. Feel free to give me a call and I will get you lined up on a killer deal. Mark Gibbs, 325-518-2240. Look forward to hearing from you.

[GIZMO]

A tap is very brittle so somtimes you can hit it with a hammer and punch and break it up into pieces. Then drill and tap it one size bigger. Dont forget grease on the tap to hold the cut material in the cut outs. Also 1 turn in then 1/2 turn out should keep the tap from binding and breaking. Good luck!

[NICKYPOO]

GA Tige Guy,

The boys at Gainesville Marina would be glad to help you out on that. You can give Ricky a call at the shop at 770-536-2171. Another option is Gainesville Marina has some awesome deals on 2008 models or we can get you in a brand new 2009. I am the sales manager for your area and happen to live right down the street from the Marina. Feel free to give me a call and I will get you lined up on a killer deal. Mark Gibbs, 325-518-2240. Look forward to hearing from you.

Really? A shameless plug? He's looking for help, not a new boat.

A tap is very brittle so somtimes you can hit it with a hammer and punch and break it up into pieces. Then drill and tap it one size bigger. Dont forget grease on the tap to hold the cut material in the cut outs. Also 1 turn in then 1/2 turn out should keep the tap from binding and breaking. Good luck!

Perfect reply.

[R&T Babich]

...
-Drill out center and use extractors... no joy (really stuck bugger)
-drilled out further and tried to re-tap... broke tap (now I'm really f'd)
...

Once you get the tap out are you drilling with reverse twist drill bits?
I've removed several broken bolts using reverse twist drills.
I think I've been lucky, they always twist out before I'm done drilling thru them.

[TRD]

I agree w/ R&T Babich, I would try this first. I that doesn't work and you someone w/ an EDM in a machine shop they can burn it out. Easy and you shouldn't have to do anything buy re-run a tap through it. Just make sure you take a pick and get all of you broken tap out first.

NOT that I am speaking from experience. I used to be really good at breaking taps in my younger days. I'm getting ready to do my impeller tomorrow afternoon.

[mneal]

A tap is very brittle so somtimes you can hit it with a hammer and punch and break it up into pieces. Then drill and tap it one size bigger. Dont forget grease on the tap to hold the cut material in the cut outs. Also 1 turn in then 1/2 turn out should keep the tap from binding and breaking. Good luck!

PLEASE PLEASE wear good eye protection when doing this method. I have a really good friend that lost sight in one eye breaking a tap out.

If you can get the part off (not sure what bolt broke) you can take the piece to a machine shop with EDM, they can wire it out easily.

[skyski_tige]

Really? A shameless plug? He's looking for help, not a new boat.



Perfect reply.

Yeah... Don't matter fixing your old boat. Come and buy a new boat...

[mtnsmith]

Are you trying all this with the pump housing still on the boat? I just got a set of cheapo left hand drill bits from harbor freight, $4.99, they worked fine. If the reverse drill bits don't work I would take it to a machine shop like suggested, if you can get the pump out, easier on some power plants than others.

[Joeprunc]

Are you trying all this with the pump housing still on the boat? I just got a set of cheapo left hand drill bits from harbor freight, $4.99, they worked fine. If the reverse drill bits don't work I would take it to a machine shop like suggested, if you can get the pump out, easier on some power plants than others.

X2...the lefties work great.

[chpthril]

I'm with mtnsmith, pull the housing and get it on the workbench. Need to be careful with drilling out to tap a larger hole, there's probably not a lot of meat around those bolt holes.

[GATigeguy]

Sorry everyone, I haven't had time to post lately... been working on the boat. For clarification, the bolt that broke was one of the two that holds the pump housing bracket onto the engine block. I'll try to post a picture, but it's pretty ugly. The guy at the local boat shop actually said "Looks like you're Fu@%#d". I have another idea rolling around though. I'll let everyone know how well it plays out.

[Carter13]

This is my nightmare.
Exactly why I pay the duckets to have it done.
I bought a 1983 mazda RX7 from my sister in 1988 and changed the oil once. The second time I went to change it I unscrewed the filler cap and a piece of the cap broke off and dropped into the engine. I could see it down deep and thought, "hey I can fish it out with some chopsticks". When I tried that, one of the damn sticks slid down into the engine.
Game over. I had to have it towed to the shop and removed. I felt like an $ss telling the shop what happened. I don't remember what the bill was but I am sure I could have had a lot of oil changes for the price.
On the same RX7 my 115lb. girlfriend punched the windshield from the inside when she got pissed at me and cracked it. I learned from that lesson that you gotta listen to your woman.