So the thermostat housing bolt twisted off, and I proceeded to drill through the bolt and use an Easy-Out. Then the easy out busted off in the hole. My next option was to just drill the entire bolt end out, but the easy out is so hard that I can't even drill the entire bolt out! Any suggestions as to what I should do? This one little thing is keeping me from being on the road!

 

Weld a bolt or something onto the easy out then hope you can unscrew it.

 

The bolt is broken off flush and I have no access to a welder

 

Happened to me. One of the few times I took my car to a shop....well worth it!

 

yeah I might have to do that since there appears to be nothing else I can do...

 

It might be easier/cheaper to just go to the wreckers and get a new water pump/thermostat housing.

Once an Easy Out is broken off, removal becomes very difficult. Easy Outs almost never work anyway.

 

I have to agree with this. Easy outs are almost never actually "easy" by any stretch of the imagination. If you break an easy out off in the hole, you are screwed.

 

If you have access to a torch, you can heat the easy out cherry red. This should remove enough of the hardness that you can drill it out.

 

I've had good luck with left hand drill bits and easy outs, but you have to be patient.

My second favorite method it to use a punch to make a notch and then switch to a really small punch (or nail) and spin the bolt out or in which ever is closer.

Even if you mess threads up it's aluminum, you cab tap one size bigger.

 

Thanks for the tips guys!


I never thought of that.... That looks like the only/ best thing I can do in this situation.

 

Carbide drill bit can drill through any easy out.
http://drillcity.stores.yahoo.net/newtuncardri.html
http://www.kennametal.com/en-US/prod...PCFEVMCQFBYIV0

Best bet for the future is to, although hard to find, buy quality easy outs. The cheap ones cause more problems than they ever solve. The same goes for taps.

 

The only somewhat good easy outs are the style that looks like an x but they all suck. The easy out will probably be way to hard to drill out. It will eat bits like crazy. Stronly agree with aaron and think a new used part will be best. I probably have a few if you want pm me.

 

And it is true you can get a quality bit and drill an easy out but its alot more difficult than just buying a bit. Center punch the hell out of it and give it a shot. Dont have anything to lose.

 

Yes I'll try anything I can.

But for future reference, I guess my next question would be about how long would it take to change out the water pump housing? Also, what would be the approximate difficulty of this operation?

 

Bah! I use them almost every day! Using them properly...that's what people usually fail at.

This part, however, is spot on. The effort required to remove the ease out will far exceed the effort and cost of a water pump housing.

 

easy outs aren't supposed to be used on seized bolts, that's just asking for trouble.

 

ah ha! maybe thats why they fail so often. Although that begs the question, what the hell are they good for?

I broke an easy out off in my water pump housing trying to fix it myself. I took it to a shop that managed to drill it out w/ something. Had I known my water pump was going at the time I would have just swapped the housing

 

Ease outs were designed for sheered and broken, but otherwise in good condition, bolts. The correct way to remove seized bolts is by drilling and retapping.

 

It's not that complicated. Just remove the upper and lower rad hoses, pull the alternator, disconnect the coolant temp sensor (s) and little hoses, then remove the front bolts. It's a half an hour job, roughly. Use lots of penetrating oil (PB Blaster) on all the nuts.

 

It's important to keep an eye on some washers that sit between the casing and the block, though...they even out the difference between where there is a gasket, and where there is not a gasket.

 

take the thermal housing off and take it to a machine shop where they can drill it out.

after that used two bolts with nuts on the ends, cheap bolts in aluminum with posible coolant exposure is one of the worst mazda ideas, second only to the electrical system...

 

PB blaster is your friend, use it on anything that is rusted. Just spray on wait about 10 minutes then twist away......But for your fix, the housing is cast iron ya?...just use the torch to melt out the easyout, then chase the threads with a blind hole tap. the torch wont hurt the cast iron. By the way this meens taking off your pump.


Doh nm i think your pump is alum?

 

the pump should be cast, however its recipical part (thermal housing) is aluminum, and the thermostat elbow is aluminum or plastic...

torch is not a good idea

 

Easy Outs are very hard, but brittle.

I suggest a small chisel or punch... Put it on the easy out and wail on it with a BFH. It may shatter. Then shop vac it up...

Use a Left Handed drill bit to remove the bolt.