Thread: broke a flex plate mounting bolt

Pretty Big deal in my book. Try to get that out of there. It shouldn't require much torque to remove it since the head is missing - you might get lucky and simply twist it out with a scratch awl or something similar.

If that doesn't work:

I'm almost positive that bolt is made with high-strength steel so use a cobalt drill bit - left handed twist if available - and an Easy-Out to remove it.

PS: Use penetrating lube

Originally Posted by Shmoke

Pretty Big deal in my book. Try to get that out of there. It shouldn't require much torque to remove it since the head is missing - you might get lucky and simply twist it out with a scratch awl or something similar.

If that doesn't work:

I'm almost positive that bolt is made with high-strength steel so use a cobalt drill bit - left handed twist if available - and an Easy-Out to remove it.

PS: Use penetrating lube

I think you have a misunderstanding of the definition of torque. Just because the head is missing does not mean that it will require more or less torque to remove.

To the OP: I wouldn't run it without out and would work on getting the rest of that bolt out.

I would remove remaining bolts and take off the flex plate, then weld a nut to the remaining portion of the snapped off bolt. If you don't know what I mean by the look it up on youtube and you'll see exactly what I'm talking about.

You need to get it out and replace it. I would go with a easy out to remove it as mentioned above.

Just wondering how it broke? Did it break by itself or did you over torque it putting on a flex plate? I put intense bolts in mine with red lock tight and tightened to 30 lbs. I think the directions actually said 25 lbs which seemed awfully light to me so I just went a tad over. I was surprised how "loose" those bolts are specd to go in. Im not sure what the stock bolts are specd for but I bet its less than you'd think by feel.

The real question is, why would you even risk it? Everything is apart now to where you can get to it. If the flexplate cracks now you have to pull everything back apart and replace not only the broken bolt, but now the flexplate.

Originally Posted by GMR Badass

I think you have a misunderstanding of the definition of torque. Just because the head is missing does not mean that it will require more or less torque to remove.

No I don't. And yeah it does dude.

Let us put it this way. It depends on the threads of the bolt, threads and pitch it gets threaded into, quality of metal of the bolt, and just how much torque he had on it when he put it in. Yes the head being removed will help reduce some of the torque stretching the bolt, but still can be a PITA to remove.

Originally Posted by GMR Badass

I think you have a misunderstanding of the definition of torque. Just because the head is missing does not mean that it will require more or less torque to remove.

He might misunderstand, but his explanation is good. Once the head is gone, the pressure on the threads is gone. I've used a small punch or chisel to tap these out a few times. It happens.. tap the edge counter clockwise and get new bolts to start with if you want to torque them properly.

There is no misunderstanding here. Torque must be applied however small or large, to what remains of the broken bolt in order to remove it. Where's the misunderstanding? If there's any misunderstanding on my part, it is how a broken bolt could be removed without the application of some level of twisting force.

Sometimes a left-handed drill bit will snatch inside the bolt shaft as your're drilling it and it will simply spin out. That's what I expect would happen in this case and why I always use left handed cobalt drill bits on broken bolts. If it doesn't come out that easily, then an Easy-Out would definitely work. But in any case use a good penetrating lube and a steady hand.

Wondering how things worked out for the OP?

Best trick I ever learned was get a air pencil, the kind used for engraving into metal parts. It has a carbide tip and vibrates. It will spin broken bolts out with ease as long as the bolt broke from over torque. Won't work if bolt broke from being bottomed out in a blind hole or cross thread.

Shmoke, I was aiming that toward Greg, not you. I was on the same page as you.