Broken Oil Pan Bolt in 04 GTP

[310toumad]

Went to rotate my tires, noticed oil pooling in the motor mount bracket. Looked under and at first thought an oil pan bolt was missing, then noticed the stud wedged in the hole so it must have snapped off. I replaced the oil pan gasket a few months ago, so I did quite a bit of research beforehand. Someone on this forum mentioned the torque spec to be 12-13 ft-lbs for these bolts so that's what I used. Looked it up in the factory service manual and its actually supposed to be about 10 ft-lbs, so my only assumption is that one of the bolts (being over-torqued) simply became too stressed and broke off. I had used information from the forum before when doing my lower intake manifold gaskets; in more than one case I read that people used a torque spec. a little higher for the manifold bolts than the factory one. That repair went without a hitch so I figured what the heck, it won't hurt anything. Lesson learned don't listen to ding-dongs on the internet with regard to torque specifications.

Anyway, someone correct me if I'm wrong but some of the oil pan bolts (the ones located where the pan dips up into the motor mount bracket) actually thread into the bottom of the timing cover? Pretty sure the broken one is one of these bolts. I'm thinking the best way to approach this is take the timing cover off to get that stud out. That makes more sense to me than taking out the oil pan again (pain in the butt), plus I can replace the timing cover gasket while I'm at it which would be something that might have to happen down the road anyway. I've never had to remove a broken stud before, so that will be a new learning experience. I really don't know how difficult that might be since these are such tiny bolts. So any suggestions on this predicament?

[BillBoost37]

Pulling the timing cover won't make it any easier. And most likely you can tap it counter clockwise with a small punch or even just a short screwdriver up against it. When the head breaks off, there shouldn't be any pressure holding it in besides whatever rtv might be on it.

[310toumad]

There's only PTFE-thread sealant on it. That sounds pretty meticulous to back it out by tapping on it to try and get it to rotate counter-clockwise. Would tapping a screw driver against it create enough of a "divot" in the stud to be able to turn it? Wouldn't drilling and using a left-hand bit or extractor be a lot faster? I don't think I can just drill straight up into it because the motor mount bracket is in the way, thus my idea of just taking off the timing cover.

[FordMan77]

If you can get a clean shot at it maybe use a small sharp cold chisel and smack the center of the bolt creating a indentation on it enough to get a screwdriver on it. I've done this in the past on other cars and it worked out pretty well.

[HighOctaneRacing]

Pulling the timing cover won't make it any easier. And most likely you can tap it counter clockwise with a small punch or even just a short screwdriver up against it. When the head breaks off, there shouldn't be any pressure holding it in besides whatever rtv might be on it.

Done it this way for years. Best way to go about it.

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[BillBoost37]

I am suggesting something that works the same as turning a piece of threaded rod into a nut. It works nice and easy because there is no pressure on either. It's worked well for me in the past, heck I once took a broken ac bracket bolt out with a fingernail. Without pressure on it, it could have vibrated it's own way out.

[rickisrad]

Take the pan off and usually there is enough of a lip to grab with needle nose pliers to back it out.

[310toumad]

I am suggesting something that works the same as turning a piece of threaded rod into a nut. It works nice and easy because there is no pressure on either. It's worked well for me in the past, heck I once took a broken ac bracket bolt out with a fingernail. Without pressure on it, it could have vibrated it's own way out.

I'm seeing if I can't get a quote for a shop to do it. Unless they're gonna try to charge me some ridiculous price, I'll pay to avoid crawling around on the cold garage floor picking at this thing for God knows how long to try and get it out. I mean, given the pan + gasket thickness, its wedged in maybe 1/4 inch. So given that depth and how small it is, I don't know if I'd be able to get enough leverage to angle a punch or screw driver against it and turn it by tapping.

Take the pan off and usually there is enough of a lip to grab with needle nose pliers to back it out.

No way I want to mess with taking the pan off to try and get pliers on it. That's basically re-doing the oil pan gasket job and that's an absolute last resort because of how much of a PITA getting that lower motor mount bracket off/on is. If you have big, meaty hands I don't see how you get those bolts started back in, especially the highest one on the side of the bracket with 3 bolts. I had to make a hook out of coat hanger, wrap it around the bolt and was just barely able to work it up there and line it up with the hole after several tries, then I reached up with 2 fingers and slowly started it.

[rickisrad]

?? The oil pan is not that bad of a job. take off the bottom engine mount bolts and raise engine, remove the two rear subframe bolts and lower making sure you are not going to crack a line.

[HighOctaneRacing]

Just get a punch and tapped the bolt counter clockwise and smile

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[310toumad]

Given that the stud is resting below the thickness of the pan + gasket, and how small of a bolt it is, I don't know if that would work. I don't think I could 'angle' the punch enough for leverage to get any movement out of it. Plus the motor mount is in the way. Realistically I'd have to take all that stuff off to have a good shot at it, but I don't wanna risk doing that only to discover I still can't get it out or potentially damaging/distorting the threads in the block. Maybe its sticking out from the block and I could get pliers on it, maybe not. I don't have a drill or any tools to extract it so should the punch/screwdriver method fail I'm out of luck, and even if I had a drill I'd have to drop the whole cradle to have enough room to get in there. I was on the fence about about doing this myself but its winter, my garage is cold as hell, and I'm not in a very ambitious mood haha... just gonna have a shop do it.

[BillBoost37]

If you took a small screwdriver and just pushed it against the bolt...turned counter clockwise..there is a chance it'll come right out.

[310toumad]

If you took a small screwdriver and just pushed it against the bolt...turned counter clockwise..there is a chance it'll come right out.

I gotta do my front pads so I guess I'll crawl under and give it a whirl.. if it doesn't budge I'm just gonna leave it alone. I did put ptfe thread sealant on all the pan bolts, that probably makes it stick a little bit but Idk how much.

[markpa]

Use a small left handed drill bit in the center and it should back right out.


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