[thebeans]

Long time lurker, first time poster.

While in the process of changing my thermostat I sheared off the top bolt that holds on the thermostat housing. There is enough sticking out to get pliers on it but it is seized up a blankety blank blank. I tried PJ blaster, heat, PJ blaster and heat, and not even an encouraging wiggle.

Its soaking tonight and tomorrow it gets the drill and the extractor. Since the bolt (or what is left of it) is so seized I will be amazed if the extractor extracts it. I have been informed that I will more than likely have to drill it out and re-tap the hole to a larger size.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[celery952]

usually drilling it out will relieve pressure


good luck tho lol


I have to do the same thing on my spare head

 

[98_Jim]

There is enough sticking out to get pliers on .

Do you have some thread sticking out past the thermostat housing? If so you might try putting a nut on the broken bolt and using it as a stud...

This happened to another car I have. The head of the thermostat bolt broke off, but there was a lot of thread showing. I screwed a nut on the broken bolt and tightened it down. It sealed properly and there were no leaks.. This saved having to mess around with drills and bolt extractors.

If you don't have enough thread, then you'll have to try an extractor, or drill the bolt out completely.

 

[cklaubur]

I had this happen to me once. I used a pair of vice-grips to twist out what was left of the bolt.

Casey

 

[thebeans]

So I drilled it out, used a square extractor and promptly sheared off the extractor. Seeing as now I had hardened steel in hole as opposed to the comparatively soft bolt I got the Carbide drill bit after it and effed up the hole like you can't even imagine.

I have since reattached the housing using two bolt (you would be amazed at how snuggly it fits) and am hoping for the best. I will keep you all informed.

 

[thebeans]

After trying no less than four gaskets I decided to slap it back together and drive it down to my friendly neighborhood mechanic who is approximately 1.2 miles away.

The gasket had slight drip with while the car was cold so I figured that if it got up to operating temperature it would blow water like a blue whale. Long story short I got up to operating temperature and the seal stopped leaking. I got to the mechanics and it didn't leak. He said the equivilent of, "if it ain't broke don't fix it but keep an eye on it". I am happy as hell.

The car heats up properly now too (I changed thermostat because I suspected it was stuck open as the car was running cold) . It's like my birthday and Christmas all rolled into one.