Cleaned Out a Broken "Easy-Out" from a 360 Head

[Janderso]

I am posting this because I am sort of new to machining, and this is the first "thinking outside the box" repair I have done on my step pulley Bridgeport.
A friend and co-worker is rebuilding a 1970 Ford F-100, for his 15 year old son. It has the 360 CID engine. One of the exhaust manifold bolts was busted off in the cylinder head.
I volunteered my services to give it a try.
Joel brought the head in the shop early Saturday morning. No fancy angles required, the head is symmetrical or parallel from side to side.
The 3/8 hole is pretty buggered up from previous repair attempts. I grabbed a 3/8 center cutting 4 flute carbide end mill and carefully got everything centered and locked the table.
Joel carefully went at it, there was some chips, some crunching and as we pulled up the quill, blew some air and solvent in the hole, the "Easy-Out" came flying out and landed on my SB lathe chip pan. From that point we cleaned up the rest of the hole.
Then he brought out the drill bit. Yep we need to drill out the hole to install a Helicoil.
I looked at the head, grabbed my R8 keyless drill chuck and wondered if I had enough working room.
Down we went with the table. The chuck is large.
I had no idea the table went down that far. I have never used it way down there. So, we pulled up a couple of stools, (just kidding).
We drilled the hole and inserted the helicoil.
What a great feeling to help out my friend. He was thrilled. He volunteered to buy me another end mill.
He sent me a pic that afternoon and showed the head installed with the manifold bolted on.
I love this old Iron.
Why do they call them, "Easy-Outs?"

 

[RJSakowski]

Because sometimes, just sometimes, the broken bolt comes out easily when you use one.

A lot depends on why the bolt was broken in the first place. A bolt can break from over torquing on installation. In that case, you can almost remove the remnant with your fingers if you can get a grip on it. The other extreme is when the bolt has been in place for years, subject to corrosion. Exhaust manifolds are arguably about as bad as you can get. The bolt broke off in trying to remove it as the rust expands when it forms and locks the bolt in place. This is a tough job for any type of extractor.

Usually, the last resort involves copious amounts of penetrating fluid and heat. The fluid will get into any opening as provide some lubrication. It also rends to break up the rust once some movement occurs. Heat tends to break up the rust as well as expanding the metal causing some movement . Once movement begins, the broken bolt can usually be remove with some gentle persuasion.

 

[MrWhoopee]

Go buy a lottery ticket.

There's nothing worse than being given the job AFTER it's been attempted by someone else who drilled a 1/8 hole in a 1/2 bolt and then broke the smallest Easy-Out in it. Many, if not most, broken bolts can be removed by plug-welding a nut to them and backing them out. Once the Easy-Out is in there, it frequently becomes an EDM job. IMHO, Easy-Outs should only be available thru industrial suppliers, not your local hardware store.

 

[David S]

imho Easy out is an oxymoron. As mentioned sometimes you hit the jack pot, mostly not so much. The whole taper thing doesn't work for me. I try to start with the penetrating oil and a left hand drill bit. I have had lots of success with the left hand drill bit catching and pulling the stub out.

However you did a great job and it is an awesome feeling to be able to restore some old iron.

David

 

[Janderso]

Thank you David,
I have used the left hand drill bit. I have had good luck as well.
The guys in the shop never use Easy-Outs, I agree with you Mr. Whoopee.
We stock a pretty good assortment of the lefties.
I am the General Manager of a Ford Dealership.

 

[David S]

Thank you David,
I have used the left hand drill bit. I have had good luck as well.
The guys in the shop never use Easy-Outs, I agree with you Mr. Whoopee.
We stock a pretty good assortment of the lefties.
I am the General Manager of a Ford Dealership.

Ah ha then it is you that I should be talking to about a broken exhaust manifold bolt on My motor home Triton V10 engine So far no noise and only 30,000 miles on it.. SAD. Just kidding, it isn't your fault. But hate it on a low mileage engine.
David

 

[Superburban]

I have about a 60 for, 30% broken, luck with easy outs. I like the strait flute ones best.

A few things I don't get, Why do the kits not come with left hand drills? And second, why not have a tapered reamer (Also left hand cut), that matches the taper of the easy out, so the easy out will take more then a tiny bite in the bolt?

 

[benmychree]

Easy outs! Yes, an oxymoron! I was told a story by an old Navy CPO who was in charge of the machine shop on a repair ship; he said when he got assigned to the ship, he told the tool room attendant to bring him ALL the EasyOuts this was done, and the Chief took the topside and dumpen the whole box of them over the side, with the statement "from now on, we're drilling them all out"!
Personally, I think the spiral wedge type are the worst from the standpoint of breaking off, mostly I used the square tapered type. If a customer came in with a broken off one, I generally handed it back to him and refused the job.

 

[f350ca]

About the only place they work well is removing a broken off pipe nipple.

Greg

 

[dulltool17]

Easy-out-of-luck, mostly...