4l60e broken bolts

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Took off the trans pan and broke 4 bolts! What is the easiest way to get them out?

I don't really want to have to mig a nut on upside down and near the aluminum pan rail. I did not realize the bolts that broke may have been exposed on the backside and had corrosion.

Hoping clinebarger reads this!
 
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A broken bolt is a broken bolt, it doesn't matter if its on a transmission or a lawnmower. Center punch the broken bolt and drill a small diameter hole through the center of it (center punch it first and drill straight) then work up the sizes until its almost gone then use an easy out (not the coarse spiral kind fine thread is ok).

LH drill bits would be the best option but even without its not a big deal as they are straight through not a blind hole, I do this almost daily. These are not hardened bolts and drill out easy.

Do not use these.



These are okay.



Don't use the ones you have to hammer in the pan flange is a little fragile. You can use them but it takes a bit of experience to know how hard you can hit it.
 
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Use a wire brush to de-rust the bolt tips. Then hit them with penetrating oil. If the threads are exposed on the sheared side, give them a tap with a hammer. Then if you can get a bite with vise grips, tighten the bolt just a spec. If you have the purchase to tighten, the bolt, it should back out.

My plan B is tried and true, but slow. Go buy some 1/8 bits. Easiest way to make sure you're working with a sharp bit. If you can center punch do so. Center punching the exact ctr ,isn't easy. I have found that it doesn't need to be perfect. The object is to remove the center of the bolt and not the threads. Chances are, the next pass with a 3/16 bit will do the trick. OK I'm guessing a 6 or 8 mm ( 1/4 -5/16) If the bolt is a 1/4, try a 7/32. For a 5/16, run in a 1/4" bit. If you see threads, quit, if not, go to 9/32 Next use a small screwdriver to dig what little metal is left away from the threads. By the 4th bolt you should be good at this.

Well intentioned people will urge you to use an EZ out. I urge you to be patient and deft.
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Well intentioned person here and also a pro. You need to be pretty good with a hand drill to drill a hole on your back under the car accurately enough to pick the threads out, drill press not a problem.
An easy out is fine if there is very little left and you don't use a lot of force. I agree if there is enough left to get vise grips on then sure give it a go but I assume the OP is smart enough to know that if he is changing transmission filters.
 
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Thank you sir. My eyesight is bad. I'm too cheep to use the proper EZ out. My record is 1 for 3 with the cheap ones. 2 major fails. Enough for a reptilian brain triggered flight response. When a bolt breaks it really rips and leaves a high spot. Try holding a punch on that, Blindo. To start a pilot hole, I just need a spot where I can get drill to stay put without snapping it. As the drill goes in, I gradually work it plumb and straight. as it hogs out material. 25 yrs ago, I replaced the wye pipe on a Jeep V-8. I sheared 3 outta 4 exhaust studs. I drilled them out and re-tapped in place with a hand held 3/8 drill. Once there is a 1/4" hole in the center It doesn't take much to move the remaining bolt toward the center. I learned that drilling out broken '66 Bug ball joints ages ago. I just got better from there
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They are good, the spline type is also good the only drawback is they need to be hammered in. If you have experience it not a real issue but the aluminum flange on the transmission is easily broken in you start beating on it hard enough. Break or crack that and you have a big problem.

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If you decide to break out the drill, look into getting some left hand drill bits. If you're going to be drilling it, may as well drill it the right direction.
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Sometimes the bits will bite hard enough to start turning the bolt, especially as you start stepping up in size. My experience, FWIW.
 
If you get most of it drilled out they should work okay, use a tap wrench on it. The fine threaded ones have more meat because of the shallower flutes so they are a bit stronger and they get more flutes in the broken bolt.
Like all of them except spline type they have a tendency to jam the broken part tighter in the hole as they act like a wedge if you really go to town tightening them.

Easy outs are generally better suited to removing broken bolts that broke installing not ones that broke removing due to corrosion.
If the broken bolt is slightly proud of the flange but not enough to get grips on and not flat grind it flat with a dremel or similar or a file making it easier to center punch.
 
Like Trav said.....A broken bolt is a broken bolt! Though I have great luck welding a nut to the stud & extracting it.

Just a word of caution about the two front bolt holes directly under the pump......DO NOT bottom a ease out/extractor OR a Tap into the pump sealing flange!!!! It is very thin & easy to distort.
This also applies to using to long of a replacement bolt!

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WOW thanks for that ! I don't remember off hand which bolts are broken, but i think they were on the corners.
 
The ones that usually snap are the ones which the bolt hole goes all the way through the case flange(rear of pan). Before trying to remove, I would spray some PB Blaster on the top side of those holes and allow gravity to draw it inward. I have always done this on seized pan bolts before I snapped them, they always then came out with ease.
 
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Originally Posted By: Lubener
The ones that usually snap are the ones which the bolt hole goes all the way through the case flange(rear of pan). Before trying to remove, I would spray some PB Blaster on the top side of those holes and allow gravity to draw it inward. I have always done this on seized pan bolts before I snapped them, they always then came out with ease.



I should have done that. I did not realize they were all the way through and not in the trans case body. Another lesson learned.
 
Thanks for that info clinebarger, that is close. I can see where it would not take much to ruin the case. Learn something new everyday on this forum.
 
I have to drop the exhaust to get to 2 of them. This truck has more rust than most in this area, as the previous owner had it on the beach. I don't know how you guys deal with all the rust up north!

This job is starting to suck, i have one bolt i can't get my aircat on, I am going to get a two piece universal. AAARRGGH !
 
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Originally Posted By: spasm3
i have one bolt i can't get my aircat on, I am going to get a two piece universal. AAARRGGH !


Which Aircat? Don't use a full size or even the mini gun on these bolts, I use a little 1/4 variable cordless impact driver and let them lightly "rattle out" if they don't zip right out. I am surprised you didn't take the heads off more of them.
Use hand tools working them back and forth with penetrating oil on the threads from above on the exposed ones to remove them if you don't have a small impact driver.
 
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