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Broken bolt in radiator

do I need help

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Jim M (RI)

04-24-2003 10:27:39

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My first total restoration project ('46 B hand start)came to a screeching halt last nite. I have the radiator off and apart to replace the core. Most of the bolts/nuts came apart with a little help from the smoke wrench but about 5 of the bolts on the top piece broke off. Only one was extended enough to get out with the smoker and vice grips, so I started to drill them out. The first one I tried, I drilled through a couple of times then tried to use a sears easy-out. You guessed it, I broke IT off and now have a holy mess. I've tried heating it some more and using a cold chisel to turn the bolt but can't get it to move. I'm afraid to heat the cast iron too hot for fear of cracking/breaking. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Jim

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CJDave

04-24-2003 14:10:31

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Re: broken bolt in radiator - do I need help in reply to Jim M (RI), 04-24-2003 10:27:39

Jim..... I wish I had one buck for every sad-faced farmer or tractor guy who came into our machine shop with a radiator that was loaded with twisted off bolts. Usually there were a couple of drill bits and maybe a tap broken off in a few of the bolts and the whole situation had reach an emotional low point. What we did ....over and over....was take the radiator into our welding area and using the WIRE FEED WELDER, we welded nuts on each of the broken stubs....even the ones that had his best tap broken off in them. We used LOTS of heat so the bolt fragments were cherry red when we finished welding. THEN we went to another job and just let the radiator sit there....for HOURS...until the bolts had shrunk back FARTHER THAN THEY WERE.....and that is the key to it..... .waiting for the shrinkage to take effect and separate the thread from the sides of the tapped hole..... ....and then we carefully took them out using a box-end wrench. We had a five-gallon bucket we tossed the "trophies" into that was in the corner of the welding shop. We NEVER had to back away from a broken off bolt. We had to weld nuts on some of them a couple of times, but like Sgt. Preston of the Yukon, we always got our man!

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john

04-25-2003 16:42:40

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Re: Re: broken bolt in radiator - do I need help in reply to CJDave, 04-24-2003 14:10:31

i probably read this on computer some where and have tried it and it helps. heat up the puppy and apply gelatin stick to it while hot the gel runs in and helps lub the threads so they come out easier.

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Lee

04-24-2003 20:00:10

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Re: Re: broken bolt in radiator - do I need help in reply to CJDave, 04-24-2003 14:10:31

To take CJDave's advice right on out to the edge, I've done both a 43 A and an LA Case's radiator with multiple twisted off bolts using just the smoke wrench. Get the remains red hot and starting to puddle good, add rod till you got enough to get a full grip with vise grip pliers, and shut off smoke wrench. When it cools past dull red get on the welded up part with the vise grips and start to turn back and forth - NEVER back out right away. As it cools more you will find more slack in the back and forth swing, when you got enough to make one full turn, try it but go back if it gets too tight. Eventually you can work it all the way out. I too can report 100% success with no 'errors'.

I'll never even try to drill one out now....

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Vern-MI

04-24-2003 14:57:20

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Re: Re: broken bolt in radiator - do I need help in reply to CJDave, 04-24-2003 14:10:31

CJDave's solution is right on. I have used that method to remove stuck and rusted pipes from the water well operators head. The trick is to heat it thouroughly and then walk away and wait while it cools and shrinks. I wait until the next day. Generally the pipe will unscrew by hand. Works great.

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CJDave

04-24-2003 14:08:04

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Re: broken bolt in radiator - do I need help in reply to Jim M (RI), 04-24-2003 10:27:39

Jim..... I wish I had one buck for every sad-faced farmer or tractor guy who came into our machine shop with a radiator that was loaded with twisted off bolts. Usually there were a couple of drill bits and maybe a tap broken off in a few of the bolts and the whole situation had reach an emotional low point. What we did ....over and over....was take the radiator into our welding area and using the WIRE FEED WELDER, we welded nuts on each of the broken stubs....even the ones that had his best tap broken off in them. We used LOTS of heat so the bolt fragments were cherry red when we finished welding. THEN we went to another job and just let the radiator sit there....for HOURS...until the bolts had shrunk back FARTHER THAN THEY WERE.....and that is the key to it..... .and then we carefully took them out using a box-end wrench. We had a five-gallon bucket we tossed the "trophies" into that was in the corner of the welding shop. We NEVER had to back away from a broken off bolt. We had to weld nuts on some of them a couple of times, but like Sgt. Preston of the Yukon, we always got our man!

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F-I-T

04-24-2003 10:47:14

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Re: broken bolt in radiator - do I need help in reply to Jim M (RI), 04-24-2003 10:27:39

Jim:

I had similar problems on radiator tanks before. If you move the heat around the tank so that the whole thing has the chill off of it, you can heat a particular area red hot. The key is to not let part of it be cool. I don't like to cold shock it with water or ice. Some folks do that but I don't.

If you can get the bolt area red hot, then let it cool slowly, you might draw some of the temper out of the bolt fragment. Then it should drill easier. It will probably soften the easy out too. You may have to do this more than one time to get it to both soften and break free of it's rust.

Take your time. As it goes from hot to no color, you can try adding some oil. As it cools down, the oil might get drawn into the threads.

Frank-in-Tallahassee
70D // 855

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