removing bolts

Jim Pompetti

We have a Peerless boiler with 3 broken bolts in the block . Looking for new ideas to remove them. Thanls

icesailor

Bolt Removal:

I assume that the bolts you speak of are the 3/8" bolts for the tank-less cover and some broke off.  

There's two ways. The fast way and then you replace the boiler, or the slow way.

If you've never done it before and don't have any tools, you need a pack of four square screw extractors. They come in a pack of four. Cheap date. Then, you need to get some COBALT drill bits. Not "Kobalt" bits from Lowes. Auto parts stores have them. You can get an index box at HD by Ridgid. Cobalt bits are as hard as a tar road and are for drilling Stainless Steel. They don't easily dull.

Look in the screw extractor. It gives you a drill size. Make a small, carefully centered hole in the middle of a broken stud. Use oil. Measure how deep the hole is by a removed bolt hole. When you get to the end of the bolt, the drill should come free. You don't want to drill into the block and make a hole. Take a larger bit and drill through the bolt using the smaller hole as a guide. Watch where you are drilling. If the drill gats off center and is really close to the threads. don't drill another hole. I always spray a generous amount of Kroil into the hole. Do the other holes. Go back to the first one. Drive the screw extractor into the hole and slowly and carefully try to turn the broken bolt. It usually comes out. If not, try the other holes. Once you get one out, you will have developed a feel for how much pressure. The hardest one might be the last one.

Remember, the bolts are soft. If the garage breaks off a hardened exhaust stud on your car, this is what they do. And the only bits they use are Cobalt Bits. They are only slightly more than general "jobber" bits. But more than well worth the price. You can take a standard jobber bit and try to drill a hole in a stainless steel sheet. It might make a dimple before you need to throw it away. With a Cobalt bit, you can probably drill every hole you need in a piece of Stainless Steel.

If my suggestion isn't something you are after, I only post it here for anyone else who has had this exciting problem. Make sure that you use some Never-Seize compound on the new bolts so someone can get them out later. If someone had slathered them with Never-Seize when it was installed, they would probably come out with a slight tug on a 1/2" ratchet wrench.



http://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-Cobalt-14-Piece-Drill-Bit-Set-6766/202251097#customer_reviews

Robert O'Brien

The ultimate guide to coil bolts,via Keith Thomas

Hey Ron,



How you doing? Swig one while you read this.



You swiging yet?, cause I'm typing.



On a coil removal job, Put a socket on the 1st bolt head. If it does not come out EASY, move on to the next bolt head. If it does not come out EASY, move on to the next bolt head. Keep doing this until you have tried every bolt.



Excuse me, my glass is dry, be right back.



There, I'm back. Wow what a day. The day after a holiday weekend. Everybody calling for E service, and idiot me had already booked a full days work for today,



OK, So now you have some bolts that did not come out easy.



At this point I grab my 4 inch cordless angle grinder. (some guys will grab a 3 lbs hammer and pound the heads, This has never worked for me.)



Sip...OK make that 2 sips...Oh that's a good one.



Grind the heads off of the bolts. SAFETY GLASSES ARE A MUST!!!! This will throw a lot of sparks, so clear the area of combustibles.



Man I type slow...Already time for another sip.



HEY!!, Don't hit the copper coil piping with that grinder you mullet head!!



After you have all the bolt heads ground off, go out to your truck and call the local pizza delivery shop in my area and have them send over a large loaded with a 12 pack of Rolling Rock, Put it, along with a tip, on your credit card.



Hang on a minute, Gotta go out and burn a butt.



I'm back,



Now pull the coil out and set it in a 5 gallon bucket.



You should be looking at the boiler block and a bunch of studs. Take your 3 lbs. hammer and whack the studs.....Really, you call that a whack?...WHACK them studs like you mean it. At the base of the studs, right were they go into the block, you should see some flakes fall off.



Take a sip...



There you go, now take a pair of vice grips and clamp them on to the first stud, or whats left of it. .....Turns out just like it was put in yesterday does't it?



Do the same for the rest of the studs.



How does that boiler block look? Take a 16 oz. hammer and pound off all the flaky iron. Take your grinder and smooth out/touch up the block. Do the same with the coil plate.



Hold on....Man I mix a good drink...



Spray all of the bolt holes with a shot of WD-40 (I only do this to cover the double onion Italian sandwich bletch that I let out) Take your tap and ream out all of the bolt holes.



After you have the plate, the block and the holes cleaned up, spray all of the surfaces and the holes with "choke and carb cleaner. We want clean and dry surfaces.... Really, come on spray some more carb cleaner in those bolt holes, I want them clean. ( I use carb cleaner because it evaporates and dries fast)



Wow, If this post goes on much longer I am going be lit up....Sip time.



Look, this is the important part...DO NOT PUT ANY TYPE OF SILICON ON THE SURFACES!!!



Slide your coil back in with your new gasket.

Do not bother putting never seize on the new coil bolts. Really... I'm not kidding do not put never seize on your new coil bolts. If the coil gasket leaks again in the future, the water will wash the never seize out.



Coat your coil bolts with high temp silicone. Use the high temp silicone on your bolts just like you normally would use never seize.



Hey thanks Ron, The pizza guy just showed up.

icesailor

Neever-Seize:

I've used Never-Seize on diesel engines up to 15,000 HP and on every bolt and gasket on sea water chests for cooling. Never any problem with washing away. I've taken apart things that I did 40 years ago in the past that unscrewed with only enough pressure to overcome the normal torque.

It was my wrong assumption that three of the bolts had broken off, the rest were already out. If there is any decent amount left sticking out, I'd be putting the heat wrench on it and light 'em up 'til they glow. My High School Metal Shop teacher Mr. Setzler always said to put a center punch mark in the middle of the bolt so the bit doesn't wander.

You can have your Rolling Rock make believe beer. I'll take a six pack of my favorite spice craft beer ale, Grey Lady Ale. It has some body to it. Modelo Especial  Cerveza would be second.

Whatever way gets it out is the best way.