Ok so I think I screwed up pretty good. I had one of the small, old water pump bolts break off inside the block. After trying to extract it with everything from the Grabit bolt extractor (which broke off inside the bolt) to left handed drill bits....nothing. So I descided to just drill the damn thing out, but while drilling and oiling, I didnt realize I went pretty far into the engine block itself. So now I have a deep, oblong hole and I dont know what to do. Is it possible to fill the hole up with a MIG welder and redrill and tap the threads? Or would JB Weld be strong enough to hold the bolt in there. PLEASE HELP! I'm a moron!!

 

The smaller diameter bolts do not go into the block. They only go into the water pump backing plate and are easy to strip as the threads are few and the factory bolts at least on earlier cars were sorta triangular and not round. They should always be snugged with a hand driver after the other larger bolds are tightened. So if indeed the problem is with the smaller bolts the best thing to do is remove the backing plate and install a new one or you could repair it in a number of ways from behind while off the engine.

 

weld material is also very difficult to tap, I would not try it.

 

No the bolt is not one of the smaller ones that just go into the backer. It is one of the ones that is on the outer perimeter of the timing chain opening, definetly in the block.

 

Try tapping what you've already got drilled. If you have to go up a size or 2 in bolts, you can just drill out the water pump hole a little bigger.

 

Have you looked into using a Heli Coil type thread repair insert? Should work if the hole isn't too potchkeyed up and it is feasible.

They will bring it back to specs and be stronger than any tapped thread. I have used them before and never had one fail. Stronger than any tapped thread too, guys replace good threads with them for more strength.

Just for reference I found a site the guy is demonstrating how to use one on an Olds aluminum block, but they work in steel just as well.

http://www.veryuseful.com/GM/tech/heliCoilInstall/.

Allan

 

yes! very true! a weld is almost always stronger than what its welded to.

 

First, let's all be clear on this. Are you talking about one of the 5/16" bolts that threads into the front cover? If so, as others have noted, this is a sheet metal timing chain cover, not the block. How far did you drill, exactly? The timing chain and cam gear are right behind this cover. At this point, your best bet is to pull the balancer, remove the front cover, and inspect the timing gear. Of course at that point, you MIGHTASWELL put a new chain and gears on if the engine has anything over about 80,000 miles on it. Get a new front cover and button it all back up.

If you really are talking about a tapped hole in the block, well, then have a helicoil installed.

 

Yes I already have everthing pulled off, plus I have a new timing set waiting in the wings for when I get this fixed. I had ground the bolt down to the block, the problem was that when it broke off, it borke at a very steep angle, if that makes sense. There was about an 8th of the left side of the bolt above the face of the block, and the rightwas about an 8th inside the block, so I ground it the best I could, and used every extractor under the sun, no go. I guess heli coil it is!

 

Just wanted to update the post. I welded up the hole in my block with my Harbor Frieght Cheepo MIG, and with the exception of starting the piece of oily cardboard I had under the engine ablaze, it went smoothly. I ground it smooth, drilled the hole, and tapped it all within a half an hour. This is after spending weeks, and a bunch of money, trying to use extracting devices, ect. I got a new bolt, and test fit everything back together, and its 100% (well maybe 95.2%) but it will still work.

 

Good news, I'm glad ya got there

Now would you mind going over to "Motor City" to csouth's place and opening up his trunk, He's about to drive me to drink [And it's a short trip]

 

Glad you gotta her fixed.