I should know better
I should know better, I really should. I’m speaking of my commenting about how well a particular item is working or how easy something should be. Rebecca knows what ill typically befalls us when I speak in this manner and usually stops me. She did let the following sentence slip into yesterday’s post though:
we should hopefully have a bit easier time with this one
Well, we did have an easier time with most of the procedure but as we sit here, enjoying our morning coffee, our port engine is still lying sideways, occupying the majority of our cockpit while tools take up the remainder of our salon’s living space. What went wrong? One tiny little bolt. Specifically, the bolt that sheared off when I tried to replace the zinc.
This does NOT belong here.
Although the starboard (broken) bolt came out with little fuss, this one is much more adamant about staying put. Like the other one, after breaking off the zinc, I have a small piece of the bolt that I can get pliers on. Can I turn it though? Nope. We have literally drowned that bolt in PB Blaster and other penetrating lubricants but up to this point, it’s had no effect. We finally had to pull the plug on trying because we had both a birthday party to attend (Happy Birthday Bob) and a Hash to go to. Damn those social commitments.
The traditional clean pre-hashing photo.
The birthday boy gets a hash name.
Today I’m going to break out the heat. Literally. I was reminded yesterday that applying some heat to the bolt might help to break it free. Once again, my fingers are crossed. I need to get this bolt out before we can put the engine back in and I’d really like to get that done today because carnival starts at 0-dark-30 tomorrow morning. Yes, more social commitments.
Try Corrosion X. You can get it from aviation supply places.
Deb
S/V Kintala
http://www.theretirementproject.blogspot.com
That was the other stuff I used.
Machinist’s Workshop magazine actually tested penetrants for break-out torque on rusted nuts. Significant results! They are below, as forwarded by an ex-student and professional machinist, Bud Baker.
They arranged a subjective test of all the popular penetrants with the control being the torque required to remove the nut from a “scientifically rusted” environment.
Penetrating oil ….. Average load*
None …………………516 pounds
WD-40 ……………… 238 pounds
PB Blaster ………….214 pounds
Liquid Wrench …… 127 pounds
Kano Kroil ………… 106 pounds
ATF-Acetone mix….53 pounds
The ATF-Acetone mix was a “home brew” mix of 50 – 50 automatic transmission fluid and acetone. Note the “home brew” was better than any commercial product in this one particular test.
Interesting. I just happen to have some liquid wrench. I just sprayed some on it.
Keep in mind though that ATF is highly corrosive.
Not much risk here as I don’t know what ATF is (other than bureau of alcohol, tobacco and firearms).
hmmm….do you have one of those bits that would let you drill it out?
I learned my “I should know” lesson when I posted about our great refrigeration system on a forum. :p
Mike
I don’t but I could acquire one. Because there is still a piece of the bolt remaining, I think I’ll continue along this path until it breaks off. Then I’ll be forced to resort to trying an extractor bit.
you can use an “easy out” to take the broken bolt out.. you drill a hole into the bolt (steady hand) then you insert the easy out and it has reverse threads on it, then with some luck you can back the bolt out…. just a thought !!!
If ever there was a product name that was an oxymoron, Easy Out is it!
Mike have you tried to use an easy-out? You size a small drill bit (may take more than one as they heat up and break) and then an easy-out tap? You put the easy-out in the drilled hole and it will grab the bolt from the inside and you put a T-handle wench on it and back it out with the broken bolt. I use to use that at work on runway centerline lights in Okinawa Japan in the 70’s I’m sure you already know this and its your next move…..
See reply to comment above.
If you’re going to apply heat to attempt to break the bolt free, you will want to apply head to the metal around the bolt rather than the bolt it self.
Heat will cause whatever you apply it to, to expand. If you heat the bolt itself you’ll really cause it to swell. That may break it free after it expands and contracts but probably not. If the surrounding metal is heated it will expand and give the bolt a smidge of extra clearance. Keep in mind when you heat a nut and bolt to break it free, you almost always heat the nut. The female portion of the fastener.
Also to apply enough heat to stainless steel, you’d probably need more than a propane torch. In my experience it generally takes Acetylene, which I really HOPE you don’t have on board.
I second Terry And Lee’s calls for an Easy Out. A word of caution though. If you break the easy out, you are in real real trouble. Ask my how I know…. But if you take your time and are careful with it, the easy out will extract the pesky bolt.
After hours of working to extract that bolt, we came up with an alternate solution.
Bought a new motor? 🙂
Nope. New holes.
I have found that working on the boat explands my vocabulary wonderfully. Not, however, with polite words! I now know cuss words in several different languages! And I have donated more than my share of tools and boat parts to Mother Erie, usually the ONLY one I have after the stores are closed! This leads to more vocabulary words. 🙂
🙂