I'm working on a tecumseh HHM80 i broke the muffler bolts got one out with a easyout the other i broke the easyout in the bolt any suggestions how to get the easyout out? (its hardened) thanks....chris....

well that could be very hard to do but, ask another ?

Not sure if you can get a pair of visegrips on the broken ease out or not. I would saturate it with liquid wrench a few times every day for a couple days and then try again, if no luck try using heat. If you cant get visegrips on the broken ease out then I'd say it is not coming out. Does the tecumseh have a 1/2" NPT threaded hole for a muffler like a briggs, if so use the screw type muffler.

yes they do i have a screw in type muffler in now but when i take the engine off again im going to try to get it out...... thanks chris......

I was anxiously awaiting to see if anyone had a silver bullet for this one and it doesn't appear anyone does. I had literally the exact same thing happen. The obvious problem is that once you have a broken easy-out in the hole, you can't drill it out. My solution was not pretty, but it did work. I ended up drilling a number of holes around the easy-out and finally was able to get it out(this was ugly and difficult!!!). Then, I brazed where I had done all the drilling, re-drilled and tapped a new hole. Let me tell you straight up that it's a royal pain to do any type of welding or brazing on the block for 2 reasons. First, is that cast iron is difficult to weld(mine was an older Tecumseh motor) and second, the block acts like a huge heat sink and it's tuff to get it hot enough. That why I settled for brazing. (I didn't try stick welding it 'cause I didn't have easy access to the proper rod for cast iron at the time!)

I've just always had bad luck with easy-outs and I've busted more than one off in the middle of that busted bolt and ended up being very disappointed that I didn't just drill it out in the first place! I have multiple types of easy-outs as well and I've not been very lucky with any of them! It's tuff trying to drill out hardened tool steel. Could be just me as I'm sure many folks have been successful using them.

The BIG lesson I learned here was that I would NEVER use easy-outs again! I've had busted bolts come up since then and I ALWAYS drill them out using successively larger bits and try to use the same size tap to clear the threads. If I have to go a size bigger, so be it. Depending on the application, I make a decision about using a helicoil.

Good luck!

Try using a left handed drill bit. As you drill the heat will lossen the bolt and usualy come out by the time you drill through.

Good luck. (forget the easy out)

RKDOC, that is an absolutely outstanding suggestion. You really can teach old dogs new tricks!!!

I own a 'kabillion' drill bits of all flavors and denominations....EXCEPT left handed ones. As one who fully supports the notion that "He who dies with the most tools, wins", I'll give you one guess what I'll be doing shortly!

Look what I found after a brief bit of Googling....(note the text and its reference to drilling out broken bolts!!!!! nix the extractor though!)

http://www.mytoolstore.com/hanson/hanson.html

Bravo! Thanks for the great suggestion and soon to be addition to my repertoire :thumbsup:

thanks for the sugestions RKDOC + dawgpile next time i have a broken bolt i'll try them also thanks for the link on left hand drills i might get a set but the only thing my drill press dont go in reverse? ....chris....

No body likes this chore but it's do or die sometimes. I've had to do to many of them when I worked on the engine repair line. First I let it soak with air craft instrument oil or some very good penetrating oil and keep resoaking it every few hours in the mean time take a punch if it's deep or if it's sticking out give it a good rap with a hammer to jar the threads loose and soak it some more. Let set over night and let the penetrating oil work for you.

And Just for good measures I smacked it again with a hammer to jar the treads and hopefully work the rust out. Just remember the little easy outs will not take too much torque to bust it and if you don't know how much it will to take - well crank one up in a vise and bust it and it will give you a idea before you start. Now here's the little trick to help a lot after I drill - heat the area with a torch of some type and give her a shot with the easy out

If the easy out is cheap your in for a bad show. If I feel the easy out is going to it's limits then I drill to the next size size easy out - if there is room the next size is tapered enough to get down in there and hopefull grip. The more metal you can drill out the better off your team is and it may come out easier. If not well if you can get it thin enough usally you can pick the threads out with a small sharp screwdriver. If all else fails drill and tap to the next size if the area will stand it.

Threw A Rod

Get your reverse drill bits from Northern tool. you can get a set of 29 bits, in a case, in 1/16 increments for $36 plus shipping. item #150273-1806 or 150272-1806 for the 15 piece set. just bought a set to replace my stolen :( ones.

astound & amaze your freinds, charge big bucks or beer money for doing in minuets, what may take them days, hours, or cause them to junk the machine (offer them $5 to haul it away, <Snicker>)

--Lucky

I did this once and I used a tool (not sure what it is called) but it is a screw driver that you hit with a hammer. When you hit with a hammer it turns the screw driver. I did this on the broken easyout and the easyout came out after a few hits.

That's called an 'impact driver' and I too have considered using them for this situation. It all depends on whether you have anything to 'bite' on with the driver. I have mainly used my impact driver to get out phillips head screws that are frozen. They are quite effective when they have something to grip.