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Dreaded Water Pump Bolts

MarsChariot

Contributor
Planetary Offroader
Joined
Oct 12, 2004
Messages
2,469
Loc.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Gaaaa! Was doing a timing chain replacement today. Water pump-timing cover bolt snapped. Right at the block. Far passenger-side one. Looks like the far driver-side one is going to do it too. Those are small diameter bolts, too. Not looking forward to the routine. I was really hoping this time....
 

sanndmann3

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jun 13, 2007
Messages
1,774
I hear you. Can't tell you how many I snapped while pulling covers from Explorers. Not sure why its always those two...

Try using heat and penetrating oil to try and avoid breaking a 2nd one...

good luck.
 

bax

Contributor
Old Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2005
Messages
14,491
Funny thing is those bolts have sucked for 50 years. Ford never saw fit to design those problems out of the W blocks. Replace with hardened bolts and use lots of anti seize is about the best way to solve this problem.
 

56f100bbw

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Feb 3, 2008
Messages
2,286
Loc.
Tucson / lakeside AZ
Broken bolt I like

That’s how I got my last bronco 10 years ago the Original owner shop class teacher in Huntington Beach and he broke a bolt off in the water pump parked it never did anything with it and gave it to me in 2006 for a buck so I like broken bolts sometimes . Same paint just changed the wheels he also a long time friend
 

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73azbronco

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 11, 2007
Messages
7,796
Sometimes if you think your gonna snap it either way, and no other option, try tightening it and loosening it a tad, after of course heat, PB blaster, etc.
 

bronkenn

Contributor
Bronco Guy
Joined
Apr 27, 2017
Messages
2,662
Loc.
Southeast Ohio
Try using an impact gun and just run it back and forth a little at a time and they will usually break free. Go easy. Ken
 

langester

Contributor
MASTER OF MADNESS
Joined
Mar 2, 2013
Messages
2,660
x2 on an impact. Those small impact drivers that carpenters use work great as well if you don't have a compressor.
 

ENDLIFE

Sr. Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2011
Messages
453
I like the old guy tip I learned when I was about 20is of using a Dremel tool and the bolt extractor combo. Last time I had to get a bolt out was someone that sold me a Weiand Stealth manifold for a giveaway price, and the only thing wrong was a snapped water neck bolts the guy couldn't get out. Just use the Dremel to grind a pit in the center of the broken bolt, use the left-hand drill bit to drill a hole for the extractor, and most of the time the drill bit will get the bolt out. Keeping it simple cost so much less in frustration, and sometimes cost way less on the bank account.

Good luck
 

centex77

Full Member
Joined
Oct 31, 2017
Messages
183
50/50 trans fluid and acetone. Amazing penetrant. Never had anything I couldn’t loosen with that stuff. Including 40yr rusted bolts.
 
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MarsChariot

MarsChariot

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Planetary Offroader
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Oct 12, 2004
Messages
2,469
Loc.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
I have always used Liquid Wrench, which pre-dates this PB Blaster stuff that seems to be all the rage these days. Liquid Wrench is rated at twice the penetrating action of PB Blaster and just under Kroil. WD-40 is rated just a little better than plain oil. The power of marketing or something here.

I managed to get the second bolt out with the back and forth routine. I figured a lot of time spent doing that was a lot better than even more lots of time drilling out another bolt! The problem with the first bolt was that it was so solid that the first serious attempt to get even a little movement snapped it right off. Now on to the rest of the operation. What surprises await?
 

Jdgephar

Bronco Guru
Joined
Sep 25, 2012
Messages
1,318
It's the steel and aluminum in contact. It galvanically corrodes. I had to take the whole cover off on my '94 to get the rest of the bolt loose and out of the block. Once the cover was off, the last piece came out by hand.
 

charlie6976

Sr. Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
404
Loc.
Grand Coulee WA
I hear you. Can't tell you how many I snapped while pulling covers from Explorers. Not sure why its always those two...

Try using heat and penetrating oil to try and avoid breaking a 2nd one...

good luck.

...could it be " always those two..." penetrate a water cavity and have to be sealed?
 

bmc69

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Jun 11, 2004
Messages
11,852
It's the steel and aluminum in contact. It galvanically corrodes. I had to take the whole cover off on my '94 to get the rest of the bolt loose and out of the block. Once the cover was off, the last piece came out by hand.

We keep Tefgel in the shop for using on all the stainless fasteners in our various marine equipment products. Of course it finds its way in to my engine builds too;)
 

red hot71

Sr. Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2009
Messages
648
Loc.
kent wash.
If the broken stud is sticking out 1/4", place a brass washer against the block and then a 3/8' nut then weld on. 3 out 4 times they turn right out
 
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MarsChariot

MarsChariot

Contributor
Planetary Offroader
Joined
Oct 12, 2004
Messages
2,469
Loc.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
There is about a half inch of threads on the bolt, so I suspect the rest is in the block. Will not know until next week end as I am out of town until then. This is the way these projects always go: Get deep into it and then, wait! you have to do something else for several days. By the time you get back, you have to remind yourself what the heck the project was anyway.
Looks like I will probably have to do the reverse drill bit routine.
 
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