Snapped long bolt in gearbox-suggestions?

Hi, was disassembling my gearbox to replace the output shaft when this long bolt snapped. Already tried with a vice grips and penetrating fluid but no luck. I have a butane torch thingy which I could use to heat the area up, but I am worried I could damage/warp the gearbox by heating too much. What are your suggestions?


I guess this is the reason why I could not find a single mechanic to change my clutch past 6 months :frowning: sorry bud

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Weld a nut onto it … turning it back into a bolt … just make sure the nut is already a tight fit and that you can still get a spanner onto it … would be my first thought

Like this weld nut onto end of broken bolt

video

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I’m seeing the spot where the bolt has rusted/corroded itself into the gearbox. And it would be very difficult to get line of sight to tap the bolt in order to loosen the threads from the seizure.
Have you been slathering it with penetrating oil? (something like “deep creep” or …)

I think the suggestion to weld on a nut is an excellent one. An arc welder might give you localized enough heat to avoid damaging the gearbox itself.

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You’re gonna have to be super patient with that to avoid damage. When you say snapped do you mean the head has rounded on the bolt?

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Thanks for the replies everyone, I will try your suggestions.

The head of the bolt (where I put on the socket) snapped off.

Make sure when you are trying to loosen it again go back and forth, tighten then loosen to break the debris free from the threads. Most people just try to force it out and thats why they break. Any bolt that is tight just go back the other direction 1/16 or 1/4 turn and then loosen it again.

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Hi!

Sometimes I have used a small scarf tool with a hammer to get a mark in the rest of the metal of the screw, deep enough for use the tip of a flat screwdriver to pry off.

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The exhaust stud on my firebird was snapped a while back, so I dried it out and re-tapped the thread. If your unsuccessful in removing it, grind smooth any exposed part you can so that you can drill a pilot hole in the center of the bolt with the smallest drill bit you can and continue to step up the drillbits until the hole is the same diameter as the bolt, then chase it with a tap that has the same thread.

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Alternatively you can hear up the threaded area till its good and hot, then apply a candle to the thread and it will lubricate the thread as it works itself into the space between the thread. Then immediately with a pair of vise grip players, turn the remaining part of the bolt if you have enough shift to grip. This is a common method used in exhaust manifold bolts.

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