Snapped Balancer bolt off in Crank...what now? - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

PMJ · 01-27-2013, 04:35 PM

I think i'm screwed. I was installing a new cam this weekend following robertway's great DIY. i also had a fried helping out who is much more experienced than me.

So we were pressing on the balancer with my ARP balancer bolt that came with my whipple kit. As i understand these are reusable. we were trying to line up the pin holes, so we pressed on a little and would have to pull it again (did this a few times). Finally everything lined up, so i torqed down to 240ft/lbs per my approximately 3 ft long tourge wrench. Seemed like we were cruising right along, until we tried to back the bolt out to put the pins in...

My experience has been you "break" the bolt free (no pun intended), and then you can pretty much remove with your fingers. As we tried to break it free, it wasn't "breaking"...it was turning, but actually getting harder to turn than pressing it on. We had to go to a longer cheater bar. I broke one 1/2" ratchet and then started on a second...I was pissed because at this point we knew the result was not going to be good. A few turns later the worst result...bolt snapped.

Below you can see how much snapped off...the ARP bolt w/the washer was the same length as the stock. No signs of thread issues on the part of the bolt that came out...about 1/2" remaining in the crank.

I'm looking for suggestions i might be able to fix this at home. Worse case, i'll have it towed to a local shop. I'm planning to drill it and try an easy out, but as hard as it was to turn before it snapped, i'm not very confident.

A second option is to remove/replace the crank...but i'm not sure that's a job i'm ready to tackle...if someone knows of a good replace your crank DIY...please post a link...

I think it's time for a beer or 12...

Unreal · 01-27-2013, 04:44 PM

Good luck. Getting that out will be hard or near impossible.

Replacing a crank means pulling the whole motor and rebuilding it. Rebalance, new bearings, etc. Might as well plan on some upgrades at that point.

POWERFREAK · 01-27-2013, 04:46 PM

Ouch, sorry. Yeah, it's time for some beer. Pretty sure i've seen another thread here before w/ the same issue...might want to do a quick search and see if there was a happy ending. But i would think drill/ez out is the only way to try and salvage it (and check/repair threads if you do get it out). Or, use it as an excuse to upgrade to forged internals

freefallin2005 · 01-27-2013, 04:53 PM

A very very good drill bit and a very very very patient person can start with a small drill bit dead center then gradually get to a bigger bit. Then if the motor gods are on your side you can just remove the outter piece of the threads

The Stig · 01-27-2013, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freefallin2005

A very very good drill bit and a very very very patient person can start with a small drill bit dead center then gradually get to a bigger bit. Then if the motor gods are on your side you can just remove the outter piece of the threads

This. Plus some praying.

2SS45th · 01-27-2013, 05:18 PM

Yep drill it out, I've had bolts get stuck in the turbo housing on my Subaru, just have to drill it out. It's a patience required process, so take your time and you should be ok. Line it up really well though, that'll be key.

Jayrcr3 · 01-27-2013, 06:50 PM

If you know someone with a lathe, have them drill out the center of a cheap bolt that you can screw into the crank. Then you can use it as a guide for the drill bit you will use to drill out what's left of the ARP bolt. The hard part is always getting the pilot hole started in the center of the hardened bolt.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

techinny · 01-27-2013, 07:28 PM

^^^^^That is an excellent idea, never thought of that.

Oxtar41 · 01-27-2013, 07:34 PM

Left handed drill bit and get a decent sized hole in it and then use a bolt extractor / easy out. Use a quality left hand bit like a snap-on or mac tools since they are cobalt bits and same for the easy out so you dont break that off in the hole. Don't use cheap craftsman or harbor freight stuff here...

Fast6.3 · 01-27-2013, 07:39 PM

be patient buy several drill bits as youre going to mess them up and use lots of wd40 as your drilling to keep things cool good luck

Oxtar41 · 01-27-2013, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fast6.3

be patient buy several drill bits as youre going to mess them up and use lots of wd40 as your drilling to keep things cool good luck

One good mac or snap-on hardened cobalt bit will work, they run about 40 bucks a bit but cut right through. You will be there for days with regular bits as that bolt is probably hardened too.

BigBlock69RS · 01-27-2013, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jayrcr3

If you know someone with a lathe, have them drill out the center of a cheap bolt that you can screw into the crank. Then you can use it as a guide for the drill bit you will use to drill out what's left of the ARP bolt. The hard part is always getting the pilot hole started in the center of the hardened bolt.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oxtar41

Left handed drill bit and get a decent sized hole in it and then use a bolt extractor / easy out. Use a quality left hand bit like a snap-on or mac tools since they are cobalt bits and same for the easy out so you dont break that off in the hole. Don't use cheap craftsman or harbor freight stuff here...

x2, go slow, take plenty of deep breaths, and take your time. Get the right tools if you don't have them. You are going to get one shot at it so make it count. If you break the drill bit or an ez-out in there then you are done.

Its not hard if you follow the above advice and take your time.

Jason P · 01-27-2013, 08:08 PM

Sorry to here that. You already have lots of great advice let us know the outcome.

maxdmax · 01-27-2013, 08:11 PM

Are you sure the bold was not longer than the factory bolt? Is there any chance the bolt bottomed out at any point? If it did it may have messed up the end of the bolt on the back of the crank and flattened the end of the bolt. Then when you started removing it the end of the bolt where it was flattened out on the end messes up the threads and the metal just piles up and then it seizes at some point. If that is not it did you run the lot in with a impact? If so it could have cross threaded and had the same issue coming out. It would be next to impossible to drill it out and ever get it re-tapped correctly with the motor in the car. I know a guy this happened to on a corvette LS3 and he ended up having the crank removed drilled and tapped to a larger size by a machine shop.

01-27-2013, 04:35 PM	#1
PMJ Seeking 9s on M6... Drives: 2012 2SS/RS LS3 aka "BlackWidow" Join Date: May 2012 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 397	Snapped Balancer bolt off in Crank...what now? I think i'm screwed. I was installing a new cam this weekend following robertway's great DIY. i also had a fried helping out who is much more experienced than me. So we were pressing on the balancer with my ARP balancer bolt that came with my whipple kit. As i understand these are reusable. we were trying to line up the pin holes, so we pressed on a little and would have to pull it again (did this a few times). Finally everything lined up, so i torqed down to 240ft/lbs per my approximately 3 ft long tourge wrench. Seemed like we were cruising right along, until we tried to back the bolt out to put the pins in... My experience has been you "break" the bolt free (no pun intended), and then you can pretty much remove with your fingers. As we tried to break it free, it wasn't "breaking"...it was turning, but actually getting harder to turn than pressing it on. We had to go to a longer cheater bar. I broke one 1/2" ratchet and then started on a second...I was pissed because at this point we knew the result was not going to be good. A few turns later the worst result...bolt snapped. Below you can see how much snapped off...the ARP bolt w/the washer was the same length as the stock. No signs of thread issues on the part of the bolt that came out...about 1/2" remaining in the crank. I'm looking for suggestions i might be able to fix this at home. Worse case, i'll have it towed to a local shop. I'm planning to drill it and try an easy out, but as hard as it was to turn before it snapped, i'm not very confident. A second option is to remove/replace the crank...but i'm not sure that's a job i'm ready to tackle...if someone knows of a good replace your crank DIY...please post a link... I think it's time for a beer or 12... Attached Images __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

01-27-2013, 04:44 PM	#2
Unreal Drives: 2006 Z06 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 5,712	Good luck. Getting that out will be hard or near impossible. Replacing a crank means pulling the whole motor and rebuilding it. Rebalance, new bearings, etc. Might as well plan on some upgrades at that point. __________________ Nick Corvette Z06 -1200ish rwhp

01-27-2013, 04:46 PM	#3
POWERFREAK I.AM. Drives: 2011 2SS/RS/A6 cammed-n-whippled Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: NY Posts: 2,638	Ouch, sorry. Yeah, it's time for some beer. Pretty sure i've seen another thread here before w/ the same issue...might want to do a quick search and see if there was a happy ending. But i would think drill/ez out is the only way to try and salvage it (and check/repair threads if you do get it out). Or, use it as an excuse to upgrade to forged internals __________________ NY5thgen.com

01-27-2013, 05:18 PM	#6
2SS45th Drives: 11 Seconds or Faster Join Date: May 2012 Location: Arvada, Colorado Posts: 2,797 View My Garage	Yep drill it out, I've had bolts get stuck in the turbo housing on my Subaru, just have to drill it out. It's a patience required process, so take your time and you should be ok. Line it up really well though, that'll be key. __________________ I Ain't About That Stock Life.

01-27-2013, 06:50 PM	#7
Jayrcr3 Drives: 2011 IOM 2SS/RS Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Chatham, Illinois Posts: 756	If you know someone with a lathe, have them drill out the center of a cheap bolt that you can screw into the crank. Then you can use it as a guide for the drill bit you will use to drill out what's left of the ARP bolt. The hard part is always getting the pilot hole started in the center of the hardened bolt. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD __________________ American Racing 1 7/8" Headers and Hi-Flow Cats, CAI cold air intake, Flowmaster AT exhaust, Vengeance Racing Stage 2 cam, VMax ported throttle body, TEA valve springs and titanium retainers, Trick Flow hardened pushrods, 180* T-stat, Comp Trunion kit, ZL1 Fuel Pump, ADM Fuel Pump Control Module, 20% window tint, Whipple Supercharger. Tuned by Mike Norris Motorsports. 656rwhp/584rwtq @10 PSI.

01-27-2013, 04:53 PM	#4
freefallin2005 Drives: 2017 rally yellow ss Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: east greenbush, new york Posts: 776 View My Garage	A very very good drill bit and a very very very patient person can start with a small drill bit dead center then gradually get to a bigger bit. Then if the motor gods are on your side you can just remove the outter piece of the threads

01-27-2013, 07:28 PM	#8
techinny Drives: '18 Sierra Denali '05 GMC 2500HD Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 1,396	^^^^^That is an excellent idea, never thought of that. __________________ Had: 2010 SS/RS M6 Hurst STS, Noweeds

01-27-2013, 07:39 PM	#10
Fast6.3 Drives: 2016 2SS coupe 2015 3LT Stingray Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: El paso texas Posts: 880 View My Garage	be patient buy several drill bits as youre going to mess them up and use lots of wd40 as your drilling to keep things cool good luck __________________ Ported intake manifold and throttle body kooks 2" headers no cats

01-27-2013, 08:08 PM	#13
Jason P Drives: 2011 2ss Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: United States Posts: 272	Sorry to here that. You already have lots of great advice let us know the outcome. __________________ 2011 2ss Ram twin plate ceramic clutch, Texas speed 418 LS3 235 /243 .621 / .624 cam, ported and polished heads with dual springs,magnum push rods, Hotchkis race pack, Stainless Power long tube headers with no cats, Magna Flo competition exhaust, lpe fuel pump, magnuson supercharger with overdrive and port matched blower plate, IW 8 rib pullies, AEM meth kit, id 850 injectors, 3 bar map, halltech cai, zl1 rear diff

01-27-2013, 08:11 PM	#14
maxdmax Drives: 2010 Camaro SS/RS Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: East KY Posts: 756 View My Garage	Are you sure the bold was not longer than the factory bolt? Is there any chance the bolt bottomed out at any point? If it did it may have messed up the end of the bolt on the back of the crank and flattened the end of the bolt. Then when you started removing it the end of the bolt where it was flattened out on the end messes up the threads and the metal just piles up and then it seizes at some point. If that is not it did you run the lot in with a impact? If so it could have cross threaded and had the same issue coming out. It would be next to impossible to drill it out and ever get it re-tapped correctly with the motor in the car. I know a guy this happened to on a corvette LS3 and he ended up having the crank removed drilled and tapped to a larger size by a machine shop. __________________ LPE 417 - TVS2300 787 RWHP 759 Torque - Built by WWW.KYSPEED.COM