i ve been putting a tranny in my 71 skylark. i ony have a couple of hours on the weekend when i can work on it. i though i was pretty much in the home strectch, but, lucky me, as i was tightening the torque converter bolts, on of them snapped off. Does anyone know a way to get it out without having to take the whole tranny back out to drill the bolt out. it broke off pretty much flush. and i need to get this thing running asap as i dont have another car right now.
Easy Outs! First, is the bolt bottomed out tight in the converter? if so, drill a small hole into the part that's left in the converter, go slowly and use lot's of lubricant on the bit. Use the easy-out, bolt extractor or whatever you want to call it to turn the piece that is left out. Be sure you use good converter bolts!
i dont think ill have enough room to get a drill in there. i dont have one of those right angle deals for tight spaces.
Hey BuickPunk Everett Gillespie, Where is White Mills,Ky? I'am in Owensboro,Ky. You might be able to clean off any oil and grease in the area of the broken bolt (to prevent a fire) and try welding a nut to the broken bolt with a mig welder. I don't know if you know anyone with a mig or not, but this is just an idea. You need a fire watch with a fire extinguisher just incase. It would be safer if you could just take the trans back out. If your not to far away I'am willing to help out. Later, BuickPunk Brother, Jude Steele
yeah, i think ill start taking it back out today, ive had it out so many times, ive got it down to an art. i really appreciate the offer to help help, you guys on here are the best. btw, white mills is about halfway between Elizabethtown and Litchfield.
Whoa!! If you simply sheared the head off the torque converter bolt you may find that a little finesse with a small punch and hammer will allow you to "walk" it back out or maybe through the hole. Don't start getting out the welder or drill untill you try the t.l.c. approach. let us know how things go!!
i got it out, i had to drop the tranny, i couldnt get a chisel between the flexplate and torque convereter. but once i got the tranny out i easily chiseled it out.
i got the tranny back in, so now all thats left is the starter and headers, and hopefully that will all go smoothly
Thankgoodness!! I don't think any project I've done in the last four or five engines I swapped out went smoothly. Each and every one had that ONE *&^% bolt that just wouldn't cooperate and ended up with either a chisel, a drill or the "non-Specific Adjustment Tool. AKA: Hammer uzzled: Well, like they say, if it was easy, anybody could do it! Good job Buick Punk! :beer
