well, broken cam cover bolt didn't want to come out...

[ERM83]

WAY bummed out about this...if anyone remembers my post a bit back about my front cam-cover bolt snapping off into the head, I tried to get it out with a left-twist drill bit. It DID NOT want to come out. it was pretty much fused in there. now I have no freakin' idea what to do...can I re-tap it efficiently? has anyone done this? am I just screwed, and need to get a new head?? that was literally the LAST thing that I had to take care of before fully putting it back together. i'm irate, and literally lost sleep over it, haha. I just want it RUNNING!!

[BA80]

Is the head on the bike?

[ERM83]

nope...it's off. rebuilding from the cylinders up.

[BA80]

If you drilled all the way through the bolt, get an easy out in it and put some heat to the aluminum around the bolt hole. Gently work it back and forth and see if you can get it moving.

If all else fails take it to a machine shop since it's off already.

[ERM83]

If you drilled all the way through the bolt, get an easy out in it and put some heat to the aluminum around the bolt hole. Gently work it back and forth and see if you can get it moving.

If all else fails take it to a machine shop since it's off already.

yeah, i'm going to have to take it to a shop...a few of the threads got jacked up, despite being almost dead center, and VERY careful while drilling. I tried head and an easy out, and still...nothing. soaked it with plenty of penetrating oil overnight, and still failed. ahhhh, this pisses me off to no end! I have other fixes that i'm going to do (T.C.'s fuse box, new turn signal assembly, etc), but the engine obviously needs to be first...one at a time. I have my carbs ready to go, but they need to be tuned...ONCE THE DAMN THING IS RUNNING!

[BA80]

If you have a propane torch you might try some heat. I had an exhaust stud do me the same way but I kept heating it and letting it cool and repeating while working the stud and it finally gave up and came out.

[aqqus]

When I was in the navy we would have have aluminum cam lock fitting seize to iron pipe fittings. We would heat them up with a torch and sweat paraffin wax into the threads. After cooling we reheated the fitting and it would come off.

[Dbshea]

If you have a propane torch you might try some heat. I had an exhaust stud do me the same way but I kept heating it and letting it cool and repeating while working the stud and it finally gave up and came out.

Additionally, if you have the air duster in a can you could try getting the broken bolt hot and then hitting it with the can turned upside down to rapidly cool it. I'm assuming (since you've tried an easy out) that there is minimal original metal left in there. Rapid heat/cool should make it brittle enough to crack. Whack it with a small punch and use a pick to drudge out the remains. Then run a tap to try and salvage the threads?