| Author | Message | ||
     Firebolt020283 |
I don't usually ask motorcyle related questions in the quick board but I am having an emergency and I need help or ideas with this issue. I was replacing my broke header studs and I was retapping the hole when I broke the tap off in there and I can't get it out so I was wondering if any one has any ideas cause if not I am royally screwed since my bike is my car. | ||
| Panhead_dan |
One way is to place a nut over it and mig weld the nut to the tap. Gently rotate it in and out a bit at a time till it unscrews. | ||
| Ulynut |
Those things are really hard. Forget about drilling it out while the head is still on the bike. Try to tap it out with a hammer and punch. If that doesn't work, you'll most likely have to remove the head and try dilling it with a reverse cut drill bit. | ||
| Johnnymceldoo |
First thing to try is starting the bike and letting it run to get up to operating temps. The hotter the better. This expands the hole and gives you a greater shot at turning the tap by the relief cuts with needle nose or a couple of strong dental pics,nails etc. If it doesnt budge you can try to bust it up with a small punch being very careful to only hit the tap. Sounds bad but taps are very brittle and bust up pretty easy with a hard enough punch and hammer. I use this method the most at work. | ||
| Birdy |
There is a tap remover, I had little luck with the though, But it's worth a try, the key is to "rock" the tap back and forth until you can back it out. DON'T beat on it. all you'll do and break it into pieces then it becomes a real PITA. If push come to shove the weld a nut on trick might work BUT becareful not to melt the head. Only sure fire I know is a machine shop with a EDM to "Burn" it out. I use to run one and removed more than one broken tap | ||
| Rah7777777 |
is the tap sticking out or is it recessed? If it is recessed... buy a new head. I broke the glow plug (yes, glow plug)in my old car, then broke a tap trying to get it out. Luckily the new owner had a relative who had another head to put on it. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Been there, done that, twice (long story). The trick is a bullet shaped small tungsten carbide dremel bit... and a lot of patience. You will probably go through two or three of them, depending on how much tap you have to cut out. Cut out the tap, chip out what you can, eventually it will all come out. It will throw little micro slivers of steel that will be in your palms for a month... I have done it twice, front head both times, on bike both times, successfully. First time took 8 hours of experimenting, second time I knew about the tungsten carbide bits and did it in about 3. | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
thanks now I will go look for one of those bits to get the rest of it out. I have been trying to bang it out with a punch with very limited sucess so this will be my next try. welding the nut idea would have been great but it is recessed in there so that would not be much of an option. This did however give me the chance to break some craftsman punches and needle nose pliers that I now get to take back (first time I have ever gotten to take sears up on the full life warranty) | ||
| Gregtonn |
"Only sure fire I know is a machine shop with a EDM to "Burn" it out." #1 on the list. G | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
reepicheep when you say bullet shaped is it this one?  or this one?  | ||
| Deadeye |
I would try the blunt nose one, not the tapered one. Be careful not to let the bit wander into the threads in the head, keep a firm grip. I would try and get a hole down the center first, than work out a little. Once you have a hole, try breaking it up again with a prick punch. If it won't break up, start working the hole out with the burr bit. Maybe practice a little in a piece of scrap first if you don't have much experience. If you have a third hand, you could try and have a vac close by to suck up the shavings. Good luck! | ||
| Fast1075 |
Birdy has the best solution if there is a well equipped machine shop available...but you will need to remove the head.. If you broke off a tap, it broke because it bound up...nothing this side of a miracle will "unscrew" it...you either have to grind it out (tool steel is too hard to drill), break it into pieces and take it out a piece at a time (will almost certainly destroy the head), or get another head (used will also need a valve job and the guides checked as well as having it checked for warpage)... Either pull the head and have the EDM done locally, or send it to Pammy & Wes at Cycle Rama. (Message edited by fast1075 on July 22, 2011) | ||
| Reepicheep |
What Deadeye said... the top one was what I used and it worked well. I was worried about the pointed one, because it has a small cutting point, and once it is dull, the bit is no longer useful. Maybe the bottom one would hold it's edge, but I doubt it. Drill down the center of the tap, taking your time and resting a lot. Don't get in a hurry. The tap probably has flutes, so you just have to cut the core out, then the flutes will just fall out. | ||
| D_adams |
Get one of these. http://www.newmantools.com/walton/extrtap.htm   (Message edited by d_adams on July 22, 2011) | ||
| Etennuly |
Wow, quite a variety of ideas. I'll add one. I would heat the head with a heat gun at the port area, then using a can of freon, leak a little on the offending tap. then try the grip it/break it/twist it programs listed above. | ||
| Reepicheep |
That newman tools thing is clever... I bet by the time you fill the flutes, you have a stronger piece than the original (now broken) tap so you can actually get it out. | ||
| Woody1911a1 |
try advanced auto parts , i believe they have sets of tap extractors in their collection of tools they loan out for free . cheers Woody | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
I GOT IT!!!!!!!!!!  Now I am going to have to use a heli coil in it though. I used a combination of the dremel bit like above and a flattened one (I grabbed two off the shelf and did not realize they were different until I got home) then I seen it was starting to crack so I hit it with a punch two good times and it came apart. | ||
| Etennuly |
 Excellent! | ||
| Greg_e |
Not a lot of room for a helicoil, but it should just work. Alternate would be to take the head off and have it welded, then drill and tap. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Yaay! Feels good, don't it! (except for all the metal slivers you no doubt have buried in your palm right now)... I think there is plenty of room for a heli coil in there, though I haven't had to try it. Which bit worked better? The flat tip, or the bullet tip? | ||
| Johnnymceldoo |
Story's like this are why I cut a couple of my fan brackets off so I could take the fan out fast and easily with the motor hot to give me a greater chance of not breaking off the header bolt head. Heat seems to always help with tight bolts especially in aluminum. Im not sure of any more precautionary measures you could take. | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
Today I finally have it all back together and running | ||
| Capitantem |
I love this forum! | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
Great thread. Reads like a mystery story. If I may may a small contribution, it would be to look into the Timesert. http://www.timesert.com/ I haven't used them, but they seem like a better idea than helicoils. Anyone have any experience with them? | ||
| Johnnymceldoo |
How many buell riders successfully remove the header without snapping the bolt head? | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
the first one that broke this time was not due to me trying to take it off it was due to me riding my bike with a broken front strap which was my fault. the second one was my fault i think as when i turned that bolt it snapped right off and the tap much the same. | ||
| Nillaice |
i've Removed and replaced headers on 2 XB's. both with greater than 24 hours of P-Blaster soak time on the studs and no issues | ||
| Greg_e |
I've used a lot of helicoils in aluminum and they are fine when used properly, but the Timeserts do look like they are a better solution for some things. | ||
| No_rice |
i try not to break anything when im tapping the hole. its less of a pain and your more likely to get to use the hole again. |
