Hey, I posted this in the 5.0 tech forum, but I realize now that it might not be the best place for it. I am replacing my water pump and have broken one bolt, and have another that I know will break ifI really crank it. I was hoping some of you guys could share your tricks for getting stuck bolts/broken off bolts free.

 

I think you had the right forum, but anyway, I am going to assume that you have let some penetrating oil sit forwhile. Have you tried to tap the bolt as you turn it? If you break them off, you might be able to cut them and getan extractor in there to remove whats left. I just hate to have to see you drill and tap.

 

I have tapped and left liquid wrench on it. The problem is that the penetrating oil cannot reach the threads, as they are all the way down inside the engine block. Its a big, long, 20 year old bolt.

 

use heat!!!! works well

 

+1 on the heat it may be able help. also could try backing the bolt off till it gets tight then go the other way and just go back and forth with it. sometimes that works aswell.

 

Unfortunately, I have no play at all with it, seems all im doing when I crank on it with a wrench is twisting the bolt itself, probably due to how long it is. Ugh, my mechanic is going to give me SO much **** for this if I have to bring it to him.

 

its a comon issue. don't beat yourself up over it. those water pump bolts are known for being stuck and breaking off.

 

Yeah, it seems like an engineering flaw on ford's part to have such a long bolt be so thin, but my mechanic is one of those "Don't try to be a mechanic unless you are one, it just makes more work for me" kind of guys...

 

trust me on this that bolt would have broken on him as well.

 

Hey guys, thanks for your help, im going to try to get em free myself by taking the timing chain cover off and using the heat/cool method, if all else fails, I can still take it to the mechanic.