I sheared a bolt in the bolt hole.

I was torquing transmission pan bolts after replacing the oil filter. One of the rusted bolts sheared off. Steel bolt broken in an aluminum bolt hole. If I must, I will tow the car to a shop. But if it's something a weekend mechanic can do, please advise. I was torquing to about 100 in-lbs. Thanks.

 

You should be able to use an Easy Out bolt extractor, likely to be available at your local auto parts store. If you follow the directions it works prestty well.

Good Luck

 

How close are all the bolts to each other?

This idea I'm about to present may seem 'out there', but I came up with this idea based on fixing broken areas of toilet flanges with 'spanner flanges'. You could maybe remove the bolts to either side, and then take a piece of heavy gauge metal and drill for the 2 holes on each end and span over the broken one and by tightening the thicker metal may then cause it to push adequately up against the gasket without the need for the bolt spacing to be so close.

This idea only might work, or be worth the attempt, in the right circumstances, where this would seem like the easiest solution. The theory is not bad.

Either you have to carefully drill out the steel sheered bolt starting with very thin bit to pilot it dead center and then enlarge bit sizes to finally accept extractor. Or you could continue to drill out to the full bolt diameter size and then 'chase' in a new bolt, or if you bugered up the threads go one size larger and tap out for new oversize bolt. Or try that idea of mine above.

 

Have you tried the "bolt out" device that fits in a drill? They might work as the bolt is not rusted in just broken. They only cost about $20. Got mine at Sears.

 

I will consider putting a bridge over the damaged bolt if I cannot remove broken bolt.

Since the bolt is recessed into the bolt hole, the Craftsman Bolt Out will not work in this case. I didn't know such a device exists. A good piece of information that may come handy in the future.

I was able to start a small hole. But drilling a hole into a bolt is not easy. The Black and Decker drill bit with titanium nitride coating is not cutting it. I just got a cobalt drill bit from Lowes and will try it tomorrow.

Thanks for the leads. I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.