• Welcome to ClassicBroncos! - You are currently viewing the forums as a GUEST. To take advantage of all the site features, please take a moment to register. It's fast, simple and absolutely free. So please join our community today!
    If you have problems registering or can't log into your account, please contact Admin.

Broken tap help

demesauce

Sr. Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2012
Messages
401
Loc.
Shaver Lake, CA
So, I was replacing my intake the other day (more like a month ago). 2 bolts broke off in the process, luckily 1 was easy to remove. I was able to drill second one out, but as I was re-tapping the hole, the freaking tap snapped off, in a bad way. There was no material above the surface, in fact there are a few cm between the surface of the head and the top of the broken tap. I think my only option is to slowly drill away at the tap. I have gone through drill bit after drill bit with little to no improvement.

My question to the forum: any tips or tricks to remove a broken tap? Special/different drill bits? I heard small masonry bits may work. I have been using cobalt to try to cut through the hardened steel.

All this just to install a FiTech..... Better be worth it
 

Readhead

Full Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2018
Messages
155
They do sell tap extractors I have had some luck which them I will attach a pic
 

Attachments

  • E8CA6659-93AE-4E23-934D-C74B8D14A274.jpg
    E8CA6659-93AE-4E23-934D-C74B8D14A274.jpg
    66.1 KB · Views: 102
  • C4886C38-9083-4AFD-8E46-3BAD673BEA45.jpg
    C4886C38-9083-4AFD-8E46-3BAD673BEA45.jpg
    66.1 KB · Views: 47

Bronco4x4

Sr. Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2009
Messages
598
You have to count the flutes on the tap and order the correct extractor type. If this doesn't work use a solid carbide drill bit. Be careful. >> very brittle and wear safety glasses.
 

B RON CO

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Jun 29, 2016
Messages
2,412
Loc.
Statesville, NC
Hi, I've seen the Wilton tap extractors and they are expensive.
I think a carbide grinding butt in a high speed die grinder will work.
Good luck
 

tirewater

Contributor
Sr. Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2011
Messages
1,040
Loc.
San Francisco Bay Area
Use carbide drill bits. Cobalt drill bits will quickly dull and be useless in a matter of seconds. Keep lubricated, and blow away chips as they store quite a bit of heat which will cause problems.

If you want to tempt fate, use an easy out...the biggest that will fit. Of course you run the risk of breaking that as well.


So, I was replacing my intake the other day (more like a month ago). 2 bolts broke off in the process, luckily 1 was easy to remove. I was able to drill second one out, but as I was re-tapping the hole, the freaking tap snapped off, in a bad way. There was no material above the surface, in fact there are a few cm between the surface of the head and the top of the broken tap. I think my only option is to slowly drill away at the tap. I have gone through drill bit after drill bit with little to no improvement.

My question to the forum: any tips or tricks to remove a broken tap? Special/different drill bits? I heard small masonry bits may work. I have been using cobalt to try to cut through the hardened steel.

All this just to install a FiTech..... Better be worth it
 
OP
OP
demesauce

demesauce

Sr. Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2012
Messages
401
Loc.
Shaver Lake, CA
Thank you guys for all the info. I think I'm finally getting me re-motivated to try to remove this tap.
 
Last edited:

Rustytruck

Bronco Guru
Joined
Feb 24, 2002
Messages
10,875
Take the broken tap and with a cut off wheel and cut down the center of the tap to mak fingers that fit in the flute of the broken tap and back it out if it is not stuck too bad. If that doesnt work get a dremel with a small carbide burr and bore the center of the tap out. Most of the time works better if you use a sall diameter grinding bit. If it wasnt a intake bolt you can use a center punch and fracture the tap and dig it out with a pick piece by piece. With the head the intake bolts are too close to the edge and hammering on it will break the head. What ever you do drilling a tap is a looser. Just dont do it. The head will drill and the tap wont and your screwed.
 

Crawdad

Bronco Guru
Joined
Feb 16, 2011
Messages
3,635
I’d use a carbide bit and a pencil grinder. Get some good hearing protection and good googles that won’t fog up. Grind away. I break ez outs and the only way is a carbide bit and a lot of spare time. A good magnet is good to have by unless you like sharp pieces (FOD) sticking to ur clothes only to be washed with other clothes. I’m a machinist in the AF and I remove tons of stuck screws.
 

Howard2x4x4

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Apr 19, 2014
Messages
2,278
Happened to me today! I was going to start a new thread called "Kool Tool" 'cause I didn't know these things existed! I was using a 1/4 -20 tap into a SS and zinc grill piece and the bugger snapped! "Hecky-darn" I said, and then I thought now what? Well, I had just been to Lamb Industrial in Holyland to pick up some drill bits, so I went back to see if they had some over my budget drill bits that would cut into a tap, and yeah, they had an 1/8 carbide @ $17, AND they had a tap extractor @ $9. I bought both and the tap extractor worked really slick, almost made me want to crack off another one. I fought the urge. Good luck!
 

Attachments

  • 20181023_152225.jpg
    20181023_152225.jpg
    61.4 KB · Views: 51
  • 20181023_153546.jpg
    20181023_153546.jpg
    60.6 KB · Views: 52
  • 20181023_155035.jpg
    20181023_155035.jpg
    53.2 KB · Views: 51

bronkenn

Contributor
Bronco Guy
Joined
Apr 27, 2017
Messages
2,662
Loc.
Southeast Ohio
Happened to me today! I was going to start a new thread called "Kool Tool" 'cause I didn't know these things existed! I was using a 1/4 -20 tap into a SS and zinc grill piece and the bugger snapped! "Hecky-darn" I said, and then I thought now what? Well, I had just been to Lamb Industrial in Holyland to pick up some drill bits, so I went back to see if they had some over my budget drill bits that would cut into a tap, and yeah, they had an 1/8 carbide @ $17, AND they had a tap extractor @ $9. I bought both and the tap extractor worked really slick, almost made me want to crack off another one. I fought the urge. Good luck!

Golly geeze! That looks like a dandy tool Howard. And it worked.
 

Howard2x4x4

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Apr 19, 2014
Messages
2,278
Worked really slick, Ken! I did a little more than the story sez, like using a Dremel to clean up burrs at entrance and exit points, and a drop of Marvel Mystery Oil, but it was pretty much a piece of cake! One piece of advice that truly manly macho men mechanics don't often heed is, "Finesse, not force."
 
OP
OP
demesauce

demesauce

Sr. Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2012
Messages
401
Loc.
Shaver Lake, CA
Thanks guys I was finally able to drill it out with my SDS rotary impact hammer. Normal impact driver wasn't doing the trick
 
Top