SJ upper starter bolt broken options

LBE

Eddie Would Go.
Location
Charlotte, NC
Upper starter bolt broke off in case. I drilled it out (mostly) and then ran a tap through it. When I was backingout the tap, the tap broke off in the case. :lightning:
The tap is solid, I have ruined several drill bits trying to drill through it. I tried a couple dremel bits, but the tap is made of the hardest substance known to man.
Looking for options/opinions.

I hate to run the starter with only the lower bolt, but this thing is not moving.
 

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stanton

High on jetskis.
Location
atascadero,ca
get a harder drill duh.. carbide! or a hardcut drill.
most likely its just hss, so you should be able to grind it out(slowly)

hand tapping 101:ALWAYS use cutting fluid, NOT wd40, a real metal cutting specific oil. when feeding the tap you want to go in at 1 to 1/4 turn at a time, then back out a 1/2 to 1 turn. breaking the chip will let the tap cut freely because its not pushing a ball of metal in a tight space. you need to go slower when backing the tap out, most likely it got bound up on a peice of the tap, bolt, or chips. you have to be super careful when the part your tapping is heavy enough to not move before the tap breaks.
when a tap gets broken in my shop the part is usually scrapped, very easy to do with a 0-80 or 2-56! how you broke that big motha i have no idea, you must have really been tourqing on it!
 
grab a propane torch and heat the bolt hole up.Get it hot as poss and you will be able to work it out...
The aluminum of the case will expand faster than the tap will...
If that dont work then you will need to get a carbid drill bit and use that..
Try and get a good set of taps that wont break
 
Last edited:

Matt_E

steals hub caps from cars
Site Supporter
Location
at peace
Take it to a machine shop. They WILL get it out.

Or, get new cases.

I wouldnt run it with one bolt. The starter will twist and start ********ing things up.
 
The exact same thing happened to me a couple of months ago. I spent a day and a half trying to drill out the extractor without luck. I decided to run it with only the bottom bolt and test my luck until the end of the season when I would have plenty of time to fix it and it has held up fine so far.

I don't think that very much torsion from firing the starter will translate into the missing bolt since the o-ring connection into the case is so tight and the one remaining bolt keeps it aligned.

I think you should run it with one bolt for now and fix it as soon as you have the time.
 
Q

QuickMick

Guest
get a harder drill duh.. carbide! or a hardcut drill.
most likely its just hss, so you should be able to grind it out(slowly)

hand tapping 101:ALWAYS use cutting fluid, NOT wd40, a real metal cutting specific oil. when feeding the tap you want to go in at 1 to 1/4 turn at a time, then back out a 1/2 to 1 turn. breaking the chip will let the tap cut freely because its not pushing a ball of metal in a tight space. you need to go slower when backing the tap out, most likely it got bound up on a peice of the tap, bolt, or chips. you have to be super careful when the part your tapping is heavy enough to not move before the tap breaks.
when a tap gets broken in my shop the part is usually scrapped, very easy to do with a 0-80 or 2-56! how you broke that big motha i have no idea, you must have really been tourqing on it!

What he said and... what EVER you do do not use tap magic on aluminum..
Actually LARD or CRISCO works wonders for lubricant when tapping aluminum.
Think im kidding its in my machinest handbook.

Good luck getting that thing out. The do sell special tools to remove broken taps. Small "fingers" slide in where the ground flutes are. Get one and use a torch to heat the aluminum. Spray it with Some good cutting oil "Its gonna smoke" and try to loosen the tap. Work it back and forth.
GOOD LUCK
 
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