Hellp! Tap broke off in block

[Lucas5477]

Ok, This sucks big time. I was taping out a hole on the block on number 2 cylinder when the tap broke off. How do I get it out?



Do they make something that can stick down in the 4 little openings and twist the tap back out? Could I make one some way?



Thanks for the thoughts



Lucas

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

There are a number of options out there. Here's a couple:



http://www.waltontools.com/products/extractr.htm



http://www.internationaltoolsupply.com/tapproducts.html

 

[Lucas5477]

Thanks for the Reply,



Any idea what the walton tap Extractor will cost I think that will do the trick.



Lucas

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Nope, sorry. I've never had to use one but I knew they were out there. I haven't broken a tap yet. I did break an EZOUT one time and man what a nightmare!

 

[DieselTweaker]

have you tried taking a pair of needle noise pliers, sticking the tip's in the flutes and turning it back out?

 

[ballpeen]

i once broke one off in a small block head bolt thread, that was still in car. i used various small punches and a hammer to break it up into pieces. then used a shop vac every few minutes to extract the chunks. the work was slow going and one little chunk went down into the water jacket where it still remains today. i was happy as hell with the results. at first i was all ****** off and worried but after i thought about it, i had all the tools i needed sitting there in front of me.

 

[glhs]

This just happend to me on my flywheel. If the tap extractor does not work do what ballpeen said. If that does'nt work get a HIGH speed (titanium?) bit and grind it out and vacuum or blow it out often.

I worked on the fly wheel after work for two days using above methods. Bought the grinding bit on 3rd day and finished it in 5 - 10 minutes.

Bought above items at Tool Zone here in Denver.

Kurt

 

[BOstiguy]

This use to happen fairly often at my old job and for me the best technique was using punches to turn it back out. It should come out pretty easily once you can get it to turn. What I recommend to use for a punch is an old allen wrench, depending on the size of your tap use an allen wrench that is a bit smaller to fit in one of those for gaps in the tap. Using a grinder cut a length of wrench off and grind a point on the end. The reason for the allen wrench is that they are also a hardened steel and won't just flatten while trying to tap it out. And you can easily grind it to fit what you need.

If it broke off with a jagged edge you may want to grind it flush to give yourself a nice flat surface to tap along.



good luck,

-Bill

 

[Philip]

If you get the walton extractors you need to make sure that all loose pieces of that tap are out of the hole. If the tap is broken in the body somewhere deeper. The extractor will not work. They only work properly on a solid one piece tap fragement.



I have a had a full set of waltons for a couple of decades. They can be part savers at times.



As far as price now. I can't say. But my set that goes up to 1" cost around $300. Twenty years ago.

 

[Neibe]

If it is sticking out enough and you have access to a welder either tig or mig you can weld a nut or a hex head screw to it and turn it out that way

 

[RonA]

If it is a larger tap, like a 12mm for a head stud and it is flush with the block or there is alot of it in the hole, I don't think I would try breaking it up with a hammer and punch. The weld method works on bolts real well. The tap extractor will work best if the tap broke because it was subjected to side pressure. If it broke due to chip build up or too much pressure when it bottomed out, it will be tight. You might want to take short piece of steel rod and stick it on top of the tap and strike it with a hammer a couple of times. If you use a piece of material that is softer than the tap, it tends to not break the tap. that will sometimes relieve the pressure on the side of the thread that is driving the tap downward. Then try the tap extractor. If it is not too deep in the hole some times you can cut an "x" shape on the end of a piece of steel with a thin fiber wheel and drive it down on top of the tap with the tabs of the X going down into the chip relief areas cut into the tap.

 

[R-N-R]

JB Weld and a tool that you are ready to discard... ?

 

[Lucas5477]

Well I ordered a walton extractor and it will be here tuesday, so I hope it works.



Thanks for the help will let you know if it worked. Oh ya it cost $11. 50 plus shiping.



Lucas

 

[Ron Bissett]

Use a straight up and down hold the extractor down on the broken tap ,turn firm but Little at a time , use some WD 40 or cutting oil . Tap with a small punch to help start the extractor If its a finger type take care dont over try and bend the fingers ,small twist as you go . If all Else failed you may have to knock it out drill oversize and plug re centerer drill after staking the plug with a punch ,don't give up . You could put some WD to soak the threads and keep it from rusting tight while you wait for the extractor. Ron Bissett in Metro Louisville Ky.