removing broken bolt from turbo

[moTthediesel]

This is not IDI specific, but I thought it might help somebody out sometime:

I had to remove the VNT15 from my hydraulic 1.6 in order to do a head gasket job. I know I had used lots of anti-seize on those fasteners when I put it together only about 12k miles ago, but still, one of the 8mm bolts sheared right off when I put a wrench on it. On examination, it looks like the bolt had been cracked for some time, as you can see in this pic.



There was a good bit of the bolt exposed, and I could have just tried a vice grip on it, or maybe even two ground down nuts locked against each other, but I have a favorite technique in these cases. I found a larger hex nut that would drop over the bolt, in this case a 3/8". Then I sawed off the bolt so that it would extend about half way up into the nut, as you see here.



The I got out the MIG welder. I set the AMPs pretty high, as heat is the whole point here. I carefully filled the cavity in the nut with weld bead, then let it cool.



I put a socket on it then and turned it out, it came right out with ease.



There you have it -- no promises, but that trick has never failed for me.

Tom

[RunninWild]

Thanks I have this exact problem but even less threads to work with. I'll give that a try.

[libbydiesel]

If it is flush/below the surface, you can use a fender washer instead with the appropriate ID to avoid welding to the surrounding metal.  Usually vice-grips on the OD of the washer works, but it is also possible to then weld a nut to the washer.

[745 turbogreasel]

I find the  mass of the   block/head  provides plenty of heat sink to keep the weld from buggering the threads even if its broke surprisingly far below flush.
I usually try to remove wile still pretty hot, theory being if the bolt is   still soft, it will conform to the threads.