Modern Vespa

Need some help!

I broke the head off of one of the screws that hold the oil pan cover on. I've drilled a hole in the screw and have tried to use and extractor, but it will not grab. I'm almost tempted to drill a hole completely thru it and purchase a longer screw and tighten it down nut and bolt style (there is a hole at the back of the oil pan.) Any ideas as to what else I can do to get this screw out?

This problem has really got me torqued, as I can't ride due to the fact that I'm leaking oil.

With the head of the screw removed the pressure "holding" the screw has been released...that takes care of that...

Regarding the removal of the bolt that is still embedded...I presume you've tapped (drilled) a pilot hole to which the etractor will seat / bite and extract...

...need to be very careful that the appropriate bit size is used to create pilot hole

....maybe even apply some PB Blaster (or like)...

...then when using the extractor it's at a very low speed setting...apply pressure and extract SLOWLY.

Wish you luck!

Tapping is NOT drilling. Tapping is the process of cutting threads in a hole.

If an EZ-Out is being used, the hole drilled must be deep enough so the end of the tool doesn't hit bottom. It must be able to penetrate until it bites on the tapered sides.

Which type of extractor are you using. I have used 2, one is a square, which you drive into the hole, hoping the corners will grab. My experience is that these are marginal, at best. The other is a reverse twist, tapered screw, which tends to bite harder, as it screws itself into the hole. I haven't had a failure with this type.

These have worked great for me, and the trick is to drill deep enough.

Yup, that's what I was talking about.

If you take the cover off is there enough bolt left to use vise grips or a chisel?

I used and reverse thread extractor, I will get a larger drill bit and extractor tomorrow and try again. Unfortunately, the extractor that I'm currently using, just will not catch....What is PB Blaster?

Hey Copper Dolphin, can I find that Alden extractor at a Lowes or Home Depot?

Cajun Critter, HD didn't have them when I looked but that was almost two years ago. I got them from Amazon at a good price. With one-day shipping you could have them in hand tomorrow.

Cool, thanks for the info. I will post later to let you all know how things go.

What ever you do, do not break the extractor off in the hole, they are a real bitch to drill out and it could take hours and lots of drill bits. I know, been there done that, replaced part, it was easier than drilling the damn extractor out D)

They have them at Ace Hardware under their own "Ace" brand. I've only used one once, but it worked great.

The ones pictured are the grabit brand, and they can be found easy at a Walgreens drug store or any place that caries a selection of "As Seen On TV" which means Frys as well.
I have needed mine 3 times now, All non-scoot realated (knock on wood) so far; and it worked great, had a little trouble getting it to work the 1st time, but I just needed to drill in deeper so the grabit part had a full surface to grab.

As others have said, be very careful using an extractor. I have about a 50% success rate using them. My advice: If it's not working, stop, take a break, and think before your next course of action (bigger or deeper pilot hole, whatever). I get impatient with these things and next thing you know, I have a broken extractor that can't be extracted and have done something regrettable with my Dremel.


Is there any amount of screw protruding? If so, first try some pliers or channel locks.

From the Grabit Web Site:

Q: What is the difference between the PRO Grabit and the one on TV?

A: The PRO Grabit is stronger than the Grabit advertised on TV. It is made of harder steel and made in the USA. The TV version is made in China.

I just direct ordered a set of 4 for $23.98 delivered.

http://thegrabitstore.com/default.aspx

Great advice. I have the same affliction.

I really, really like left-handed drill bits for the pilot hole operation. Most of the time, just doing the left-handed drill operation gets the screw to back out.

If it doesn't, proceed with much caution when using the extractor. I've broken off more of them than I've had work, with nearly catastrophic results.

Right now I want to YELL, because today was beautiful and I could not ride.

So far, and I tried again to day before going to work, the extractor is not working, it slips and does not grab. I'm going to get a new extractor and slightly larger drill bit and try again tomorrow.

Try left-hand drill bits as Jess suggests. I've become a convert.

I think a common problem with broken screw extractors is drilling the wrong sized pilot hole. I have been 100% successful since using the suggested drill bit size for the particular extractor, and using the proper sized extractor (another factor for broken off extractors). I had a set for a long time that did not have a chart for drill/bolt sizes: lots of failures.

Patience, penetrating oil, and proper size make all the difference.

I'm going to put this on a t-shirt.

Eric, in your case, better put a $100 bill on there too.

Sorry man, I couldn't help it. Besides, I wanted you to succeed.

Now where is that zip my mouth emoticon?

This will have to do...

I know about a "tap and die" process. The context to which I was referring to was "tapping" creating a simple "detent" or drilling a "pilot hole" to which an extractor would be able to "bite" properly and then applying very low speed / high torque extraction. You really don't need to create a large crater...just enough to have the approriate tool "bite"...less is best.

you need shop for that I'm sure you have a guy in your area.

http://www.brokentap.com/index.html

New discovery after breaking an exhaust stud?

Nope we have one at the plant but its broken. My brother broke a stud in the head of his S60 a few years back also and he had to have it done.

I have a bad cold thats why I have not got it out yet, I did heat and oil it though.

jesse, let me know if you need any help-- i've got a great EDM guy up here in the valley.

best,
-greasy

We have this one at work not sure what to do with it yet, I'll find an old
timer that worked for SCE and knows of this unit

--
Regards

Jesse

Sear's sells the grabbits.

I now have one of the fuckers snapped off in the screw that holds the exhaust pipe shield thingy on. I had the right size, I went slow. damn thing still snapped off.

I don't really need the exhaust pipe shield thingy, right?

there are unfortunately many children who live around me - they learned new words tonight.

who knew a garage with the door open was such a perfect resonator.

You mean the heat shield on the exhaust can? No, not strictly necessary, though you might be at higher risk for burning your leg.

hmm, not sure if I'm using the right words. not the silver shield over the big body of the exhaust(I think that is plastic?), but the smaller black metal shield that is on the pipe between the main exhaust but before where the graphite gasket goes.

Might sound extreme but if you can lay the scooter on its side you might be able to weld a cheap allen key (or some other bar) onto the screw head. I have removed several broken screws this way.

Good luck, Jim

Can you take a photo?

interesting, one pdf shows this piece, but the first one I looked at didn't. it is a heat shield buffer. (I pixel colored it orange in this pic)

I could get my leg up there, but I think I'd have to work at it to get a burn.

I'm not gonna sweat leaving it off.

jegemba - welding a hex key is a great idea -- unfortunately I don't have the knowledge or the equipment.

You may want to try a helicoil They are very easy to use and work great. Broken extractors are a pain. I used an engraver once to vibrate a broken extractor out of the hole. it took the better part of an hour to finally shake the little dude out. Also because the extractors are extremely hard and therefore brittle, many times you can take a hardened scribe and a hammer and break them up into smaller pieces that can then be removed... good luck.

Helicoils are great (just had one installed in my bike crank), but you still have to be able to remove anything broken off in the hole and tap it.

Easiest thing to do is drain the oil and remove the cover and use vice grips on the protruding shank. If not, you have to drill and tap.

Drill out the bolt right down to the minor diameter of the screw, and then tap the hole with the correct tap for the screw.

The threads that remain in the hole will cut out with the tap. Challenge is getting the drill hole close to center.

Off-center hole will require using slightly larger diameter tap and screw. You may need to go up from the metric size to the next SAE (American) thread.