Hey guys. My crank pulley got loose and started wobbling around, so i tried tightening the bolt but it was tight. I got it out and the threads were messed up, so I got a new bolt, and a tap just to clean it up inside. I started taping it today, and the tap broke off, and part of it is stuck in the crank. Does anyone have any tips how to get it out. Heres a picture of it, its really bad quality but my camera died after one picture. thanks!
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oh god. how much of the tap broke off?

taps are hard so don't use a regular bit. your best bet is to get a diamond tipped concrete drill bit ( they're cheap and effective) get a bit just big enough to clear out the center web of the tap, then the flutes will fall into the center once you break through it, and hopefully you won't bugger up the threads any more.

if you think there is any part of the tap left in there, DON'T run another tap down the hole as it will break immediately.

 

how hard were u turning this tap that u snapped it off?

but it sounds like u got alot of carefully drilling ahead of u

and since the tap broke while ur were taping it, i woudl venture to say that the threads are probably pretty fucked up in there, so u might need to drill and tap to a larger size. it should take that much force to chase the threads out like u were doing.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Rosko &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">oh god. how much of the tap broke off?

taps are hard so don't use a regular bit. your best bet is to get a diamond tipped concrete drill bit ( they're cheap and effective) get a bit just big enough to clear out the center web of the tap, then the flutes will fall into the center once you break through it, and hopefully you won't bugger up the threads any more.

if you think there is any part of the tap left in there, DON'T run another tap down the hole as it will break immediately.</TD></TR></TABLE> I guess I agree with you..

For one it sucks that its in the engine. I have a Bridgeport mill so I usually plunge a carbide endmill inside to cut it out. Sorry for you luck man

 

yeah if it was out i would just carbide it too. either way its gonna suck to do it in the car.

 

I wasnt turning the tap that hard. I think it must have been cracked. The guys at napa gave me a free new tap and a drill bit to get it out. Its too hard to drill out. Its angled so its a lot harder then it seems. does anyone have another idea?

 

what kind of drillbit did you try? there are tools with little fingers that go down the flutes of the tap to turn them out with but I've rarely seen them work. you might just have to pull it out of the car.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Rosko &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">what kind of drillbit did you try? there are tools with little fingers that go down the flutes of the tap to turn them out with but I've rarely seen them work. you might just have to pull it out of the car.</TD></TR></TABLE>

yea those tools ftw, but you're right, they rarely work....cool idea either way

to the op....you may have to loosen that engine mount and lower the engine down a bit so you can get a straight shot on it.....as long as you have a bit big enough to get through the solid core of the tap out to where the openings start you should be ok.....use the lowest drill speed possible so it doesn't run around on you....

 

With the wheel turned i can get it at easily enough. I used a cobalt bit i Think it was called. Whats that tool called with the "fingers"

 

use carbide or the diamond tipped bit I mentioned. hardened tool steel will not cut hardened tool steel.

 

Damn.. you sure made problems for yourself man.

Very important that you use oil and dont stress the tap to mouch, take good time and turn the tap back a notch of every turn. Just like sex.

I doubt you will be able to drill that tap out with a hand drill...... it is diamond hard and you cant make that much precise pressure with a hand hold drill.

Use a long flat screwdriver and try to turn the tap around, using a hammer and small beats. Maybe you are luckey. And get oil inn there..

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mike3 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Whats that tool called with the "fingers"</TD></TR></TABLE>

It's just called a 'Tap Extractor'. You can pick them up in most tool shops or on Ebay

 

Depending on how "stuck" it is, you might try using super glue to glue the broken shank of the tap back to the part stuck in the crank. If the broken surface is clean and you line it up carefully when you glue it, you can get a surprisingly strong bond. I've used this procedure on broken bolts a few times, but the threads were not too messed up. Good luck.

 

You are never going to drill that tap out with a hand drill. It would take me a day to drill it out on one of my mills with the correct drills and a diamond lap to sharpen them.

Best way to get that out is to break it out a little at a time using a small chisel. The chisel will dull so you will need a bench grinder to resharpen it. I am assuming you can get at it to swing a hammer. It will take time but you will eventually get it all out. It may loosen as you are breaking it away. You can then use a tap extractor or needle nose pliers to turn it out. Wear safety glasses so you don't get pieces in your eyes.

 

Allow me to be the first to say, "that ******* sucks."

Were you using cutting oil with the tap?

 

Honestly I think you just went too far in with the tap....How else would it break like that if the threads weren't crossed or ruined...

 

uh oh. That cant be good for balancing the engine. Keep it in there and dyno the engine.....see what happens.....muwhwhahhaha

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Steve D &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You are never going to drill that tap out with a hand drill. It would take me a day to drill it out on one of my mills with the correct drills and a diamond lap to sharpen them.

Best way to get that out is to break it out a little at a time using a small chisel. The chisel will dull so you will need a bench grinder to resharpen it. I am assuming you can get at it to swing a hammer. It will take time but you will eventually get it all out. It may loosen as you are breaking it away. You can then use a tap extractor or needle nose pliers to turn it out. Wear safety glasses so you don't get pieces in your eyes.</TD></TR></TABLE>

f that. it would take 2 minutes to carbide that bitch out on a mill. the last thing you want to do is try to chip it out. yeah lets go ahead and break more **** off in there.

 

The tap is not in there too far, im not an idiot. yes I did you cutting oil. the threads were a little messed up. its in there too got to super glue the tap together.i dont think i want to chisel it out. i'll find a diamond tip but and see if i'll have any luck with that, and yeah, it does suck. Worst of all I live in an apartment complex so i have to do all this in a parking stall.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by UK_Luder &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">It's just called a 'Tap Extractor'. You can pick them up in most tool shops or on Ebay</TD></TR></TABLE>

its called an easy out.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PrettyLude &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

its called an easy out. </TD></TR></TABLE>

an easy out is the left handed removal tool used for removing broken bolts. i.e. drill a hole through the bolt, screw the ez out in left handed and watch the bolt back out with it. it doesn't work on taps.

the extractor tool might however work if its not in there too far and fairly loose.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Rosko &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

an easy out is the left handed removal tool used for removing broken bolts. i.e. drill a hole through the bolt, screw the ez out in left handed and watch the bolt back out with it. it doesn't work on taps.

the extractor tool might however work if its not in there too far and fairly loose.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I picture it looking like a tuning fork with something on the end to attach a wrench or vice. As long as you dont break that off in the crank too it's probably your best bet short of pulling the crank out.

 

What size tap are you using? Its on a 94 civic right? I just had the same thing happen to my 95 civic ex. I need the tap size to try to fix mine. Honda why are you failing me?

 

I'm guessing he probably got this out somewhere around 5 years ago now....

 

Snap on has a nice kit for getting that tap out... its like 3 or 400 bucks... but it works