I messed up. I was changing oils and washing the girl and checking her out all over when I seen a little oil leak at the back center of the trannie. I thought I could just tight that center bolt just a bit and BAMM it broke off like it had been super glued in place (no Glue found). Now I have a broke off bolt up in the brake center of the trannie pan. How do I get this out? I'm a pretty good wrench on auto's, but I have not done this to my bikes before. Never pulled this engine before. Will the trannie pan drop down and out of the way to get the broken tips of the blot out or must I pull the whole works. I'm not sure if I want to trust the Stealer to fix this either. But I not sure I want to pull the whole works the first time with out some with me that knows how it comes and goes. She is still under warranty, but they will tell me it is my fault and pay big for it. I could use some help with this one also. Please help if you can.

07 ultra.

Once A Marine, Always A Marine

 

If you can get a straight shot at the hole where the bolt is broken you may be able to use a left rotation drill bit. I do not know if there is any theadlocker or sealer on the bolts threads, but if the head is broken off the remaining bolt may turn easily. A left drill bit will grab the bolt and turn it out if this is the case. Just be sure to spin the bit slowly, a cordless drill works well. Left drill bits can be bought from any good tool company-snap on,mac,matco,etc. Good luck!

 

Is any of the stud in a position where you can get vice grips on it?

Is any of the stud in a position where you can center punch it, then knowing what the bolt size is drill it and use an easy out broken screw extractor on it?
Is it a "blind" hole, just going into a part or can you see the bolt from the other side of the part it goes in to?

If you were to remove the pan is there a part of the broken bolt you could grab onto with vice grips? Could you also warm the area with a propane torch without burning the bike up? Do you think you could get the other bolts out without breaking them? Using 1/4 inch drive stuff, without grunting the crap out of them, working them back and forth to make sure they don't break?

If you can say yes to any of these you might be able to do it yourself, if not find a friendly local independent shop near you and let them do it.

 

The previous post covered most of the techniques for removing a broken bolt. But using them depends on hoow much access you have to the bolt. If you can get vicegrips on it and ease it out, that is the easiest. Obviously, drilling the bolt and using an easy out requires a lot more clearance.

Not much else to add. I was going to suggest soaking the bolt with penetrating oil. But if it was already leaking there may be oil in the threads. But then again, couldn't hurt.

If the end is too jagged to drill, you can cut it off square first with a die cutter, Dremel tool, or even a hack saw -- depending again on access.

You can shoot the bolt with a spray can of freon or CO2 or even compressed air to cool it way down fast, this may make it contract briefly and enable you to get it turning.

Sorry I don't have anything better to offer. With the bike still under warranty, you probably could have taken the oil leak in and gotten it fixed at the dealer. Oh well, water under the bridge now.

 

Thanks for the help and suggestion. The problem is that I can not tell how much I can get a hold on the bolt. It is broken off up pass the bottom edge of the oil pan. So to reach to bolt I need to know if I can take the oil pan off without pulling the whole engine. Or I'll have to drill out the old bolt and retap the whole. Or pay some to pull the engine. and remove the oil pan to maybe remove the bolt with out a new whole. thank you


07 ULTRA

Once A Marine, Always A Marine

 

I think the pan would drop enough for you to get to the bolt,you might need a new gasket,I would try seeing if you could get to all the bolts to take the pan off first.

 

can you weld ?
busted studs are easy to get out
put a (one size bigger) nut over the broken stud and weld it in place
let it cool just a bit then slowly back out,if it brakes off do it again
this can take 2 or 3 time but it works great,with drilling 9 times out of 10
you will make things worse then they allready are

 

drop the pan,

 

I can get to all the bolts, but can the pan be pulled out enough to be removed and cleaned, replace gasket. If the rear tire needs to come off ok. But by looking at the service manual I still can not tell if the pan is removable because of items with in that could be or are hanging down to far so that pan will not clear engine and cross member on frame. Thanks

 

You didn't say what year. Evo, twin cam? I assume it's a FL cause you are posting in the touring forum If it's an evo the pan will drop out and clear.