What are my options?

I have a 1995 Eddie Bauer with a 351W engine and my water pump failed today. I went to put a new one in and one of the bolts into the block broke off right at the edge of the pump. It's at the left end beside the water port when facing the engine front. I attempted to remove the bolt stud with various gripping tools but the stud is rather stuck in the block. I have placed as much penetrating oil on the stud shaft, and I hope down the shaft toward the threads, and I will attempt to turn the stud with Vice-Grips or something of that nature.

If this attempt should fail, what else can I do to remove this broken off bolt from the engine block so that I can replace it and finish the water pump replacement?

I also managed to break the thermostat housing when I went to put in a new thermostat, I hope to find a replacement housing somewhere. any suggestions for that?

scrap yard for the housing, and for the bolt, get the old water pump out of the way, clamp onto the bolt very tight with vice grips, Being very careful use a propane brazing torch to heat up the block around the bolt, Always have a fire extinguisher nearby when using an open flame near a vehicle. Then tap the vice grips with a hammer, if you notice the vice grips start to slip then re clamp and re heat and try again. be sure not to heat up the bolt too much because the idea is to get the block to expand the slightest bit to unseize the bolt, if the bolt expands too then you are no farther ahead.

gl

Like Krafty said, heat will do wonders.

A trick an old aviation mechanic showed me and it has worked pretty successfully for me. Before turning a corroded ***** or bolt to loosen it, move it slightly in the tighten direction in this case clock wise. That breaks the rust weld and then you can work the bolt back and forth until it comes out. It is kind of like using a a tap to thread a hole. Work the bolt till it gets tight and then reverse direction. You will gradually get more and more motion out of it until you can completely back it out. Once you get it moving, use plenty of penetrating oil to aid in the loosening. When you get the bolt out, get a tap and clean the bolt hole threads. When replacing the bolts use anti-seize on the threads to prevent the threads from seizing again.

If you happen to break the bolt off again, you have no choice but to drill it out. Using a center punch make a dent dead center in the bolt, then start with a small drill and be careful not to push too hard, lots of cutting oil, keeping the drill level so the bit goes through the center of the bolt. Gradually increase the size of the drill bit until you have drilled all the material out. When you get up to the bottom of the bolt threads, you may be able to salvage the bolt hole threads with a tap. If not then you can get a thread insert which involves over sizing the hole and inserting a coil that replaces the threads.

Like Krafty said, for the broken housing, your best is a salvage yard.

Good luck,

Appreciate the advice and recommendations y'all. I figured I'd need to heat the block near the bolt to expand the metal and make it a little easier to get the stud out. I may get my die set out and cut some threads on the shaft to thread some jam nuts on it to work it with a wrench.

I wish I had had my impact wrench at the first, I could have rocked it under pressure until it came loose with little effort or sweat and not have the problems I have now.

I had hoped that a housing might be available from a parts house but, I have several yards from which to choose and I know a couple of them that have numerous Broncos on the lot. Along with lots of Fords that I can obtain a couple of those housings, more than one since I'm such a klutz and may break more than one.

Once I get it towed home Friday, I'll be up close and personal with her until I get her back on the road. Yay, lots of fun.

I achieved a measure of success today and I have a few pics to show what I was fussing with.

The first is the bolt, remains of the bolt that is, that I was fussing with.



I just put it on top of the timing cover once I got it out. The threads were rather rusted up but the main sticking was in the bolt passage in the aluminum cover. The threads are at the passage on the left where it was stuck.

I got it out by generous application of penetrating oil and putting a low flame torch on the aluminum cover at the bolt passage then turning the bolt shaft with Vice-Grips. Took some time and a second heating but, it's out. )



Directly on the opposite side, the same bolt passage is most clogged with corrosion. I will be running a 3/8" drill bit through all of the bolt passages to get rid of the rust accumulations and, I'm putting generous amounts of ant-sieze paste on every bolt going through the cover, pump and into the block so that I won't have to fuss like this again. Next project is to obtain a replacement bolt for that passage on the pump and cover. I'll be getting the highest grade bolt I can find from a hardware store or, I'll get a piece of the strongest all-thread of the appropriate diameter and use nuts and washers to fasten it down. A washer at the cover and two nuts to hold it down and, the bottom nut can be used to turn out the all-thread when I need to remove it.

The other fun part I found is this, just to the right of the bolt:



There is a thin crack in the timing cover under where the water pump is mounted. You can see it by the bolt threads to the right and center of the cover. I am going to get some aluma-braze and cover the crack using my torch. I've done stuff like this before for round 20 years so, no worries but, I'm gonna take it easy while I'm doing it.

I imagine I'll have her up and running before the week is out, I have to devote most of my week time to my job but, I'm in no rush. I want it done right, not over and over. Besides, I bought a car last Saturday for my main ride while I fix my fun ride. /

right on, glad to hear you are making some head way.

Ya, that aluminum to steel corrosion really creates a mess.

yo WILL

Ford still sells the Orig thermostat housing

http://www.fordparts.com/Commerce/CatalogResults.aspx?y=1995&m=Ford&mo=Bronco#Search

Engine Coolant Thermostat/Water Outlet Assembly

5.8L; Gas; Connector $64.18

(RH-50)

1995 FORD BRONCO 5.8L V8 : Cooling System : Thermostat Housing / Water Outlet Wiki Price FOUR SEASONS Part # 84831 $7.54

http://info.rockauto.com/getimage/getimage.php?imagekey=819215&imageurl=http%3A//info.rockauto.com/FourSeasons/84831.jpg

XCheck locally for the type that has a ****** or plug where an aftermarket coolant temp sensor for an aftermarket gauge can be installed, if desired.

Ford also has the

Engine Coolant Thermostat 5.8L; Gas; Thermostat - 192 (RT-1105)

Thermostat Gasket 5.8L; Gas; (RG-552)

miesk5 said:

yo WILL

Ford still sells the Orig thermostat housing

http://www.fordparts.com/Commerce/CatalogResults.aspx?y=1995&m=Ford&mo=Bronco#Search

Engine Coolant Thermostat/Water Outlet Assembly

5.8L; Gas; Connector $64.18

(RH-50)

1995 FORD BRONCO 5.8L V8 : Cooling System : Thermostat Housing / Water Outlet Wiki Price FOUR SEASONS Part # 84831 $7.54

http://info.rockauto.com/getimage/getimage.php?imagekey=819215&imageurl=http%3A//info.rockauto.com/FourSeasons/84831.jpg

XCheck locally for the type that has a ****** or plug where an aftermarket coolant temp sensor for an aftermarket gauge can be installed, if desired.

Ford also has the

Engine Coolant Thermostat 5.8L; Gas; Thermostat - 192 (RT-1105)

Thermostat Gasket 5.8L; Gas; (RG-552)

Click to expand...

Thanks miesk5, I already got the housing from a local Ford dealer and a complete timing cover gasket set and thermostat and gasket from a parts house. I keep getting pulled aside with other tasks so getting her put back together is being a chore for a bit. I just got all of the old gaskets scraped off of the block and cover and made the repair to the cracked cover last night so, once I get back under the hood I'll have her done in a few hours.

Well, I thought it would be just a few hours, having some other difficulties. I opted to install the crankshaft seal with the timing cover installed rather than risk breaking it worse beating on it on top of something. I found some seal driver sets from various places but they are too proud of their product for me to obtain one, read very expensive.

Anyway, next trick is to cut a hole in a wide board to slip over the crankshaft and beat on that with a mallet. Hopefully I can maintain some even driving pressure to seat the seal.

Now where's my jigsaw? $-)

I usually use a socket that just fits the edge of the seal. Be careful that you drive it in evenly or may trash the seal.

Good luck,

I had considered that but I ned a socket or pipe or something that can cover the seal's 2 inch diameter with a 1-1/8 inch opening in the center for the crankshaft. I don't have anything like that so I'm going to take a 2x4 or 2x6, cut it to cover the seal and drill a hole for the crankshaft to fit into then, set it over the seal and pound with a hammer to drive it into the cover square until it's all the way in. Then I can finish this particular product and get her back on the road.

Roads? Where we're going there are no roads. &lt

Hi all, haven't been able to get in here much lately with all sorts of stuff breaking loose at work and elsewhere. My Bronco is still sitting in front of the garage in it's incomplete state but, I now have great incentive to get her fixed. I'm also going to chicken out and re-pull the timing cover to install the shaft seal. I bought a new timing cover gasket set but I got rained out today so, as soon as possible I'll get 'er done. [-o< I hope. :-"

installing the seal with the cover on the engine is a simple and common job. i have done it dozens of times. dont be afraid your idea with the board with a hole in it is a good one. you can do it with nothing but a hammer by tapping lightly and going all the way around the seal tapping the seal in it will take a couple of laps around the seal but it will go right in there purfectly. i would recommend putting the seal in without pulling the cover unless you need to pull the cover for other reasons.

Thanks for the support, I'll give it a go and if I damage the seal, I have a spare ready to go.

My main concern was the possibility of re-cracking the cover while driving in the seal even with the board or, damaging the AC condenser coil right there at the front. I didn't remove it because I didn't have an empty recovery jug to hold the refrigerant while I worked.

My brother in law has a good shop press and dies to press those type components but scraping the gasket and such from the block over the open pan is another nightmare waiting to happen.

I made that mistake with an old Ford van I had and ended up replacing the engine after it seized from oil starvation by a blocked pickup clogged with gasket material that got into the pan.

I'll make the effort today if I don't get rained out again. Thanks once more! >-

Well, THAT was easy! / I was worried for nothing.

I did use a 2x4 with a large enough hole drilled through it to slip over the crankshaft end to get the seal started.

Once I got the seal started I placed the 2x4 long ways over the seal on top of the shaft and tapped it right into the cover. Once again on the bottom of the shaft then all around with a piece of 1x2 as a punch and the seal is tightly installed, I've also gotten the engine put all back together.

All that is left is to put the transmission cooler back in place, return the grille and front end to the front end and refill all of the drained fluids then hit the dirt and mud tracks. )

I did find one bad thing though. I have been having a great deal of trouble locating an oil leak, I found it tonight.

Seems when I got the last oil change done at a Firestone facility, the technician(?) failed to tighten the oil filter sufficiently to prevent oil leakage. I put in a new filter while I had it down and I'll go ahead and replace the oil but I probably will not be returning to Firestone anymore. Well, I did pay for a lifetime front end alignment so I'll get it back by having my front end aligned often, especially after I get the front wheel bearings replaced in the near future and after many, if not all, off road trips.

All I'll need after I get the engine completed is to replace the registration and plate sticker I lost when I got it. That was a good one, I was driving around with an expired tag and registration for several months, would have been a bad thing if I had gotten pulled over huh. [-X

Congrats on gettin her fixed. My brother is bad for letting his plate stickers expire, he did the one on his camaro in the spring when he pulled it out, and the one on his truck in august, his tags expired in January. lucky bugger.

my brother was getting paranoid from a slow oil leak in his camaro until I hopped under it and found his drain plug was a 1/4 turn loose.

If you want a job done right, sometimes you have to do it yourself.