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I am mechanically inept - need DirtyMike next door

bizutch

Delicate CUSTOM flower
Dec 11, 2001
15,928
24
Over your shoulder whispering
Tried to replace a very simple part in my wife's car tonight, the front passenger side motor mount of a 2004 Nissan Altima. Got everything except the last dead center bolt all done and gone. Managed to cross thread and sheer the head off the bolt. In the pic, you see a bolt, a center sheered off head of a bolt and then the outside bolt that's sort of a silver that threads in from underneath.

Why did I ever buy tools? :banghead:

Most awesomely stupid part you ask? It's less than 48 hours before we take the dang thing on a 4 hour drive to visit my dad in Nashville. And the wife's got a college exam tomorrow over an hour away, so she needs it.

Could I get more brilliantly incompetent? Only if I actually got paid to do such mega doofis manuevers.

So, in the AM...I call a mechanic and ask "Is it a bad idea to drive it until we can afford to have it repaired?:rant:

 

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,519
7,064
Colorado
you shouldn't be driving with an unattached motor mount. get ready go spend a bunch of money to get your ham fist paid for.
 

DirtyMike

Turbo Fluffer
Aug 8, 2005
14,437
1,017
My own world inside my head
Oh my, had one of my guys do that very thing once on the same setup and I had to fix it.

Well don't drive it like that, lets just say bad things can happen. I will tell you for future reference, make sure you start all the bolts before tightening them.

The way it did not want to line up tells me one of two things.... The part was miss drilled and is faulty to begin with, or its not the only mount that is bad... One other possibility is simply operator error
 

bizutch

Delicate CUSTOM flower
Dec 11, 2001
15,928
24
Over your shoulder whispering
The rubber boot had a decent sized tear in it and I was trying to eliminate a rattle. Watched a video and it was so fricking straight forward. I got all the bolts lined up and ran them in a few turns. Got em bolted up ande snugged dwon except this one and this one got snug after a few turns. I assumed the others being snugged up had shifted load onto it.

Got a turn or two more in and realized it was cross threaded about the time it snapped.

So you honestly think it's a no go with just that one of three snapped? It's basically a nub sticking up in that center hole. So it's essentially a post. It's gonna have to be hela coiled and tapped out isn't it?

This will shut down our vacation for sure.
 

DirtyMike

Turbo Fluffer
Aug 8, 2005
14,437
1,017
My own world inside my head
Its a tough call without being there to see it for sure, If it is supporting the engine then you should be able to drive it, if there is any looseness then no.

As far as having to heli-coil it that is a possibility, more likely getting the mount back out and using a stud extractor should take it out ok, then just clean up the threads and replace the blot.

Personally I dont use Heli-coils anymore, I use time-serts. Way faster, WAY stronger.
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,232
20,015
Sleazattle
Pro tip. If the bolt ain't snug and requires force to turn? Stop immediately. Hire an illegal alien, they are more talented than you.
 

mrbigisbudgood

Strangely intrigued by Echo
Oct 30, 2001
1,380
3
Charlotte, NC
the bolts are easier to see....?
Gold.

But seriously.....(trying to use non engineer speak) iI you sheared the head off the bolt if must be in there pretty good, you need a stud extractor. It looks like a socket, but with three rolly thingys on the inside that grab the stud. If you got lucky, you only screwed up the bolt and not the hole. If you were unlucky, either drill and retap the hole to take a larger size bolt or helicoil it.

But if you aren't mechanically inclined, I feel like I am telling you how to kill yourself.
 
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HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
6,628
5,443
You can still remove the mount can't you? If you can, grind two flats on the bolt so you can get a spanner on it or spend a day filing as you and tools don't seem to go well together. Spray something like PB blaster on it to assist it coming out then get someone to helicoil it or see if you can drill it straight through and use a bolt and nut(not sure if is possible, I know nothing about this car).
 

Dartman

Old Bastard Mike
Feb 26, 2003
3,911
0
Richmond, VA
Not that'll help now but with parts that have multiple mounting bolts I try to get all the bolts started with my fingers until the threads are well engaged and then tighten them down. This allows me to shift the part if necessary to prevent binding. Good luck!
 

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,092
1,132
NC
I'm sure the look on your face was the same as when I sheared the bolt off my rusty steering knuckle when I replaced my axle.

In my defense, there was little I could have done about it - it wasn't really a ham-fisted accident, just trying to loosen a rusty bolt and it snapped - but that sinking feeling sucks :p

I've decided any major repair projects will only be undertaken if I can afford to lose the car for several days.
 

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,092
1,132
NC
I figure even if I do everything perfectly (and that's a big IF), you just don't always know what it's going to look like when you get it all apart. The knuckle bolt was a good example: we soaked it like we should, didn't put an inordinate amount of pressure on it, and the head just popped off. No replacements available in the area.

We had budgeted 4 hours for replacement, and it took 4 days. :rolleyes:
 

bizutch

Delicate CUSTOM flower
Dec 11, 2001
15,928
24
Over your shoulder whispering
BV has the gist. And I agree with the thought process of the one post that "I'm learning to mechanic". But what it boiled down to is my pure stupidity. I did the same thing with a set of cranks and BB on my DH bike.

I'm always thinking "Oh, just a couple of rough threads and it will line up in another turn or two. But there comes that point where a mechanic says "Nope, that's not spinning true." So many times, I barge ahead.

Last night, I kind of panicked and was thinking "Crap, it's already so far down in there, I've gutted it anyway and every store is closed. Wife can't be without her car tomorrow." So I tried to make it work, thinking it would booger itself but I'd sell the damn thing long before I'd ever have to take it out.

Looking back, I realize now that I was running an alloy bolt into a solid hunk of steel. I torqued way too hard.


Really pathetic part...I didn't have a long handled high leverage socket wrench to blame for too much torque. Just a standard length one. The good news is the mechanic looked at it this morning and said that the two outer bolts will hold it on just fine. He said just don't go dumping the clutch.
 

4130biker

PM me about Tantrum Cycles!
May 24, 2007
3,882
447
Don't feel too bad Bizutch- there's only one way that people here know how to fix problems like this...

You are learning valuable stuff right now!!
 

kazlx

Patches O'Houlihan
Aug 7, 2006
6,985
1,957
Tustin, CA
I always wonder why more people don't do their own work and this reminds me. There is a definite learning curve to working on things though....

If the other two bolts are tight, you shouldn't have any issues. I would guess the threads are FUBAR if you snapped a bolt off though. Did you snap it at the head or at the start of the threads?
 

bizutch

Delicate CUSTOM flower
Dec 11, 2001
15,928
24
Over your shoulder whispering
I always wonder why more people don't do their own work and this reminds me. There is a definite learning curve to working on things though....

If the other two bolts are tight, you shouldn't have any issues. I would guess the threads are FUBAR if you snapped a bolt off though. Did you snap it at the head or at the start of the threads?
At the head
 

jackalope

Mental acuity - 1%
Jan 9, 2004
7,596
5,894
in a single wide, cooking meth...
When I replaced the head on my old Mazda truck, I ended up sheering off a bolt head thanks to a faulty torque wrench (<-- not making excuses, the wrench really was Houston'd) and had a machine shop guy weld something to the bolt shaft so that we could unscrew it. It was a long time ago, so I can't recall exactly how he did it, but it was pretty slick IMO. Dunno if it would work in this situation given the location of the bolt and how little (if any) is exposed out of the mount.
 
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drkenan

anti-dentite
Oct 1, 2006
3,441
1
west asheville
Good god I've made my share of mechanical mistakes. It's definitely part of the learning process. I almost ruined a $1500 turbo by crossthreading a banjo bolt. :s

So did you get it all sorted out Bizzie?
 

DirtyMike

Turbo Fluffer
Aug 8, 2005
14,437
1,017
My own world inside my head
I removed a broken off crank bolt on a chrysler minivan this morning with a slick trick Sherman told me about. Gotta admit I was a little nervous but is trick worked great.

Customer broke the bolt off at home then came to me today to have me fix it. The balancer had spun and needed replacement.

It was great, with our newish nitrogen system I hooked a line up to the liquid port, froze the holy **** out of the balancer, and mig'd a huge glob of crap on the end of the bolt. Grabbed glob with pliers and it puled right out.

I really love that we have Ln2 at the shop these past couple months.
 

Pesqueeb

bicycle in airplane hangar
Feb 2, 2007
40,138
16,537
Riding the baggage carousel.
I removed a broken off crank bolt on a chrysler minivan this morning with a slick trick Sherman told me about. Gotta admit I was a little nervous but is trick worked great.

Customer broke the bolt off at home then came to me today to have me fix it. The balancer had spun and needed replacement.

It was great, with our newish nitrogen system I hooked a line up to the liquid port, froze the holy **** out of the balancer, and mig'd a huge glob of crap on the end of the bolt. Grabbed glob with pliers and it puled right out.

I really love that we have Ln2 at the shop these past couple months.
.

Oh my. Wonder if I could pull that off with aluminum or if I'd just cause more problems. :think:
 

bizutch

Delicate CUSTOM flower
Dec 11, 2001
15,928
24
Over your shoulder whispering
Butch,
Go buy a torque wrench.
Does it come with a clue? Unless there's one in the box, I don't see the point in me investing in this mystical wand of yours. :think:


In the end, it worked out freaking incredibly. I eased it over to the local mechanic (who I was told to tell I knew through"a big ole black dude named James") and was waiting for him at 8am. He actually pulled in at 8. Awesome.

He told me to drop it off around 1:30 and he'd knock it out. I showed up at 5 per instruction and he refused to take my money. He did it FREE!!!:shocked::shocked::shocked:

His statement was "Save it for when you REALLY need my help."

Such a last minute blessing. Not ever have I just walked into a mechanic's shop on a Friday and gotten that kind of treatment. I have been blessed by a stranger.:thumb:
Headed to bed and off to visit pops in Nasheville tomorrow.

He said he heated the bolt a little, used an Easy Out and ran the threads and popped a new bolt in good as new. No idea what any of that stuff means other than sheer awesome.
 

DirtyMike

Turbo Fluffer
Aug 8, 2005
14,437
1,017
My own world inside my head
Does it come with a clue? Unless there's one in the box, I don't see the point in me investing in this mystical wand of yours. :think:


In the end, it worked out freaking incredibly. I eased it over to the local mechanic (who I was told to tell I knew through"a big ole black dude named James") and was waiting for him at 8am. He actually pulled in at 8. Awesome.

He told me to drop it off around 1:30 and he'd knock it out. I showed up at 5 per instruction and he refused to take my money. He did it FREE!!!:shocked::shocked::shocked:

His statement was "Save it for when you REALLY need my help."

Such a last minute blessing. Not ever have I just walked into a mechanic's shop on a Friday and gotten that kind of treatment. I have been blessed by a stranger.:thumb:
Headed to bed and off to visit pops in Nasheville tomorrow.

He said he heated the bolt a little, used an Easy Out and ran the threads and popped a new bolt in good as new. No idea what any of that stuff means other than sheer awesome.
That means you did not bugger it up as bad as you thought, he got the bolt out with ease and simply cleaned the threads up in the hole with an actual thread chaser, and put in a new bolt.
 

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,519
7,064
Colorado
An easy out is a bolt extractor. You drill a hole in the middle of the bolt, and thread the easy out into it. It runs counter-clockwise, and pulls the bolt out as if it had a head still.
 

4xBoy

Turbo Monkey
Jun 20, 2006
7,014
2,847
Minneapolis
Last thing you give a ham fist is the idea of using an easy out.

Might as well add bigger drill and jb weld to fix the new hole he creates.