Well that sucks!! Snapped bell housing bolt

[sixsixvette]

Finally mating my trans up to engine on the cradle. Everything is going smoothly and the four smaller bolts are going in with my fingers. Lower passenger bolt starts just fine, but needs the wrench to get it most of the way in. Driver side bolt starts fine for two or three turns. Then put a wrench on it to take it in, but almost immediately gets tighter than it should. I decide to pull her back out and it seizes up. Spray a little pb blaster and let it sit for a bit. Still to tough to go in or out. Decide the only way was out, so I put a little more pressure on it with my 3/8 drive socket wrench. Ends up snapping off in bell housing. From the looks of these bolts I would have thought they would be close to ARP quality, but obviously I was wrong. Must be Chinese look a likes. Now I need to figure out how to resolve this issue.

 

[Don Frelier]

I think you'd be hard pressed to snap off one of the original bolts with a 3/8" drive.
Maybe drill it out and try a remover.

The 12 point bolts were a good idea, but I think you're right the quality isn't there.
I'd throw them away.

 

[sixsixvette]

I think you'd be hard pressed to snap off one of the original bolts with a 3/8" drive.
Maybe drill it out and try a remover.

The 12 point bolts were a good idea, but I think you're right the quality isn't there.
I'd throw them away.

I just drilled out the bolt. Definitely some cheap crap metal. Not hardened at all. Going to try and chase the threads and then going back with factory bolts for sure.

 

[Cranky]

Did you inspect the threads before putting in the cap screws? I like to run a bottom tap into everything before nailing things together....

 

[sixsixvette]

Did you inspect the threads before putting in the cap screws? I like to run a bottom tap into everything before nailing things together....

Wish I did, but no.

 

[ruffcut]

To me the original bolts are always the way to go. I wonder if the threads were even correct on those bolts.

 

[kiwigtx]

Sounds to me like the thread galled up just the same way that stainless steel does when you go in dry. That gets ugly fast.

Careful with the application of heat if that's the way you go when extracting the broken bits.

 

[Dodge-Scatpack]

IMO, You should always use a thread chaser and not a tap. Recommend to use thread lubricant on the chaser too. Helps collect and hold any debris in the chaser’s channels.