[Neeil]

Hi all,

First time motorcycle owner of a 2014 Bullet Electra 500 G5 Deluxe. Went to do my first 300 mile oil change and over-tightened one of the bolts on the oil filter housing.

It sheared off really close to the head, nearly flush against the casing. Not sure what to do about this, any suggestions for getting this out?

Looks like I'm not the first dummy to do this, but it's my first time!

[High On Octane]

A left hand drill bit about 2/3 to half the size of the diameter of the bolt should take it right back out.  Use a center punch on the stud to make sure you don't damage the threads in the engine case.

Scottie J

[Ducati Scotty]

If you have a dremel and there's enough sticking out, just cut a slot and use a screwdriver.

Scott

[azcatfan]

Craftsman EZ-out has helped me on things like this.  A very good $10 gift to yourself.   

About 3:45 in he uses a similar device...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K34RS6M11uw

[Arizoni]

All of the above answers are good ones.

Another way a freshly installed bolt in a new hole can be removed is with a fairly large nail and a hammer.

Place the point of the nail half way between the center of the bolt and the outside threaded area.  It must be on solid metal, not close to the thread.
Holding the nail straight out from the thread and give it a moderate tap with the hammer.  The idea here is to create a small pocket in the face of the bolts material.

Now, holding the nail at an angle that will result in turning the bolt counter-clockwise, use a screw driver handle as a small mallet and tap the nail head.  This should turn the bolt slightly.
Reposition the nail often to keep it pointed in a direction that will rotate the bolt and keep tapping.

After two full turns out, there should be enough of the thread exposed to grab with a pair of pliers to unscrew it the rest of the way.

The bolt is listed in the parts manual as a M5 X 16.  That is, it is a 5mm bolt that is 16mm (.630 inches) long
Like the bolts in the US, metric threads come in both course and fine.  It's a good idea to take the piece of thread with you when you go to the local auto parts store so you can compare the thread pitch (spacing) with the one you have.

[Neeil]

Thanks everyone. I guess the method I choose will depend on what my local hardware store has in stock. My first inclination is to try Scottie J's center punch/lh drill bit to get it out, seems safer than the possibility of getting an EZ-out bit stuck in there. Not enough slack to dremel a slot into it without shaving bits of the casing off in the process.

Will let you know how it goes.. after this plate of biscuits and gravy.

[azcatfan]

Jim's method there is called 'drifting', many a Shade-Tree-Mechanic hath used.

[Neeil]

Do you think any method you all have suggested is any safer than the others? Or is there an order I should try them in, lest my first option doesn't work and leaves me with a worse situation than before?

[azcatfan]

My experience says to invest in an EZ Out type of tool.  A hardware store knock-off version should cost less than the Craftsman version.  There is a good chance, that from time to time, working on this motorcycle, and others, as well as cars, you are going to need it again.

I like the EZ Out method because it usually bites-in to remove without taking more material off.  Notice I said 'usually'.

When you approach the job, be patient with it.  Make yourself comfortable somehow so that the stress of holding your head up and your arms over your head doesn't make you more hasty than you would normally be.  Take your time and it will come out fine.

There are many ways to accomplish this, and if one method doesn't work, you can always try something else.  I've drifted broken bolts out, drilled them out, and after I started using the EZ Out type of tools I wondered why I had never spent the money on them before.

[gashousegorilla]

  Another way would be to weld a nut onto the remaining stud. With a similar sized nut, weld it through the center of the nut onto the stud, then take it out with a wrench. The heat also helps to loosen the stud. Not very practical unless you weld... but it works nicely.

[Neeil]

Got it out with a 5/64" cobalt drill bit to drill halfway through the bolt and a Irwin EX-1 screw extractor. Took about 5 minutes with the Makita to cut through and one tap of a hammer to sink the extractor in. So much easier than I thought it would be. Thanks everyone for your help!

First oil change complete.. Off for a ride!

[REpozer]

I have had an EZ break off. But it was an old , heavily corroded long bolt . However , RE engine metal is soft, so I think an EZ out would be fine on a new motorcycle .
I would try , ( depends on your tool box)
1) cutting a commen screw driver slot,
2) the nail trick
3) left handed drill bit
4) EZ out
5) weld nut on end

[Kevin Mahoney]

Glad the EZ-Out worked. Sometimes they are a cruel hoax. good ideas here. I have a set of left hand drill bits with a couple of EZ-Outs. Works sometimes

[gremlin]

Time to invest in a 1/4 inch torque wrench.  Harbor Freight has them cheap.   They are scaled with inch-pounds, and, are perfect for ensuring all 3 capscrews are evenly tightened.

[NorthernMonkey]

I tighten all nuts/bolts as tight as I can get them using 2 fingers on the end of the spanner.

Bigger nuts give need longer spanners, so the force is larger for larger sizes.

I use this technique up to about 16mm.

[Arizoni]

For anyone who has a torque wrench and wants to know, those little bolts on the oil filter cover and on the oil filter inlet screen cover on the bottom of the engine should be torqued to 4 lb/ft (48 inch pounds) (5.423 N/M).

The O-rings do all of the sealing in these areas and they do not need large amounts of bolt pressure to seal.