Crankshaft pulley bolt snapped.....help!! mk3 gti 8v

[Rossco250]

Whats the best way to get it out??

[CJA321]

Why were you taking that bolt out?

[tweed]

Why were you taking that bolt out?

Does it matter why? It's snapped and needs a answer.


I use bolt extractors. You need to drill a hole the the bolt. Then then turn the extractor in the hole you drilled. The thread is opposite, so as you turn and tighten the extractor anticlockwise the bolt should undo.

They look like this


Photo0374 by tweedub, on Flickr

[CJA321]

Why were you taking that bolt out?

Does it matter why? It's snapped and needs a answer.


I use bolt extractors. You need to drill a hole the the bolt. Then then turn the extractor in the hole you drilled. The thread is opposite, so as you turn and tighten the extractor anticlockwise the bolt should undo.

They look like this


Photo0374 by tweedub, on Flickr

Would like to see you drill through high tensile steel on a crank tbh... Especially when you think thats a pritty f**king tight and large bolt too. And obvioulsy snapped with a socket on it and probably a huge bar. So an easy out and vice grips wouldnt cut in my opinion....

And reason i asked was because i had a feeling he was maybe thinking that crank bolt was for taking the bottom aux belt pulley off to get the bottom timing cover off. Iv seen people think that when they take out the allen key bolts but the aux pulley still wont come off because its seized to the crank pulley. So thats why Tweed i asked my question... So i grand sceme of things... Could actually matter.

[spikenipple]

Drilling the crank bolt won't be a problem with decent HSS/HSCO drill(s) as long as a) you notice when or if you've blunted the drill and need to put a new one in and b) you have a very steady hand. Finding a decent easy-out which is both strong and flexible enough to get the bolt out, however, will be tricky.
If you use an easy-out, use a long tap wrench on it so you apply (almost) only rotational force along the axis of the tool; this is why it has flats on it.

[CJA321]

Drilling the crank bolt won't be a problem with decent HSS/HSCO drill(s) as long as a) you notice when or if you've blunted the drill and need to put a new one in and b) you have a very steady hand. Finding a decent easy-out which is both strong and flexible enough to get the bolt out, however, will be tricky.
If you use an easy-out, use a long tap wrench on it so you apply (almost) only rotational force along the axis of the tool; this is why it has flats on it.

I still have a feeling you will struggle with it being that tight. Im still to find a decent set of easyouts.. Snap on ones are pish...

[VW BUSH]

Aux pulley wheel off, crank toothed wheel off, in a vice, left handed drill or drill through from other side with smaller drill + lots of propriety paraffin formula.
Be prepared to drill out fubarred thread and drill and tap up a size, I have had to do this many times.
Make sure any new bolts are not too long....

[spikenipple]

Yeah I agree. I bought a set of Clarke easy-outs (I know  ) and snapped one into a bolt with the smallest of force. An HSS drill pissed through it when getting it back out, so I drilled the whole bolt out in the end and ran a tap back down the thread.

To get this crank bolt out, you could drill and tap a left-hand thread into it and find a 12.9 bolt to fit, tighten it up and heat the area around the bolt.
There are a few potential solutions but none of them are easy 

[Wayne]

It is going to be a complete ballache to get that bolt out, good luck.

[VW BUSH]

If its the one of the 4 small bolts (6/8mm) that hold the aux pulley on you will make a royal mess with an easy out.
Take the toothed wheel off and do it properly.

Engineers don't use easy outs on anything other than pipe, there are easier ways to get things out without breaking 58Rc bits of steel off in important bits of kit