OK, here's the scenario. Tonite I began replacing my water pump. Got all the old stuff off and the new stuff ready to go back on. Placed the new pump and gasket on the motor and began torquing the bolts to the specified 18ft lbs. On the last bolt, one of the 3 long bolts that goes thru the front cover, the darn thing sheared off. My question is this, can I drive it like this for the time being? Does anybody happen to have a used front cover lying around they'd be willing to sell for cheap? Could I possibly remove my existing front cover, have the piece of bolt removed by a machine shop, and reuse it? It's late and I can't think of any other questions, but I'm sure some will rear their heads tomorrow.

 

Do you know how deeply the bolt broke? Many times, if you can get the "thing" off, there is a stump left.

So if possible, remove the other bolts and pull your pump back off. There may well be enough bolt protruding from the block to get a pair of vice-grips or something on it to turn it out. If you are lucky, you may even find that without pressure from the bolt head, it'll twist out fairly easily.

 

Jb weld =)

 

love that stuff!

 

Yeah JB weld is the next step up from duct tape for me. I have a tube in my auto toolbox.

How far down did the bolt shear? If you took off the water pump would it be sticking out? That would be easy then. If it is in there the many time when bolts shear like that they loosen up a bit so you should be able to get it out though like someone suggested it may take some ingenuity like welding or gluing on a rod or drilling it out with a broken screw extractor. It sounds like you will need to get your front cover off.