P/S pump bolts sheared off

[65chevysub]

While driving yesterday I lost my power steering. I looked and found my pump and cradle hanging loose; all the bolts had sheared off! I was driving normally so no hard use. Its been on since 1999. Had half of one bolt left and it has 6 hash marks on top. Don't grade 8 have only 3?. Any ideas why these may have broke off? Also, I'm pulling pump off today so need to know what size plugs I need to plug line ports in in gearbox until I get bolts drilled out. Thankd

[pimpston65]

Originally Posted by 65chevysub

While driving yesterday I lost my power steering. I looked and found my pump and cradle hanging loose; all the bolts had sheared off! I was driving normally so no hard use. Its been on since 1999. Had half of one bolt left and it has 6 hash marks on top. Don't grade 8 have only 3?. Any ideas why these may have broke off? Also, I'm pulling pump off today so need to know what size plugs I need to plug line ports in in gearbox until I get bolts drilled out. Thankd

Grade 8 has 6 lines on them.

[chevy_mike]

I wouldn't mess with trying to plug the box fittings as it will likely lock the box up since the fluid inside has to go somewhere. I would just tie the pump out of the way and leave everything hooked up until you can remount the pump.

You might have gotten Chinese sourced Grade 8 bolts, which many times are not even rated for Grade 2 (common bolts). Get some USA sourced bolts when you do it again.

[padresag]

there may have been bolts installed that may have bottomed out without knowing and thought that they were tight but yet the pump was not all that loose though enough to let it move on the bolts and it took 15 years of wearing. sitting there you may not have seen it move but under pressure it did
ron

[65chevysub]

Thanks for the replies. I lost a lot of fluid that's why I plugged the ports in the gearbox. Now I have very little right hand turns but full left turn capability. Also tried to use bolt extractor to get broken bolts out but they won't bite. May have to get them out as best as I can then the tap the holes

[Modges'66]

I would just put a piece of hose from the inlet to the outlet on the box, and let it recirculate until it is fixed...

[65chevysub]

I reconnected the lines and secured the pump out of the way as I'm going to have to drill out the holes and re tap them. Thanks to everyone for your input and suggestions

[63burban]

If the bolts are broken off flush with the casting, you can weld a washer on the bolt, then weld a nut on the washer and screw the bolt out.

[65chevysub]

One bolt is close the being flush with the casting, but the other one is recessed in a little. I'm going to drill them out next week and re tap the holes

[65chevysub]

One bolt is close the being flush with the casting, but the other one is recessed in a little. I'm going to drill them out next week and re tap the holes

[padresag]

best way to drill grade 8 is sharp bits and slow speed. you must have already drilled though if you have tried extractors. don't overdrill into the threads and try and pick out piecs with a small chisel to save the threads. heat will sometimes loosen them . a co2 fire extinguisher will also work at times
ron

[65chevysub]

Got the front end off a couple hours ago to see what I'm up against. I misdrilled the hole in the upper bolt so will just drill them out completely and retap the holes. From the pic, does anyone recommend doing something different?

[padresag]

your drill holes don't appear to be that deep or is that just an illusion?
I would try redrilling that top one first and centre it and start perhaps with a 1/8 drill and drill it slow and then go progressively larger until you get a decent 3/16 - 1/4" easyout in the hole. highspeed on the drill will get you no where but a dull drill bit and it aseems to make the piece you are trying to drill out harder from the heat generated. it is patience in these operations that win the day. like i said before they are more than likely bottomed out in the thread which is why they are tight. this is where a shot of CO2 will quickly freeze if and contract the bolt. I don't think thatt CO2 extingishers are as common as they use to be.
another thing that you can try is having a nice sharp pointed centre punch in close to the edge and see if you can tap it out with a "small" hammer , but I would leave that until you try the east-out so that you do not bugger the threads first
patience
ron

[65chevysub]

Thanks for the tips. I will try them. The top hole is a little deeper than the bottom one but will try the center punch idea. Any other ways of doing the CO2 or where I can get some?

[padresag]

Originally Posted by 65chevysub

Thanks for the tips. I will try them. The top hole is a little deeper than the bottom one but will try the center punch idea. Any other ways of doing the CO2 or where I can get some?

just curious; how deep did you drill?
ron

[65chevysub]

Update; got the holes/ bolts drilled out to 3/8 but no room to get tap and handle in to thread holes. Considering having 2 grade 8 studs welded into the holes and using loclwashrrs and lock nuts to hold pump and cradle on. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

[franken]

Got a pic of the water pump? I'd be looking to swap to a later set of brackets that bolt to the water pump. It may not be feasible but it's a thought.

[65sub]

be careful welding to cast iron. it can cause cracks