Starter motor bolt snapped off !!!

[TOSKA]

2.7TDi LWB 1998 model

(allow me to vent my spleen a bit lads !! )
My Terrano has always eaten starters ... average 2-3 years before pinion gear wears out .... I've had vehicle 12 yrs and must be on my 5th by now .

.... and no, I do not buy the NISSAN ones , rather the cheaper patent parts ... and this may be part of the problem !!

... about 10 years back, the lower bolt stripped ( in the bell housing) so I drilled right through and fitted a long bolt with a nyloc nut

That worked OK

Today I discovered that the upper bolt / set pin has sheared off inside the blind bell housing thread .... drilling through not an option as it goes inside the bell housing ...

Access is minimal ...... I somehow have to drill and use an extractor if possible to remove the broken stud ... right angle drill might do it ...

The only other option is to take out the clutch housing ( on the lawn ... in the rain ... !! )

....... it seems a shame that I might end up finally scrapping the truck for the sake of one broken bolt

( end of rant .... thank you )

TOSKA

 

[solarman216]

Oh what a pig of a job, but best try and get the broken bit out, removing the gearbox/transfer box is a nightmare without a hoist and box cradle on wheels, a right angle drill with a left hand set of drills is how I would tackle it, the most important thing is good centre punch in the centre of the bolt and start with a small say 1/8 drill and keep it square then enlarge it gradually till you are getting near the bolt size then use the left hand drill, usually it will bind up and wind out, easy to say on paper but very difficult to actually do, best of luck, Rick

ps an afterthought if you have one of the old starters cut the flange off and fit a bush into the top hole, fit the plate to the engine with the bottom bolt and you now have a drill guide to keep you straight and in the centre.

 

[TOSKA]

Thanks Rick, the old flange used as a guide is helpful

The real problem is access to drill .... I'm looking at air drills at the moment, but they all seem too large to get in.

realistically, gearbox dropping is not on the cards ( and a GARAGE ... clean out my mouth !! )

I guess I'll sort something out .... just VERY disheartening at moment !!

Cheers
TOSKA

 

[solarman216]

Cheap right angle adaptor for a battery drill comes to mind, Rick

 

[elty001]

Tool station do the angled chuck adapters for around a tenner.

 

[Banshee]

Any access to weld a nut onto what's left of the thread and whip it out that way?

Sent from my moto g 5G plus using Tapatalk

 

[panelbeater]

that or a stud on it with nut welded on to it,that normally works but getting to it is not easy.

 

[TOSKA]

Thanks for the replies

The thread has broken off just below the face .... nothing to grip ...
I looked at the cheap Rt angle adaptors ... decided to try an air tool as that seemed smaller ... not arrived yet.

Access is all but impossible, I'll be using left hand drill bits and brand new extractors ( sharp flutes ! )

Wish me luck !!

...... ALTERNATELY ... I now have a three ton garden feature !!

TOSKA

 

[panelbeater]

if you can get a mig tip in there then a nut resting on face then into hole with mig wire to ark on stud at highest setting to start a weld to then fill up hole in nut and the heat should make the nut welded onto stud come out.

 

[Banshee]

if you can get a mig tip in there then a nut resting on face then into hole with mig wire to ark on stud at highest setting to start a weld to then fill up hole in nut and the heat should make the nut welded onto stud come out.

See Post 6

 

[TOSKA]

Back Again !!

I have managed to fix this
For how long I do not know

Broken bolt was made from metorite steel !,
good quality HSS drills hardly touched it.

Result was VERY messy hole once stud was drilled away ( horrible ! )
No chance of re-threading

managed to drill an extra THIRD mount hole through starter flange and bell housing ( difficult )

made wooden jig using starter as pattern and epoxy fitted stud ( best epoxy ! ) into very messy hole

Then added a mig weld to the stud and the steel baffle plate

ground a recess chamfer to the starter flange to allow this mig weld bead

Put it all together ..... and it fitted !!!!

THIS TOOK HOURS OF WORK !!

......... and now my MOT is due !!! .....

TOSKA

 

[Goatmaster]

Well done Sir!!
:clap

 

[Banshee]

Bloody good work chap!!!

 

[solarman216]

Yes well done and I can imagine how difficult that work must have been, Rick