Bolt AND EZ-Out snapped in block.

Is the timing cover off? Did it break off even with the block?

I would get a carbide drill and drill the ez out and bolt using plenty of lube and patience down the center trying not to violate the threads. I did the same thing and was able to pick the remainder of the bolt out.

figure out what bolt size you want and the helicoil kits have a specific size drill bit and tap to use if you go that route

weld a nut to it and turn it out

Roland69 said:

weld a nut to it and turn it out

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That would have been my first suggestion before there was a easy-out broken off in it.

You have really only two options, get a very good drill bit and be very careful to drill out the easy-out without going crooked and wiping out the threads, or weld a nut to it.

Welding a nut on has worked better for me in the past than easy-outs.

If you can't do the nut method, then make sure you have good access to it (remove rad or whatever if block is still in car. And take your time, the drill bit is going to want to wander into the softer material of either the broken bolt or the block rather than drilling the hardened easy-out which is tool steel.
Ideally if you could set up some sort of jig as a guide (even just a plate that bolts across the other holes and has a hole to guide your bit into the hole with the broken bolt, that will help you keep things in the right direction.

I'd select a drill bit about 3/32 smaller than the diameter of the broken bolt. That way, all you have left after you drill it out is a hollow shell of the threads. Then you can get some picks or other tools and collapse it and pull it out.

Heli-coil would be my last choice although it works very well, id rather maintain the original threads. (If you get it out, run a tap through the block holes to clean up all the threads and use some never-seize.

Good luck

Take it to a machine shop, they won't charge you much and if they screw it up they will fix it free.

Although it is nice to keep original threads where you can helicoils = stronger than original.

Carbide bits are very hard, but also very brittle. Any force off center may cause them to break. The warnings about watching the drilling process is very good. If you wander off center with a carbide bit and try to bend it back into position, the bit may break.

Drill bushings are available from machine shop supply houses. The bushing would fit down in the hole in the timing cover and hold the carbide bit on center. The trick is to get the correct size drill bushing. You need to take into consderation both the outside diameter (has to be a snug fit in the timing cover) and the inside diameter (has to hold the carbide bit on center).

The following is a source for drill bits and drill bushings.

Here’s the parts list for the broken water pump bolts. Not cheap, but it will get you fixed and back on the road…

A word about the links, if they don’t work, do a search on the part number (P/N). MSC updates their catalog regularly, and the pages may change, but the part numbers don’t. You will need the Adobe Acrobat viewer which is also a free download – http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

Carbide drill bits http://www1.mscdirect.com/ see catalog pages 119-134. Hint" 5/32" is .156 inches, closest number size is 22, which is .157" Generally the spriral flute bits are longer and more expensive. The straight flute bits are shorter and less expensive. Too short a bit and you run out of room to use the drill bushing to center the drill bit in the timing cover.

Drill bushings - you may need a different size, but this is the place to start.
http://www1.mscdirect.com/ Use drill bushing 5/16” OD, 5/32” ID, ¾” long, P/N 07010457, price $8.57 This centers the drill bit in the housing bolt hole so you don’t get off center and damage the water pump, timing cover housing or engine block. Leave the timing cover in place to hold the drill bushing.

A long shank tap should be used to chase the leftover metal out of the original threads. Also recommended to clean the corrosion and dirt out of the threads before you reassemble everything. Cleaning the threads will help prevent the bolts from seizing next time (yes, there will be a next time).

Long shank 5/16” taps

http://www1.mscdirect.com/ 5/16” pulley tap, 6” shank P/N 04801189 price is about $20

See http://totallystainless.net/totally.html for the bolts. Last time I checked, they didn't have the studs. Nice folks, very into cars of all types. They have all kinds of stainless fasteners for almost every car. The prices are very reasonable, less the $8 for the water pump kit without the studs.

The studs are a Motormite item available at your local Advance Discount auto Parts store.

Motormite Water Pump Stud Kits for Ford, Lincoln and Mercury cars and trucks w/3.8L, 4.6L, 5.0L, 5.8L.

Left hand drill bits are good for trying to remove broken bolts. Not only are you drilling it out, but you're also creating force to try and back the bolt out. I would try drilling it all back out before going helicoil.

Man...if you broke an easy out in there....good luck. I had one done in GT40 iron heads. I took it to a local guy who got it out using a laser. He didn't even damage the threads and you couldn't even tell it was worked on.

fox racer said:

MSC is a tad overwhelming. All I need is a Carbide bit that is 21/64" for the helicoil kit I just bought. How do I find the right bit for drilling the bolt out?

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The drill bushing helps center the drill bit up on the broken bolt so that it does not get off into the timing cover or engine block. The OD of the bushing fits snugly in the bolt hole of the timing cover. The ID of the bushing centers the drill bit up exactly in the middle of the broken bolt/broken easy out. This saves you the effort of removing the timing case cover. The down side is that the longer a solid carbide bit is, the more expensive it is.

Test fit the drill bushing in the timing cover housing – this assumes that the bolt broke off below the surface of the housing. If it is too loose, use some scotch tape wrapped around it to make a snug fit. Once you have the drill bushing in place, chuck up the drill bit and drill the broken bolt. Use lots of WD40 to cool the drill bit.

The carbide bits come in a number of different configurations. The familiar spiral twist drill seems to be the most expensive. The straight flute drill bits are somewhat less expensive. Check out page 118 of the MSC online catalog for the 140 degree straight flute drill bits. They are designed to drill extremely hard materials like broken easy outs.