Dumb question, but could you not weld a bolt head or extended piece of metal to the snapped bolt and then just back it out?

I did this last year with a differential bolt (one of those big four bolts that connect through the diff mounts), one of them was snapped flush in the diff. My mechanic who luckily does house calls, found it impossible to backout by trying to tap it, and multiple drill bits were broken in the process as the angle of the job and hardness of the bolt came into play.

Thankfully he showed up with his portable welder, we removed the diff and backed that SOB out within a few minutes.

 

Yes mig welding a nut on top is the way to go.

 

The intense, localized heat from welding will also greatly assist removal.

 

New Update:
First of all just want to say thanks for those who replied and try to help!!

Went to hunt some tools down. I got some hex bolts like @kukudm suggested for this one unfortunately since the hole is off center as I hammer them in they fall/can't grab/go towards right and wasn't any luck. (I haven't drilled any further yet, got dark outside.) Ill try drilling at an right angle chopping a bit of the left side, in attempt to even it out tomorrow.

@Car Analogy
got the torch, will blast some heat and try to offset the hole to the left tomorrow. Hopefully I can center the bolt more. Will try hex bolt again first, if not then use the extractor.

@Chuck S It was after installing, I was all done and went to check to see if everything was tightened (i removed the Vtec Solenoid as well) the bolt felt like it kept rotating rather than any force being felt and boom, it broke in half. It also broke uneven to where the left side of the bolt hung out more than the right hence the offset.

@noodels I had some paper towels taped so no metal shavings went into any holes, thanks!

@Hertz Donut you drilled with a left hand extractor and it popped out?? My hole is off centered so I have to try and center it first.

@Canadian144 This is my worse case scenario... Hopefully not

@Thomas Guide @Billman250 @Car Analogy Im quite inexperience with welding. I have a weld pak lincoln electric hd140. Theres hardly any room (reference attachment 1&2) to get a precise tick (i think thats how you refer to it as). If you note attachment 4 the tick/tig would hit the inside of the head of bolt 1 and 2. I was thinking of welding the end of another bolt /some kind of nail the cavity of the bolt in the engine and then use a wrench/socket to loosten at the other end.

This endeavor has tragically gone wrong, hopefully theres luck tomorrow.

Thanks everyone, good to see an active community.



Attachment #1
Attachment 2
Attachment 3

attachment 4

 

Mig weld:

Pulse a tower of metal on to the broken bolt, build it up to the width of a 5/16 nut.

Hang the nut on the tower, weld the nut to the tower. I have removed countless broken bolts from aluminum this way.

 

Nope. I tried to use an extractor set, but failed dismally because like you I went off-center and it just got worse from there. What worked in the end was leaving the anti-seize to soak in overnight, then the next morning while idly poking around I figured I'd try turning the bolt by hand, and it came right out. I only had enough grip for the very tip of my thumb and finger to move past each other, it might as well have not been in there at all. It's possible all the vibration from the night before had loosened it up just enough for the anti-seize to work its way down the thread.

 

Thanks for the help everyone! Crisis averted!