Breaking bolts off?

[buzzardB]

I have a bolt that I need to remove but it feels like it's shank is twisting off. I was wondering if there is some way maby with a tork wrench to know if it's unscrewing or failing? The head size is 11/16 and it goes into a water jacket. Oh yea, it's been in there for over thirty years.

 

[Torxhead]

From your description it sounds like the thread might be stripped out. If you could grab hold of it with a vise grip and pull out on it as you unscrew it that might work. With that size head I am thinking it could be a 7/16 bolt. If the threads are stripped out it can be repaired with a heli-coil or some other type of thread insert. Can you send in a picture, to see its location.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Try to tighten the bolt just a bit. Then do what ya gotta do, to get it off.
LG

 

[buzzardB]

O K, to be honest it's the bolt that keeps the power steering pump from moving. it's not on my jeep (which is doing fine) but it's on my 77 dodge van w/360. I did try the righte tighte lefty loose thing but in my minds eye it's shearing off not unscrewing. I think the tork spec is about 85 lbs. on it. I haven't measured tork trying to take it out yet but it feels like over a hundred lbs. The head has moved in both directions. I just have been living with a power steering belt that needs adjusting for fear of ringing it off causing a lot of work to try and fix it if it does ring off. Just under the head is the adjustment slot on the pump bracket, the bolt then goes through the water pump, then the timing cover then threads into the block. Been soaking it w/ pb blaster and liquid wrench, but I'm doughtful any is giting all the way to the threads (about 2"). Don't have any idea how much tork it takes to ring off the bolt asuming the threads hold.

 

[mriplaybass]

If you have movement on the head of the bolt, I would continue to squirt penetrating oil on the bolt when it is turned out as far as you can turn it. You would be supprised what PB Blaster and Deep Creep can get into. Do this for several days continuing to apply the penetrating oil. Then work the bolt very slightly left then right. Box wrench works better than a socket if you can get one in there. If the bolt goes through a cooling jacket, there could also be silicone or thread locker on the end of the bolt making it difficult to turn.
Last resort, as Torx said, if the bolt breaks off, you can always use a heli-coil to repair it. Sometimes the small projects just end up being big ones.