Nut splitter on header

[tony.mon]

if it was me, and it has been, stay away from them dam easy outs, if they break you are in a world of sh1t..

As they're so hard you can shatter the snapped-off bit of an easy out with a centre punch.
Drilling doesn't work.
The only other option is spark eroding with the head off.
With easy outs, always use a tap holder with handles either side to equalise the sideways force- if you try to use a spanner it can snap.

[cheekykev]

Drilling doesn't work.

Sorry Tony, have to disagree there, it does work,I've done it.

[tony.mon]

You've drilled a snapped off easy out? Respect.
They're hardened to buggery

[cheekykev]

You've drilled a snapped off easy out? Respect.
They're hardened to buggery

My apologise Tony, I completely misread you're post, it must be an age thing
I meant I drilled the original stud out.

[E.Marquez]

You've drilled a snapped off easy out? Respect.
They're hardened to buggery

You can drill a broken bolt remover.(easy out or any other brand) ... but it is not something you do with a hand drill and a bit you got from the corner store.
It is a machining operation as even the normal play in the common drill press will cause the operation to fail.
A carbide drill or end mill is used in mil to drill out a broken extractor, but a quality center punch sharpened correctly will break up the brittle broken extractor as well.

Always plan on having damaged threads after a broken bolt is removed, be it with an extractor, drilling out, ect...

Having 3 or 4 common thread repair coils or bushings on hand is a real life saver in the garage...its also much less stressful knowing that broken bolt that you just found or had happen only means a short delay while you weld a nut on and unscrew it, drill it out (don't even bother with an extractor), then drill and tap and install a thread repair coil.

[thrumbler]

Hi All,
Thanks for your help on this thread. It's been a long time but things are finally looking up so I have an update.

In short I drilled out most of it, but could not get the remains of the stud out of the deepest threads in the hole.
So I called Martin Law of Thread Repairs in Harlow and he put a helicoil in it for me.
All back together and despite draining the carbs in January they were overflowing. So float valve and jets cleaned but still gushing from rear overflow pipe. So I'm going to buy new float valves before I take the carbs off again.

I guess it would be a good idea to slacken and re-torque the header nuts every year or so to avoid them siezing again.

For future reference what I should have done is followed your advice and patiently persist with the nut splitter until the nut is off, not just moving.
If a stud did ever shear again I would definately explore the weld-a-nut option. For some reason I was thinking I'd have to do that myself, but I could have just got on the phone and looked for someone who could come round and weld it.

Best wishes
Jim

[tony.mon]

Before you buy new float valves simply swap front to back to see if the leak moves to the front one.

It could be a float valve but they're normally bulletproof, I think your problem lies elsewhere.
Is it only leaking when the engine us running?
If not, it will be the fuel tap.

[thrumbler]

Thanks for the tip Tony.
It only leaks when the engine is running.
Do you know if it could it be something other than the float valve?
Jim

[tony.mon]

Check the fuel tap diaphragm for a small split.

[thrumbler]

When it was running yesterday fuel was gushing out of the rear carb overflow which exits between the carbs on the left side.
I've not run it since, today I noticed that although mostly all dried up there was a drop of fuel hanging from the rear carb mixing screw, and the ally housing for that screw looked wet. I dried it off and after an hour there is no new drop hanging but it is wet again. No fuel evident outside the fuel lines. Would this be an indication of a small split in the petcock diaphragm?
Jim

[tony.mon]

No, the pet rock diaphragm would lead to fuel flowing from the drain spigot vertically below the pet rock, not from one or both carbs.
If the problem is fuel flowing from the short open-ended tubes which exit between the carbs, usually held by a rubber band, then you'll need to strip that carb.

It's rare that the fuel float level valve gives problems, which is why I suggested swapping the float needle from each carb to the other to see if the leak also moves from one carb to the other.

If it does, i.e. the front carb now leaks and the rear doesn't, it is the needle.
If the leak stays on the rear carb, then the float or the float needle seat is at fault.

Or there's a problem with the rear carb, a cracked casting or something.

[thrumbler]

Thanks for the steer. Yes there was something very wrong with the float.
I've had the carbs apart a few times over the years but never put one together wrong before!
I'd managed to insert the float pivot pin without putting it through the float, it went underneath it instead and I did not notice until reopening the float chamber when it was bloody obvious.
Such a stupid mistake I know. I amaze myself sometimes!

Anyway now up and running and had some great rides in the last few days.
I'd taken the opportunity to grease the shock linkage and clean the headers with Harpic while the exhaust was off (although they discoloured again pretty quickly)
Really glad she's back on the road after the long lay off.
Noticed a bit of play in the rear wheel bearings and a massive notch in the head bearings so those are the next jobs.
Thanks all
Jim
Pic from just before the lay up.