Help removing stuck temperature sender

[cghbuilder86]

I am trying to put a temperature gauge on my Ford 601. It looks like the old one has been out for years. The problem is that the old sender nut is stuck and rounded over very badly. I can get a small pair of vise grips on it but I don't have any leverage and I can't get it to budge. Any suggestions on how to get it out?

 

[JLeus]

I drilled out the center of the one that would not budge for me. The "probe" portion
departed easily. The nut on mine was brittle and folded in easily with a drift and lite
hammer drive, then picked everything out, threads were left clean and no problems, may have
just got lucky.

 

[cghbuilder86]

What is a drift and lite hammer drive? I thought about drilling it but was afraid it would leave some in there that I couldnt get out.

 

[WayneIA]

I'd try driving a 5/8s six point socket on it and see what happens. You might get lucky!

 

[showcrop]

JLeus's suggestion is a good one. Another possibility is a bolt extractor socket. I was given a set a few years ago and they have worked for me 2-3 times. They come in a set of specific sizes. You drive it onto the rounded off bolt, bushing,whatever, and the sharp hardened flutes grab the bolt head, then you put your ratchet in it to turn it out. I have also used JLeusS suggestion with success. With just the right sized drill, which is critical, you get the bushing thin enough that it will just collapse in on itself, yet not so thin that you get into the threads.

 

[JLeus]

A punch like tool but the business end is flat and the same diameter as the maker of the
tool necked it down from the handle part,???? Does that description make sense??? Tool to
drive something out like a pin. Thats what I grew up hearing the man call it. Lite as in it
didn't take much of a lick to break the bushing.

 

[tractorguy2]

Can you clean up the corners with a file or Dremel tool? Then use a metric six point socket.

 

[cghbuilder86]

I tried shaping the head and using a bolt extractor. Every time the head would just keep getting more messed up. It's like it was soft. I did however successfully drill it out though. Started with a small bit and worked up to 29/64. It seemed like I was getting nowhere with the punch and picks until I set the punch in just the right spot, got one side to fold in allowing the whole thing to come out in one piece. The threads should all still be in good shape. They were never touched with the drill.
Is there anyway that I can do a very thorough flushing through the engine block to make sure there are no metal flakes or shavings that fell back in there? I don't think any did but a good flush would do it good anyway. The radiator is already off the tractor(sealing a leak), and I have removed the thermostat and poured water through the top hose and let it come out the bottom. Question is, is that water actually circulating around the back where I was drilling? Will this flush be good enough?

 

[Keith Williams]

That bushing was brass is why it was soft.
I think there is a pipe plug or something on the other side of the block.
Take it out and flush that way. It's not like this is in the oil or something.
Keith

 

[showcrop]

(quoted from post at 10:31:57 08/22/15) I tried shaping the head and using a bolt extractor. Every time the head would just keep getting more messed up. It's like it was soft. I did however successfully drill it out though. Started with a small bit and worked up to 29/64. It seemed like I was getting nowhere with the punch and picks until I set the punch in just the right spot, got one side to fold in allowing the whole thing to come out in one piece. The threads should all still be in good shape. They were never touched with the drill.
Is there anyway that I can do a very thorough flushing through the engine block to make sure there are no metal flakes or shavings that fell back in there? I don't think any did but a good flush would do it good anyway. The radiator is already off the tractor(sealing a leak), and I have removed the thermostat and poured water through the top hose and let it come out the bottom. Question is, is that water actually circulating around the back where I was drilling? Will this flush be good enough?

Don't stress about cleaning it out. You have crud two inches deep in the water jacket at the back of the block.

 

[Tall T]

Vise Grip makes locking pliers that clamp onto 3 sides of a bolt head or nut.

bolt extraction

once the pliers are clamped on, try lightly tapping the pliers in [b:6a2983ae3f]both[/b:6a2983ae3f] directions to possibly break the hold, kind of likelike tapping a stuck jar lid . . . try it with a warm engine.