I have a jon boat that I fish out of 90% of the time, so I decide to give my little 9.9 Evinrude outboard a little TLC so I ordered a water pump kit, new plugs, and bought a prop from craigslist.

Long story short, as I am taking bolts out that join the gear case to the exhaust housing two bolts break halfway out. Needless to say it freaking took me just about all day trying to carefully take out what was left of the bolts in the exhaust housing without screwing the threads up.

Also, to add insult to injury I had to order the bolts from Evinrude cause no local marina's carry them >

Called my dad, genius engineer, and he basically said that I was a dumb a-- since I put to much pressure on the bolts, said I had to be more careful. I think he is full of BS since the darn bolts were halfway out. Anyone here have a bolt break as you were loosening it halfway out? I can understand at first when max pressure is applied to break it free, but halfway out...come on

That's what you get into when you start messing with motors that have seen salt/brakish water.

Sometimes there is no way around it but since you managed to get it broke loose and started coming out, when it starts getting tight, try turning it in a couple of threads and then back out a few threads, keep doing this. It may take 10 minutes and only getting a 1/2 thread more each time but sometimes you can work them out. NEVER just keep pulling hard on it thinking it's going to break free and start coming out, it will break.   If it's in a location you can get a whole lot of heat to it, that helps. One word of caution, if you do break one, don't aply heat after the fact and try spraying WD40 of other penetrate on it trying to get the broken end out. It will make it so hard, not even a cobalt bit will drill it.

Two words of advice  "Liquid Wrench".  

"Small Project turns into NIGHTMARE!" isn't that applicable to just about any small project? I mean even the guys working on Hubble would say that.

Glad to see you got it out though. Last time I did a simple job on my truck swapping out a O2 sensor, it took me 4 hours to get the old one out (2 minutes to get the new one in). What should have been a 20 minute job took my entire day.

Forget WD 40, Liquid Wrench, etc. This stuff is by far the best that there is. No BS. I'm a marine diesel mechanic, I've dealt with more than my fair share of rusty stuck fasteners.

http://www.kanolabs.com/google/

I've used EVERY penetrating oil out there, this is the real deal. It aint cheap. You can't buy it in a store, you have to order it. Follow the directions. It only takes a little bit, you don't have to drench the stuck bolt.

$6.00 a can is a bargain compared to the cost of engine parts.

Rule number one. Saltwater and metal do not mix well together..

Forget WD 40, Liquid Wrench, etc. This stuff is by far the best that there is. No BS. I'm a marine diesel mechanic, I've dealt with more than my fair share of rusty stuck fasteners.

http://www.kanolabs.com/google/

I've used EVERY penetrating oil out there, this is the real deal. It aint cheap. You can't buy it in a store, you have to order it. Follow the directions. It only takes a little bit, you don't have to drench the stuck bolt.

$6.00 a can is a bargain compared to the cost of engine parts.

we use that on car wash bay doors. paraffin wax on the back threads if you can get to them and a torch work well too.

2 broken bolts is a NIGHTMARE!!???

LOL

I have a jon boat that I fish out of 90% of the time, so I decide to give my little 9.9 Evinrude outboard a little TLC so I ordered a water pump kit, new plugs, and bought a prop from craigslist.

Long story short, as I am taking bolts out that join the gear case to the exhaust housing two bolts break halfway out. Needless to say it freaking took me just about all day trying to carefully take out what was left of the bolts in the exhaust housing without screwing the threads up.

Also, to add insult to injury I had to order the bolts from Evinrude cause no local marina's carry them >

Called my dad, genius engineer, and he basically said that I was a dumb a-- since I put to much pressure on the bolts, said I had to be more careful. I think he is full of BS since the darn bolts were halfway out. Anyone here have a bolt break as you were loosening it halfway out? I can understand at first when max pressure is applied to break it free, but halfway out...come on

Being an elderly mechanic I have had bolts seize up half way out, mostly in exhaust and water jackets. The bolts pertude into the water or exhaust channels and the threads corrode, when taking them out they will sometimes jam in the housing. > not a good thing.

Vern

FYI

It's called galvanic corrosion, which occurs when two dissimilar metals touch and will occur in fresh, brackish, or salt water.

Most outboard motor external parts (housings/casing) are aluminum while your bolts are some type of steel; automatic corrosion.

Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)

Apply penetrating oil and let stand,

Remove with impact wrench!

Install bolts is a light coat of sealant  

Forget WD 40, Liquid Wrench, etc. This stuff is by far the best that there is. No BS. I'm a marine diesel mechanic, I've dealt with more than my fair share of rusty stuck fasteners.

http://www.kanolabs.com/google/

I've used EVERY penetrating oil out there, this is the real deal. It aint cheap. You can't buy it in a store, you have to order it. Follow the directions. It only takes a little bit, you don't have to drench the stuck bolt.

$6.00 a can is a bargain compared to the cost of engine parts.

AMEN to Kroil oil best stuff on the market and what Catt is saying is right on bolts strip out and threads degrade that's  just how it goes  :'(

After ruining my outboard 's fuel pump I decided that no longer would I try to "fix" anything. Now that I come to think about it in perspective, don 't know where I got the idea that I could "fix" anything in my outboard when I 'm completely injun ( no matter which ) impaired, lesson learned, that 's why there are certified mechanics around.

If it wasent for bad luck I would have no luck at all!!! Broken bolts, break out the BEER and re-visit it after the buzz wares off!