Broken Fuel Pump Torx Bolt

SavSpeedMS3

SavSpeedMS3

JRico32
Greenie N00B Member
Greenie Member
So everything has been going pretty well with what I have been working on, granted I haven't done any major projects. Well last night when I was going to reinstall my fuel pump after changing out the internals (went well), I snapped one of the fuel pump bolt heads off. The frustrating part is even having over torqued it, it never felt like I was applying that much more pressure than the torq specs (80-97 in/lbs). Either way, I read that this has been an issue occasionally for others and they recommended changing out the bolts anyway, a few people having done that before breaking one.
I overnighted factory ones as a backup plan but will see if I can find something to replace that are socket heads caps.
 
SavSpeedMS3 said:
So everything has been going pretty well with what I have been working on, granted I haven't done any major projects. Well last night when I was going to reinstall my fuel pump after changing out the internals (went well), I snapped one of the fuel pump bolt heads off. The frustrating part is even having over torqued it, it never felt like I was applying that much more pressure than the torq specs (80-97 in/lbs). Either way, I read that this has been an issue occasionally for others and they recommended changing out the bolts anyway, a few people having done that before breaking one.
I overnighted factory ones as a backup plan but will see if I can find something to replace that are socket heads caps.
Click to expand...

I did that. Well I fractured the bolt body in the threaded area when the cheap ass harbor freight torque wrench didn't click. Fortunately it didn't come in half just spiraled down the threads. It doesn't take too much extra torque to break them.

I replaced the one I broke with the Mazda part. I only did it because the local hardware store didn't have anything similar at the time. Now I make sure the torque wrench breaks at a lower torque before I put the full torque to it.
 
djohns said:
Fuck tightening to "spec" tighten it down until its snug and stop. I've done this with plenty of fuel pumps and nothing has ever happened.
Click to expand...

I'll consider this a lesson learned. I'll get this fixed and then continue on.
 
Yikes. Lesson to be learned, never mix the words harbor freight and torque wrench.
You sure you didn't have it set on foot lbs?


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Littleloogy said:
Yikes. Lesson to be learned, never mix the words harbor freight and torque wrench.
You sure you didn't have it set on foot lbs?


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Click to expand...
I did but I looked up the conversion from ft. lbs to in. lbs. Checked it a couple times.

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SavSpeedMS3 said:
How were you able to get the broken bolts out?
Click to expand...

Well only one of them broke all the way. The other two just had stretched threads so I was able to take them out.

Luckily the bolts are a lot weaker than the housing threads, and when the bolt tore in half it was protruding outside the threads, so I was able to take the pump portion off, and then grab the end of it with a pair of needle nose and twist it out.
 
connor_cwp said:
Well only one of them broke all the way. The other two just had stretched threads so I was able to take them out.

Luckily the bolts are a lot weaker than the housing threads, and when the bolt tore in half it was protruding outside the threads, so I was able to take the pump portion off, and then grab the end of it with a pair of needle nose and twist it out.
Click to expand...

That is what I am hoping for. I read somewhere that a couple guys had taken a dremel and sheered the top off, and were able ot remove the pump then full the screws out. I've got factory replacements on the way (delivery set for today) but am going to Fastenal to find a better replacement.
 
SavSpeedMS3 said:
That is what I am hoping for. I read somewhere that a couple guys had taken a dremel and sheered the top off, and were able ot remove the pump then full the screws out. I've got factory replacements on the way (delivery set for today) but am going to Fastenal to find a better replacement.
Click to expand...

If you sheared the bolt flush you should still be able to drill the body and use an extractor. Worst case scenario anyway. Other options include slotting the bolt body and try a screwdriver or weld another bolt to it.

I'm the drill screw body and extractor type.
 
I may or may not have overlooked the in/lb and tightened all 3 to ft/lb... snapping all three off. Luckily enough someone had some extras but I was able to grab the broken bolts and hand screw them out. Isn't the norm to replace them with stand hex bolts now?
 
Mastermind46 said:
I may or may not have overlooked the in/lb and tightened all 3 to ft/lb... snapping all three off. Luckily enough someone had some extras but I was able to grab the broken bolts and hand screw them out. Isn't the norm to replace them with stand hex bolts now?
Click to expand...

Based on what I have read yeah it is. A lot of people, myself included, are not fans of the reverse torx bolt.
 
Replacement bolts arrived today! I will get this fixed after I get off work at 530 tomorrow morning

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Last edited:
So quick update - Got 2 bolts out but the last one is stripped and I cannot get a good grip on it with pliers or vice grips. I read a few places that some guys used a Dremel to take the screw head off, then were able to remove the fuel pump and then the bolt.
Obviously trying to avoid doing any damage and causing any further issues, but is it true that would work?
 
You just need to get a solid grip and unscrew it. Bump for attention
 
SavSpeedMS3 said:
So quick update - Got 2 bolts out but the last one is stripped and I cannot get a good grip on it with pliers or vice grips. I read a few places that some guys used a Dremel to take the screw head off, then were able to remove the fuel pump and then the bolt.
Obviously trying to avoid doing any damage and causing any further issues, but is it true that would work?
Click to expand...

If you've still got meat left on the head battery pliers work really well.

G410PNP.png


You should be able to cut off the head (or knock of off) then slide the pump off backward which will leave the body of the screw in there then grab it with pliers and unthread. The CDFP pump housing isn't threaded so it'll just slide out.
 
I ended up taking to my local shop where they did an excellent job helping me remove the pump. I couldn't get the last bolt (the one on the bottom) out and I didn't want to risk damage. They took care of it about an hour and put everything that I had taken out back in. Lesson learned - be more cautious when torqueing. Never had that issue before but I sure picked a hell of a time to have it.
 
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