How to remove broken fuel assembly thread

[ScottG]

Howdy,

The threaded part of the fuel assembly broke right off in the gas tank. This is my first restore and I'm looking for some advice on how to remove it before I try to clean the gas tank up and try to get this rust bucket running.

The broken part won't budge and I've drilled it out with a 3/8 inch drill bit. Before I keep going and maybe ruin the thread I wanted to verify what might be the best way forward.

Should I continue to up the size of the bit till the right size for 3/8" NPT and then clean it out with a tap or just use muriatic acid now and let it sit? Or something else entirely?

Appreciate the insight. My problem sounds like this one but worse. viewtopic.php?t=17731

[staninlowerAL]

Buy or borrow a 3/8 npt tap and have plenty of patience. BTW the part is called a sediment bowl/fuel shutoff assembly. JMHO Stan

[john2189]

Have you tried an easy out? I like the 4 corner straight one.

[ricky racer]

If you haven't used an easy out, that is where I'd start.

[ScottG]

Alrighty. I hadn't heard great things about easy out but I'll give that a shot and clean up with the NPT. I'll update with how it went.

[Jim Becker]

I'm not fond of the easy outs either. But you are working with soft material where it should work as well as it will anywhere. Try not to get the easy out into the tank threads.

Don't go too crazy cleaning up with the tap. Stop as soon as the threads off the sediment bowl are free. Oversizing the threads in the tank will just cause more problems when you install the new bowl.

[john2189]

The trouble with easy outs is they are tapered and a left hand spiral so the more force you put on it, the farther in it goes and it acts as a wedge and it swells the piece you are trying to get out which makes it tighter
I like the straight ones with the sharp 4 corners.