Stripped Allen Head. Now what?

I have a 2000 XR600R. Developed a bad oil leak 2 months ago coming from the stator plug on the stator case. One of the bolt heads subsequently stripped. Here is what I have tried, to no avail;

1) Larger allen head. Also tried a hex head. Just made the inside worse.
2) Borrowed extractor from neighbor. No go.
3) Impact with regular head. Tried to tap it in. Got it on, but would not bite. Tried taping it in more, still no go.
4) Just today tried to drill the head off. Enlarged it quite a bit. Head still won't break off. Drill subsequently broke after drill bit got stuck (15+ year old electric drill, RIP )

So, I'm in a rock and a hard place. I could probably keep drilling, but now I'm worried the next size drill bit will drill into the case of either the crankcase or stator. I've already knicked the case up trying to hammer the bit in.

I don't have a welder or dremmel tool, and not really inclined to buy one at the moment. Any other options?

Thinking about trying to use JB weld with another extractor as I read a few people on here with that success (trouble is, colder than nuts outside right now).

question if you got the head off can u pull a cover off and then have access to the shoulder of the bolt with vice grips

or does this not apply tho this situation ?

That's what my plan was (is). But I still haven't got the head off. And seems like I drilled through the already as large as a bit I last used.

I think that is your only option now unless you want to drill it and try an extractor again

what happened the first time you tried the neighbors extractor ? no bite

wrong size bit ? old extractor ??

First off, any one in Florida claiming cold as nuts right now is crazy...

Secondly let's see a picture of the offending bolt. Both macro of the head and a larger neighborhood shot to allow for tool suggestions.

If the bolt is 5mm (very common for motorcycle covers) I would pick a drill bit that is about 2.5-3mm and drill about 5mm in. Then using a 6mm or 7mm size drill, drill the head till the head pops loose and comes off. At that point, all the preload on the bolt will be released. You might be able to stick the smaller drill in the already created hole and with some slight side pressure, reverse the drill and screw the bolt out. Or use the proper tool, a screw extractor, and it should come right out. With the head still on the bolt, it will not want to break loose easily.

I guess it is too late to cut a slot across what is left of the bolt head and use a screw driver to back the bolt out?

The bit may have broken from grabbing the last portion of the head; you are almost there.
If you don't have more drill bits, you may wait until going out and buy some.
As you know, a bit that is too big may damage the cover.

Which one is?

Drilling is all you've left. I suspect you're not using a large enough bit to sever the head from the shank. Then, remove the cover and use vice grips to remove the remaining shaft.

Drill it with a bigger bit, the head will spin when it breaks off...stop drilling:huh
Remove the cover, hold a soldering gun (or mini-pencel torch) against the remaining screw to soften any locking fluid/loctite, and the screw should unscrew out with visegrips.
I used left hand bits, but not required.
jmo

Goes through the #23 dowel pin

you can't get a pair of vice grips on that?

I've had great luck with Craftsman bolt extractors and an impact driver.

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-10-p...p-00952166000P?prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=G2

These grab the head of the bolt rather than trying the drill-though-the-bolt, break-the-bit-off, try-not-to-wreck-the-case, loud-cursing, machine-shop-visit routine anyone who's spent any time wielding a wrench will have gone though.

Their success rests on having enough of the bolt head left to grab. I'm not sure from your description how much you've got left.

Tried that. Even with a point pair. Just spins. The head is some crappy soft aluminum. And, not much room between the case either.

I'll get a photo tomorrow afternoon.

Seems everyone's trying to be a mechanic on Hondas this month.

Post a pic, it might not be as bad as it appears. . .

Soft maybe...but not aluminum

Is this an original bolt or some aftermarket bolt? Could be aluminum if some PO changed it. Might be permanently seized in the case.
You may end up drilling the whole bolt out and have to restore the threads with a Heli-coil.
If this is a 6mm bolt, a 3/8" drill bit should chew the head right off the bolt and miss the case if you have a steady hand. 5/16" bit if it is 5mm. You need sharp drill bits and a steady hand.

When you are done, replace all the case bolts with stainless steel. Even 18-8 alloy (also called A2) is probably stronger than what was in there.

Are you near the Spacecoast?

What you should have done before you totally destroyed the internal hex is to give the head a couple good raps with a hammer, this will usually shock the threads loose.

Did that, too. I actually did that to all the heads when I first started taking it apart as an older XR6 with the same problem had some rather testy bolts to remove.

Found a backup drill this morning in the house, might give it one more go tonight when I get home. If that doesn't work, might just suck it up and buy a dremel tool and grind the head off. Will give more updates tonight.