Raider74

The drivers side front exhaust bolt that is shared with the alternator bracket has broken off in the head. P/o got the wrong bolts when installing new stock style manifolds without a.i.r. ports. I have a blap blap exhaust leak on that front corner, but i just recently purchased some long tube headers. When I install these i intend to get this bolt out. About 1/4 " sticks out from the head when the manifold is off. P/o tried to use an "easy out" and got it broken off inside the bolt so drilling is not an option. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

PS- my initial plan is to use pb blaster first, wipe up residue, heat up red hot with a propane torch, and twist out with vice grips? anything better to offer i will consider!

bobs77vet

after you get it all hot with a torch hit with candle wax...it gets sucked into the threads and acts like a lubricant....it will flash and burn so dont be surprised by this.....if that doesnt work you will need to drill it out


im not sure a propane torch will get it hot enough

Raider74

How about a butane torch?

OMF

If the previous mentioned ideas don't work, weld a nut on the remaining bit of stud,and make sure you get it bright cherry red while welding. Go have a beer and wait until its cool to the touch before trying to spin it out...good luck

roger3

Use a Dremel tool with a cutting disc. Cut around the outside of the bolt and get it removed so that you can grab onto the broken easy out and get it out. If this isn't an option then use a small chisel and hammer and start tapping the edges of the easy out to get is spinning and get it out.

After the easy out is removed, use a left handed drill bit and drill out the bolt. Start with the smallest size you can that will cut shavings out of the hole you already have. Keep increasing the drill bit size until you get to the size hole you should drill if you wanted to re-tap the threads. At this point the drill bit will unscrew the remaing broken bolt out for you. Works like a charm every time.

If you

Glass Act

Fire up the engine and let it get up to normal temp. Since you have 1\4 sticking out, use vise grip's to turn it out.

WhiteC3

I agree with the above tips and keep in mind if needed carfully grind it out using dremel with small carbide cutter. Careful not to hit threads or you will have to helicoil it.

badrad

Instead of the vise grips slip try to use a 6" pipe wrench, I usually use one for things like this. With vise grip I just tend to mess it up more.

DUB

Raider74,
I have used the heat up and wax method on more stubborn broken bolts/studs/nuts than I can count. You do not have to heat it up cherry red. Just get it hot. Then apply the wax. The heat and cool cycles along with PATIENCE should result in your seeing a "frog hair" of movement. IF it moves...even just a very, very, very litlle bit...then you have won the battle of breaking the bond. The WAR is not won yet...because this is where patience comes into play where using the heat and wax will allow you to start getting more of a turn on the bolt. back and forth, back and forth. Slowly getting more and more movement. Then it will eventually come out. Just be patient. Remember....getting both parts equally hot is not the point... you are trying to get the head hot and yet keeping the broken bolt from getting red hot. IF it does...let it cool...and do it again. I have spent hours on getting bolts out in the past....and in some cases..I have even had to remove parts and use my EDM machine and burn out the broken bolt because it just did not want to cooperate.

I use oxy-acetlyene torch myself...so I can get in and out fast with the heat...and have a control I need to get the heat where I want it ...FAST.

Wish you the best...especially with that broken screw extractor being in the bolt. IF it does not come out...then remove the head and take it to a maching shop that has a EDM machine...where it will burn out the extractor and bolt...without damaging the threads...unless the previous owner botched them up.
"DUB"

bobs77vet

i dont know......its all a gamble at this point maybe welding a nut on the stud would work.....if you have to redrill it.....grind it flat.....make a jig that you bolt into the other exhaust manifold holes so that you drill exactly where you want to....use a left hand drill and just keep increasing the sizes and pray alot...

Faster Rat

That worked for me on the front of the head. Made a pencil tracing on paper of three holes and had a machine shop make me a jig from plate steel, with a boss welded over the problem hole that would accept bushings for different drill sizes. Had to buy several expensive hardened bits to drill thru the broken-off easy out. A left-hand bit still didn't remove the bolt, ended up drilling most of it out. Cleaned the rest with a tap. A lot of time and money, but better than removing the head.

7T1vette

Sounds like you will have to get the manifold off to get enough bolt shank to really work on it. I agree with welding a nut on it so you can apply some centralized torque to it. The welding should heat it up enough to help break the corrosion loose. Torque it both directions to loosen; but don't over-torque the bolt shank much more than the bolt is designed to retain, or it will just snap off again...deeper. Just keep shooting PB Blaster into it and torquing it both directions until it starts to creep loose. Then PB Blaster again and heat and it should come out.