The Head Studs From Hell......
 

Next movie by Quentin Tarrantino... :D

Not really looking for advice, I've read all the threads, have all the books....

7 days....3 studs out....Mapp gasssed the inside of the cylinder wall for 6-7 minutes, ataached my Snap on 10M x 1,5 Collet tool Stud remover and zapped the chit outta them with my 1/2 inch impact wrench....not a budge in either direction...

Just want others who search these threads and find my dusty bones still grasping that impact gun to know who came before them......;)

go rent an oxy/acet setup. i don't want to tell you again. :)
don't use an impact gun, just do it by hand using a breaker bar and socket on your snap-on collet tool. keep tension on it while heating and you'll feel it begin to move. heat a bit more and turn it out. if they get hard to turn on the way out, stop and reheat. you should be able to get them all out in less than an hour with the right kind of heat.

Did you use PB Blaster?

I did all 24 with no heat whatsoever, just some PB blaster. I also rotated the engine stand with the studs pointing toward the ceiling, attached a pair of vise-grips around the stud and used the handle from my aluminum jack like a four foot breaker bar on the vise-grips so I could walk around the case like a seafarer turning a capstan for an anchor. By the time I got halfway through "Rolling down to Rio" the stud was free. Repeat 23x.

Or you could just rent a Oxy-Acetylene torch like JW says. I have considered moving to Seattle just so I can have John as my mechanic. Trust his advice and persevere.

Hehhehheh...I love this place.....

Oxy acetylene this weekend....:D

And Row, row, row my boat.......:D

I too used PB blaster and John's approach and they all came out in about 1.5 hours. Be sure to clean out the holes really well before re-installing your new hardware. What will you be using?

Good luck,

Alex

Heat is the only thing that will loosen the Locktite on the treads, PB blaster is great on rusted stuff but does little to nothing on Locktite. I wish more people would listen to John Walker!!

Before you go to oxy/acy, try the mapp with a big ratchet or breaker bar. PB is great on exhaust studs but not the best on headstuds, heat works best there. A mapp torch and a 3ft+ breaker should work, if not go with oxy/acy and a big ratchet or breaker.

Have fun!

Should one be concerned about overheating w/ the oxy/A?? I mean, one uses that stuff to melt metal and AL will not turn color like steel does to indicate it is getting hot... that is not until it is way too late!

I used MAPP and a breaker bar... all 24 in less than an hour on an SC w/ 90kmiles. Like John says, keep the tension on it.

-michael

It takes a bunch of heat to melt aluminum or magnesium. You won't be able to put enough heat in with a small OXY torch, but you will definitely put more in than you would with a MAP torch.

Science Time-out!

Oxygen and acetylene, in the proper ratio, burn at a temperature of 3160C.

MAPP, when combined with oxygen, has a welding temperature of 2927C.

The best a propane torch can do is 1995C.

Magnesium melts at 650C and its autoignition point is 473C.

Aluminum melts at 660C and I couldn't find its burn point, only the burn point of other things like Aluminum oxide or Thermite.

It should go without saying that one should avoid at all costs doing an impression of the firebombing of Dresden or Hamburg in one's workshop.

Never having done Oxy/A, what would be the proper ratios for heating and not melting? Anyone? Obviously, that fine blue point is not what you want... Or am I way off here?

Best regards,

Michael

Can you guys give me any suggestions for removing head studs that broke near the case. I am thinking about using an extractor kit that requires drilling a hole in the stud and tapping a non-tapered extractor into the hole and then turning out with a wrench. I will also be using a lot of heat. This is on an aluminum case and I have a milling machine to do the work on. Any guidance is greatly appreciated.

I did 2 cases worth a while back....you are using the right tools, but do not be afraid to try turning the stud back IN to the case when it is good and warm. I used a regular propane torch so there wasn't a risk of melting, a few were pretty tough to get out, but if you keep heating and hammering...they'll come out. In terms of warming, I probably spent 10 to 15 minutes per stubborn stud, playing the flame both inside and outside of the case to get the heat up.

Don't be afraid to really tighten the Snap on tool on to the stud....I used the impact wrench on full power to tighten it on the stud.

Dennis

Well...I picked up the oxy acettylene rig at lunch time (back in the day I had all this stuff...)

Then....zing, zing, zing about two minutes of heat apiece and 11 chourus' of Row Row Row your boat with the 3 foot cheater and I am almost done.....broke one of the two already broken head studs with the serrated collar tool....now only have about 2" to work with....

It'll be out after dinner.....:cool:

You guys are awesome......

Wow this is timely. I gotta get mine out next before I split the case. I'd never dreamed of using my oxy/acet torch on these, as I was too paranoid. I guess I won't mess with my Mapp torch and go straight to Big Bertha with a LOT of caution and care.

Ed...the third part of this puzzle is getting the collet tool tight. I used the 'reverse oil line method'.....

When I'm pulling the enginge I place a jack under the hard oil line so I have something to torque against when unscrewing this line. Tonight I stuffed a 2x4 under the collet and torqued against the board to get the collet good and tight....

The one I broke is gonna be a beotch though...I need a better set of vice grips....

the 2" ones will come out if you use the stud tool that has 3 rollers inside. you need to get the 8mm one because the shank is smaller than the threaded ends. take up the tension and heat up the case just like the rest of them. it's the ones that break off with about 8mm sticking out of the case that are frustrating. did those twist off in the attempted removal process? a good reason not to use an impact or just reef on them before they're ready to move.

Yeah...I was cruising along so well I reefed on it...:mad:

I'll get the 8MM tool and smooth it...Thanks again...

Great info, thanks guys.

I've been heating the stud at the stud to case juncture and twisting them out after a minute using a MAPP gas torch. I've been doing this for years without any problems but I only deal with Aluminum cases.
-Chris