Need advice on a broken exhaust bolt in the head.

[Jeff396]

Hey all,

I'm in the throws of battle changing my exhaust headers out and managed to break one of the bolts off in the head. Funny thing was this is the one I decided to heat up before trying to remove it thinking that would work better. After that I used my impact on the other three stubborn bolts set on low and they came out like champs. I did think it was odd that the only ones that refused to come out without a fight were the four bolts at the ends of the manifold flange. The oxygen sensors also came out without issue. Anyways, my problem now is how best to remove the remains of the bolt. There's a bunch sticking out to grab onto but my first attempt with a vice grips didn't budge it. So I though I'd try something a bit out of character for me and ask for help BEFORE I managed to break it off flush with the head. I'm assuming I should use a torch to heat it up cherry red but I've never dealt with aluminum heads before so I want to make sure. Do I have to worry about not getting the aluminum too hot? Also, and this may be a stupid question......do you let it cool down before trying to remove the bolt? I'm thinking it will be too soft and might break again if I try too soon. I've already sprayed it with PB Blaster and am now off to the store to get some replacement bolts. Any advice you can give will be most appreciated!!!!

Thanks,

Jeff

[JFP in PA]

Hate to tell you this, but the way to remove the bolts is by drilling them out and then using an easy out to remove the bolt shell. Time consuming as Hell, but it gets it done without damaging the heads, which you can do with heat..............

[Jeff396]

That's what I was afraid of. I don't need to do the easy out thing yet as there is enough sticking out of the head to get a real good hold of with a vise grips. I guess I'll keep spraying on the PB Blaster and see what happens. I've never had real good luck doing the easy out thing in the past.

Also, nobody in the area carries grade 8 metric bolts that's open on a Saturday!! The guys at the auto parts store tried to tell me class 8.8 is the same as grade 8. I had no idea. For the first time this Internet phone of mine came in really handy to look it up!! The guy at Napa knew the difference though.

Jeff

[derfo]

Hi Jeff, if there is plenty of the bolt sticking out you could weld a good nut on the end and then try the spanner on it again. I did this a while ago on a bolt stuck in ali and it came out ok.

[Jeff396]

That's a great idea!!! You think my wife would finally let me get a welder??? I tried to braze a nut on but my wimpy map gas torch refused to get the bolt red hot. So maybe I'll have to hit up a neighbor. I imagine the PB Blaster isn't going to do any good either. I'm thinking it's more stuck due to the dissimilar metal problem rather than corrosion as the other bolts came out clean as a whistle.

Is it ever possible to do exhaust work where nothing breaks???

Jeff

[BYprodriver]

Loctite has a new spray called Freeze Out that works good for me. Once you follow the directions on the can, hit the bolt with a hammer hard to loosen the bolt & try removing. If that doesn't work you can try & file the sides flat to get a better surface for the vice grips. Porsche doesn't skimp on the quality of the fasteners so I would get the correct bolts eventually. I have removed & reused my original bolts countless times without any problems here in So.CA so I think it's a corrosion issue. Antiseize works great for thread dressing.

[dnaeseth70]

Accrochez-vous bien de vos rêves.

[Jeff396]

I'll stop by the auto parts today and look for the Freeze Out. I'm just not so sure about whacking it hard with a hammer. I'm not exactly the greatest aim when it comes to hitting a nail and that's not usually while lying flat on my back. I'll have to think of something I can put on the bolt that won't slip off that I can whack. I think the exhaust bolts are okay to reuse. I'll just clean them up a bit. I did notice that three of the bolts have no rust on them at all. Those three are slightly shorter also. I'm not sure if that means someone has been in here before but I'd really like to know why those three don't have any rust on them.

Jeff

[bala]

The following worked for me all the tome IF there is some of tthe bolt sticking out:

Take a Dremel cutting disc and amke two cuts parallel on both side opposite each other. I have sometime gone maybe a half mm into the body just to make sure the side are deep enough to put a wrench on. Then with the wrench on the bolt, making sure it a as snug as possible press in and twist. Slowly as you dont want to make the wrench slip. If its a bog bolt use a plumbers wrench. Just removed 3 bolts on the dual mass flywheel and came out in a snap. I always had trouble drilling in. Never succesful as i think you need a good diamond tip. Take your time and dont fight it.

[Jeff396]

I got some Freeze Out from Autozone but for some reason my truck automatically turned into the pub next store. I guess I'll set my sights on Monday unless I get so damned deoressed.........

What's a bog bolt?

Jeff

[bala]

Originally Posted by Jeff396

I got some Freeze Out from Autozone but for some reason my truck automatically turned into the pub next store. I guess I'll set my sights on Monday unless I get so damned deoressed.........

What's a bog bolt?

Jeff

Did I say bog bolt? I guess my truck reached the pub before I posted. A big bolt as in big head.

[turboflyer]

The trick in heating is to try and get the aluminum hot before the bolt, not totally required but helps. The aluminum will expand more but you have a major heat sink as I am sure you are aware. Try this if you will. Mix a 50/50 mix of acetone and auto trans fluid. Put it on and let it set over night . Go buy a snap on or similar external bolt extractor of the correct size or a set. Sears use to sell them as well I believe. If that docent get it then drill and use and easy out. My last resort would be a complete drill out and heli coil, not that they don't work , just preference. I personally like the EZ lock thread inserts. Interested in how you resolve it.

[showbiz]

If you have enough broken stud material exposed us a die and thread for 2 nuts if you can locktite the 2 nuts to stud wait till dry overnight and try removal slow ,if you can only get one nut down 1/2 way borrow or have someone weld with a portable 110 mig welder to weld the nut on,let cool down and spray while it is hot with pen oil,will draw into thread,do not breath the vapors. good luck Greg

[Jeff396]

This thing has totally kicked my butt!!! I tried the Freeze Out with no luck. Then I ground the two flats on the bolt and also used the Freeze Out again with no luck. This thing was sort of hard to get at with a wrench since it's so far up in there. What I did was take a large grade 8 bolt and cut a slot in the head the same width as the piece sticking out of the cylinder head. Then I was able to slip a socket over the bolt from the threaded end and get a really good hold on it. I swore it moved a hair at one point but is may have just been the part above the cylinder head getting ready to twist off.....which it finally did. So then I take my Dremil with a disk on it and grind it flat so it's recessed in the center. I then went and bought a LH 1/8" drill bit and drilled it out. I was surprised how easy that drilled it out based on my prior experiences doing this on grade 8 bolts. I put a nice new Easy Out in again using the Freeze Out and I pushed it to the point that I felt it was close to snapping which I really didn't want to happen.....no dice. So then I decided to drill it out larger in steps being careful not to harm the threads. The amount of bolt left in there is really thin now. I went to Autozone and bought an appropriate sized Easy Out and am going to give that a try today. I also got an M8 x 1.25 Helicoil set just in case. My only issue there is the hole is ever so slightly off center and I'm thinking I should go in there with the dremel to get it perfect before I hit it with the drill bit for the Helicoil. I'll have to go get something for the Dremil to do that. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Jeff

[bala]

I have 2 of the 4 bolt where the muffler attaches to the tranny stuck. Broke a couple dozen drill bits. Not even going to try taking it out. Maybe when i retire.

[Jeff396]

Hey all,

Well I finally got the broken bolt issue taken care of. That thing fought me until the bitter end!!! The new larger Easyout didn't work at all. What I ended up doing was drilling the hole out with every increment of metric drill bits I had. When it got larger I bolted the stock headers on to use as a guide to help me keep it square and to be sure it was in the exact location it should be in. At one point before I used the header as a guide the remains of the bolt sort of came loose but since I was slightly off on the hole at that time there was still bolt left in 1/2 of the hole. Even getting that out was a nightmare!!! Once that was done the rest was a piece of cake. So finally my new headers are installed and I just need to get a bracket welded on my Borla mufflers and I'll be driving a rattle free car.......hopefully!!!!!!

Thanks for all the help and suggestions

Jeff

[JerseyBoy]

drill em out then get a tap an die set and retap the threads in