The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Broken bolt removal

OK guys, need your quick help on this one. Got a exhaust stud broken off in a '67 pontiac exhaust manifold. Stud is broken off flush on the collector side, about 1/4" sticking out the top of the flange, flange is about 3/4" thick. Tried heating flange up and using vicegrips, but the nub turned about 1 full turn and stopped. How can I get this out?
Got the manny off and with me here at work, Im gonna stay late and use the machine shop tools here. How do I get this out?

thanks

chip

Other than heat, liquid wrench, candle wax,(search other posts) working it slowly in and out...... If you've got a complete machine shop, you could attempt to drill it out, last resort. When you do get it out, and put that new stud in there, and reassemble your exhaust system, put BRASS NUTS ON THE STUDS they won't interact with studs and do that rust weld thing.

Chiphead: Since you got it at the shop do this, drill center pilot hole use your easy out, make sure it good and tight, then apply heat to broken stud. Take your time don't rush,done many this way and they finally back out. Remember your working with heat and easy out, patience is the factor. popcorn

Chiphead: Since you got it at the shop do this, drill center pilot hole use your easy out, make sure it good and tight, then apply heat to broken stud. Take your time don't rush,done many this way and they finally back out. Remember your working with heat and easy out, patience is the factor. popcorn

The Truth Is Out There

Patience, patience and more patience, as well as what these guys mentioned.
You got it to move once, that is a good start.Use the wax trick and you should be able to remove the broken part,,,,patience

Kranoil works wonders in this type of application. Soak it good and let it work.

Well, I gimped up the threads above the flange due to the vice grips. So do I grind the top flush with the flange and try to drill/EZ out, or do I try to unscrew it out the top? I was thinking about MIG-ing a nut or something to the nub sticking out the top and trying to unscrew it out the top. Will that work?

And whats with the candle wax? The machinists already think I'm off, what if they see me with the candles and Kroil massage oil?

chip

Chip: Find out about wax been in the shop about 35 yrs. aint to old to learn. Ok to grind flush, drill, then easy out, or weld nut to nub. still need heat to eaze out. As I tell my boys patience my son. Worse come to worse drill out total and then heli-coil another bolt in. I keep a hospital running. Wax I'll be damned. popcorn

The Truth is Out There

WARNING about using an EZ-out on the exhaust pipe to manifold bolts:

I cracked my flange when using an easyout. Yes, the flange cracked, the bolt still did not come out, and my Harbor Freight "EZ out" drill did not break. As popcorn3023 has already suggested, you still need heat to free up many of these stuck bolts.

I suggest you try the other heat and/or wax/solvent-based techniques (or both) suggested above.

Tim

A trick we picked up to get rusted frozen machine screws out of oven burners was a few drops of liquid soap, ivory, joy, etc. Zeke

Chiphead, This is not a commercial, but I continually amazed by the ability of "PB Blaster" to break loose rusted bolts/nuts. I would try to describe it, but I think it would be easier to just give you a link to their website. It used to be sold only at auto parts stores, but now I see they have it Wally-World (Wal-Mart).

PB Blaster Web Link

Put a washer over the stud, weld washer to stud. Now weld a nut to the washer, heat up the manifold again and remove

LOL,
Iv'e used this trick at work several times (and yes,they know for a fact I'm a little off )But it works!
Apply heat to one side while applying the wax to the other.It makes a mess but the wax will be drawn towards the heat.

I'm with hseber about welding a washer and then the nut to the washer. When you do the heating get the flange a light red hot then take a water hose and cool it fast till it is cool to the touch, take a wrench and turn the nut, it should screw out pretty easy. The secret to it all is cooling it fast.

ChipHead: DID you get the bolt out the suspense is killing all of us. Thought that would be the first thing I would read this morning!! Of course we need to know what trick you used. Wax I'll be damned. popcorn

The Truth Is Out There.

Well, I thought I was going to have to do this myself, but as I was setting it up in the shop last night, Stuart (stu-daddy) the toolmaker volunteered to remove it for me. He drilled about a 1/8" hole thru the center of the stud to stress relieve it, and now its soaking in Kroil he brought from his house this morning. Don't know exactly what he's got planned for the removal. I'll let y'all know.

chip

Mabey one of those lazer knife things they use to remove cancer

Drilling a hole completely through it works well with the welding technique, it gives the outer diameter some give to work over the rough spots on the rusted threads.

Do those rounded bolt removers like I saw at Sears ever work? They fit over the top of a bolt, gouge into it when turning and remove it, in theory.