How Screwed am I?
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by genuine1980
I'm goinng to start with small drill bit and go larger until the bolt is out.
Be VERY careful when using the tiny bits. They break very easily, and drilling out a drill bit is just as hard as an easy out. Not fun. Anyway, good luck and let us know.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 6,798
Likes: 25
From: Pine Bluff Arkansas
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-‘19-'20-'21
Originally Posted by LYLE
I have used all the methods above with good results. I have a new method that beats them all. I went to sears and bought a set of Craftsman left hand drills and bolt extractors. It comes in kit form for about $50. It may not work in your case but will work if you start on a virgin broken off screw. Some times the bolt comes spinning out while you are drilling. It came with instructions to just hit the drill on and off not steady drilling. If you can get the easy out out and you drilled in the center the left hand drill will still work.
Lyle
Lyle
Larry
Racer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 493
Likes: 2
From: Dunellen New Jersey
make sure you protect
The inside of the head.If any shaving go in your motor your really screwed.Get the closest drill under the 1/4-20 and rill out the remaining bolt.Use a small awl and bend in the threads that are left and then retap the hole.Don't forget to stuff lots of rags in the oil galleys.Also take your time,don't rush it.Patients is the key
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 851
Likes: 10
From: Palm City, FL
I just kept drilling until it was all out... then I tapped it.
Next question... while I have the valve covers off, should I re-tighten the heads down??? I don't have a head gasket leak that I know of, but I am wondering if there is preventive maintanence here like how you re-tighten header bolts every now a again.
Same question for the intake manifold... should this be re-tightened evey now and again?
Next question... while I have the valve covers off, should I re-tighten the heads down??? I don't have a head gasket leak that I know of, but I am wondering if there is preventive maintanence here like how you re-tighten header bolts every now a again.
Same question for the intake manifold... should this be re-tightened evey now and again?
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by genuine1980
I just kept drilling until it was all out... then I tapped it.
Next question... while I have the valve covers off, should I re-tighten the heads down??? I don't have a head gasket leak that I know of, but I am wondering if there is preventive maintanence here like how you re-tighten header bolts every now a again.
Same question for the intake manifold... should this be re-tightened evey now and again?
Next question... while I have the valve covers off, should I re-tighten the heads down??? I don't have a head gasket leak that I know of, but I am wondering if there is preventive maintanence here like how you re-tighten header bolts every now a again.
Same question for the intake manifold... should this be re-tightened evey now and again?
It's a good idea to check torque specs on those bolts but do not over tighten them. Torque to spec and you'll be good.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 851
Likes: 10
From: Palm City, FL
Originally Posted by Durango_boy
It's a good idea to check torque specs on those bolts but do not over tighten them. Torque to spec and you'll be good.
And since I dont appear to have a head gasket leak at this time, is it safe to not mess with it until I do have leaks? How do these gaskets usually go?
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by genuine1980
Any idea what that spec is?
And since I dont appear to have a head gasket leak at this time, is it safe to not mess with it until I do have leaks? How do these gaskets usually go?
And since I dont appear to have a head gasket leak at this time, is it safe to not mess with it until I do have leaks? How do these gaskets usually go?
It doesn't hurt to put a torque wrench on, and see where it is. If it's loose a little, a tug in the right direction will get it into spec. If they're right on, it won't harm anything.
1980 Chevy Corvette
Head Torque Spec: 65-70 in a 3-step process
Intake Torque Specs: (Guessing 35...?)
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 61,415
Likes: 478
From: Here to make friends
St. Jude Donor '11, '16-'17
Originally Posted by genuine1980
I just kept drilling until it was all out... then I tapped it.
Next question... while I have the valve covers off, should I re-tighten the heads down??? I don't have a head gasket leak that I know of, but I am wondering if there is preventive maintanence here like how you re-tighten header bolts every now a again.
Same question for the intake manifold... should this be re-tightened evey now and again?
Next question... while I have the valve covers off, should I re-tighten the heads down??? I don't have a head gasket leak that I know of, but I am wondering if there is preventive maintanence here like how you re-tighten header bolts every now a again.
Same question for the intake manifold... should this be re-tightened evey now and again?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 851
Likes: 10
From: Palm City, FL
Originally Posted by Durango_boy
I suppose you could could drill and tap the rest, matching them...
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by genuine1980
HAHA no thanks!!! My luck I'll snap a drill bit or tap in a different hole, that's harder to access... then I'll be screwed again!
Oh well. I guess it's no big deal to have an odd size. A lot of engines have four odd ones per side from the factory. Something they did for a reason I will never understand on my own.