broken bolt/need advice
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 445
Likes: 2
From: Thomastown Mississippi
broken bolt/need advice
I decided today to finally fix that oil leak at the intake manifold, below the distributor. I figured while I was in there, I would go ahead and install a new distributor and coil. The first 11 intake bolts came out real smooth. I told my wife "this is going way too smooth for us". Well, as you can guess, I put the wrench on the last bolt, the one at the rear of the manifold, behind the distributor, gave it a slight turn, and snap, the head broke off. I pulled the intake off, and I'm left with about a half inch of stud sticking up. I sprayed it with liquid wrench and let it soak about an hour, then put vise grips to it. No luck. It won't budge. Any advice for getting this broken off stud out would be greatly appreciated, as I'm at a stand still until I resolve this problem. Thanks in advance.
Kenny
Kenny
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 8,117
Likes: 104
From: charlotte north carolina
soak it with blaster for a couple DAYS. try vise grips as dannyman suggested. if that doesn't work, weld a nut on the stud and it should come out. don't use one of those easy-outs. if the bolt is frozen enough to snap the bolt, those things will only make a mess of it.
jeff
jeff
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,572
Likes: 51
From: Wichita Kansas
Keep soaking as stated. It should start to move with V/grips. The mentiond idea of welding a nut on the remaining stud is a very good one.
In the event that the stud breaks off you can cut it flush with the surface and carfuly center punch the bolt. Then you can drill it strait increasing the size of the drill until you are at the proper hole size for running a tap to clean out the threads. Not easy,however with care it can be done.
If you are not confortable with that method you will need to remove the head and take it to a machine shop to be drilled and taped.
In the event that the stud breaks off you can cut it flush with the surface and carfuly center punch the bolt. Then you can drill it strait increasing the size of the drill until you are at the proper hole size for running a tap to clean out the threads. Not easy,however with care it can be done.
If you are not confortable with that method you will need to remove the head and take it to a machine shop to be drilled and taped.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 361
Likes: 0
From: Sacramento (Citrus Heights) California
If you've got a dremel you could try cutting a groove into the "stud" with a cutoff wheel and using a screwdriver to try and get it the rest of the way out. Do this only as a last resort though because removing metal from things makes them weaker, so the "stud" might break off even lower.
Good luck.
Good luck.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 445
Likes: 2
From: Thomastown Mississippi
Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll get some PB blaster today and start soaking the stud. The only good news out of this is that when I removed the intake, everything underneath was as clean as a whistle. It's a '77 Vette, stock 350. 
Pro
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 665
Likes: 0
From: wilmington nc
craftsman sells broken stud extractors. There a little pricy but work really great. The set comes with both metric and sae. They look like a nut, that you drive straight down on the top of the stud. Plenty of pb blaster and if you use heat make sure all the red has gone away before you try to turn it !!!!
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,084
Likes: 8
From: Illinois
If PT blaster doesn't work--try "Aero Kroil--The Oil that Creeps." This is the best stuff in the world for loosening bolts. Just spray it on a take your time. It took me a week to get my exhaust manifold bolts out (3 were the original bolts)--but I didn't break any off. Patience!
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,795
Likes: 1
did you try two nuts? thread first one on all the way
thread a second one up against that then tighten them against each other.
after heating with a torch turn the bottom nut to try and get the stud out.
if it should break off and you decide to center punch it
and drill make sure you use left hand drill bits as a lot of times as you drill in to the broken piece it will back it right out.
thread a second one up against that then tighten them against each other.
after heating with a torch turn the bottom nut to try and get the stud out.
if it should break off and you decide to center punch it
and drill make sure you use left hand drill bits as a lot of times as you drill in to the broken piece it will back it right out.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 684
Likes: 0
From: Winnipeg Manitoba
I would spray the bolt a couple times a day and keep doing this for a few more days. If possible tap the bolt slightly with a hammer, it should loosen up. I found that if I sprayed a bolt or a nut over a couple of days, it finally seeps into the problem spot or threads and should come loose. Time is on your side when doing this, better then creating a larger problem by trying to take in out in one day.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,345
Likes: 3
craftsman sells broken stud extractors. There a little pricy but work really great. The set comes with both metric and sae. They look like a nut, that you drive straight down on the top of the stud. Plenty of pb blaster and if you use heat make sure all the red has gone away before you try to turn it !!!!
I'd get a can of Kroil and let it soak overnight before using one though.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 549
Likes: 5
From: punta gorda florida
kroil works well and patience patience patience try the double nut it usally work soak it well
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 445
Likes: 2
From: Thomastown Mississippi
Thanks again guys, you've given me hope. I'll take my time and keep soaking for a few days. I hate to have to remove the head to fix this. If I do, I know I'll be tempted to install some "not quite stock" heads. I bought this car last April. It had sat for years, unused. I put a new carb on, 650 Holley, I think. Previous owner had installed headers and 2 1/2 inch duals. Also a Edelbrock Streetmaster intake. I was going to install a new Accel performance distributor and Accel HEI super coil while I had the intake off, until I ran into this broken stud. Anyway, I'll soak it some more and try it in a day or two. If no luck, I'll pull the head and let the local machine shop have at it. Thanks again,
Kenny
Kenny
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,814
Likes: 414
From: Pittsburgh suburbs Pa.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 14,112
Likes: 28
From: Florida
Keep in mind that the 2 end threaded holes in the head are blind holes.If the PO used a bolt a little too long, then it actually torqued itself at the bottom of the blind hole and not on the manifold as it should. In that case rust or seizure will not be the problem.
The removal methods will be the same, just be aware that it may take considerable force to break it loose and welding a nut may be the best alternative.
Have seen too long a bolt used several times.
The removal methods will be the same, just be aware that it may take considerable force to break it loose and welding a nut may be the best alternative.
Have seen too long a bolt used several times.