Exhaust manifold stud removal

[jp360cj]

Amc 360...Long story short, I'm swapping from headers to stock manifolds. The studs where the exhaust pipes bolt to broke during removal. It's a blind hole.

What's the best way to remove the broken studs? Ease out, or is there a better option?


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[gert]

Put some heat on it hit it with a center punch drill it and try the easy out..... good luck


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[Torxhead]

I for one am not a fan of using those easy outs. As they are smaller, harder and break easily. Heat is a good option and use those left handed drills where I can. Getting them to drill centered on the broken stud is tough. The drills will weaken the walls of the stud and the left twisting effect of the drill unscrews the stud. Heli-coils or threaded inserts sometimes have to be used as a last resort.

 

[mriplaybass]

I assume that you are talking about where the exhaust pipe bolts to the stock manifold, not the heads. Is there any piece of the broken stud still sticking out? If there is, what I have done is to first of all soak the broken studs with Deep Creep penetrating oil. This brand of oil does not flash when you heat it with a torch the way PB Blaster and others do. After soaking for several days, I take a nut of appropriate size, drill out the threads, and MIG weld it onto the broken stud. Usually the heat from welding generates enough heat, and the broken stud backs out.

 

[cglax6]

All good suggestions up there...

But if you don't have the tools, or nothing seems to be working, then pull the manifold off and take it to a machine shop (this is assuming you're talking about the exhaust pipe bolts, and not the bolts that secure the manifold to the head). I had a water pump bolt seized in my current rebuild project block, it sheared above the threads...I did everything above, and it sheared off again at the threads.

I took it to my local machine shop where I was going to take it to get cleaned and bored anyway and they were able to pull it out. Never asked how they did it, but it's out and the threads aren't damaged.

They'll charge you for it, but it'll be cost effective if you don't have the tools. Call ahead and ask how much they'd charge. I'm one of those people who has to do everything myself, but I also know when I'm at wit's end and will do nothing but cause more damage...no harm in getting outside help.

BTW, I'm not a fan of easy outs...I've never NOT had one shear off on me.

 

[jp360cj]

But if you don't have the tools, or nothing seems to be working, then pull the manifold off and take it to a machine shop (this is assuming you're talking about the exhaust pipe bolts, and not the bolts that secure the manifold to the head).

They'll charge you for it, but it'll be cost effective if you don't have the tools...

BTW, I'm not a fan of easy outs...I've never NOT had one shear off on me.

Yes, where the exhaust pipe bolts to the manifold. And the manifolds are off already.

Thanks for the advice, but I don't even have a local machine shop anymore. Even when I did, it would have probably been cheaper to just buy new manifolds. There is 1 engine shop that does some engine specific stuff; not sure if they could cover something like this but I might check with them. 1 manifold has enough stud left to weld a nut to. I'll probably try that route first, then check with the engine shop if it gives me too much trouble.

I've had the same experience with the easy outs

 

[cglax6]

Thanks for the advice, but I don't even have a local machine shop anymore. Even when I did, it would have probably been cheaper to just buy new manifolds. There is 1 engine shop that does some engine specific stuff; not sure if they could cover something like this but I might check with them.

Seems to be hard to come by these days. I live in Tidewater VA and there are only a couple options with the massive population here. While you work on it, it might be a good idea to just give that one shop a call and see if they'd be able to do it. Stuck bolts are commonplace in engine repair shops, so I'd be willing to bet they'd help...as far as price goes, ya never know until you ask. No harm in asking!

Good luck!

 

[bzahler]

Put an add on Craigslist or Facebook market for a home shop guy. If they are like me they constantly are checking them for tools and stuff.
Somebody would probably
do it for $50

 

[Idahododgeram]

I've had good luck with heating the bolt and melting some canning wax into the threads. Let it cool, hit it with a punch and use the left handed drill bit method.