broken manifold bolts, now what?

[sactoC10]

Do I need to go to a machine shop to have these rusted-in, broken, old bolts removed from these driver side manifolds? What would you do?

[Fred T]

I usually end up cutting them off flush and drilling them out. Then retapping the holes.

The one that's still in one piece stands a good chance at removal. I heat the flange up to a dull red and put a pair of vise-grips on as close to the flange as possible. Should come out.

[walker]

Nah, just center punch them and start drilling with an 1/8" bit get bigger until you can get an ez out in there. Left handed drill bits work wonders, as well as kroil/pb blaster/ et al. As you drillthe hole gives the bolt somewhere to go as it is turning past the rust and it gets easier the bigger the hole. If it still doesn't come out and you start to see threads, because your hole is too big just try retapping it. Or you can use the weld a nut to it method, which is somewhat self explanitory.

[chickenwing]

Jeff, looks like there is a tad bit of stud pokin out on the 2 short ones? I did the same exact thing. Took it down to my buddies shop and put the acetylen torch to it. Heated it a bit more than a dull red. They all came out. I did not want to try and drill it out, cause time before that I screwed up and drilled the hole off center. Easy out just wouldn't work. Ended up drilling it all the way out and tapping it. Then had to elongate a bolt hole on the headpipe flange to make it fit.

[GMCPaul]

I used to use a left hand drill bit to remove them and when that didn't work I would use a eze-out, but since I found out my local machine shop would remove and replace all 3 broken or unbroken studs for $5 a manifold I quit fighting them and let them do the work.
GMCPaul

[JimKshortstep4x4]

GMC Paul,

That is a good deal on removing studs!

Jim

[mrein3]

I drill a hole for an easy out. DON'T put the easy out in yet.
Heat up the MANIFOLD with a torch until it is read. Propane will work but it takes longer.
With the manifold red whack in your easy out and turn the broken stud out.

If you heat it with the easy out in there you'll wreck your easy out and likely make a bigger mess by breaking the easy out off in the stud.

If I had a machine shop close by that would do it for $5/manifold I'd go there too.

[64fleetside]

If you have access to acetylene torch, you can melt the studs right out of the manifolds, cast iron melts at a much higher temp than steel studs. Concentrate the heat on the stud, apply a little oxygen-drip right out. If you're good you won't even need to retap the threads. Brian

[68C15]

Headers!!!

[Fred T]

Originally Posted by 64fleetside

If you have access to acetylene torch, you can melt the studs right out of the manifolds, cast iron melts at a much higher temp than steel studs. Concentrate the heat on the stud, apply a little oxygen-drip right out. If you're good you won't even need to retap the threads. Brian

That's what my friend did when he was turning wrenches. And while the iron was still red hot, he would run in a new stud. Learned the trick from an old head back in the sixties.

For $5 a manifold, I would gladly let someone else do them.

[chickenwing]

I wish I had that kind of machine shop here!!

[sactoC10]

OK, good input, all of it.

I do have a good machine shop less than 5 minutes away, so I think I'll at least get an estimate from them first.

If that option is not as good or similar to GMCPaul's, then I think I'll try one of the torching methods.

Thanks... good to have the digicamera up and running. Made this question EASY to ask!

[full foot notch]

sorry to bring an old thread back, but im in the same boat as yall, BB headers that all have crappy studs on them, but dont wanna F the manifolds up

[Blue Beard]

Just did a dozen of these last summer with a torch. Cost more for the new studs....

Finding a good deal at a machine shop would be easier...

[bigvinnie]

I believe I paid $20 to have 2 studs removed a few years back, $5 is a helluva bargain...

[Robert1970C20rstbukt]

I use a propane torch and a pair of vise grips to get 'em out, but before that I soak 'em in penetrating oil. It's never failed yet. This works for studs that were rusted beyond re-threading or broken off just enough that I could get the vise grips on. I never had any with studs broken off flush to the flange of the manifold.

[4x4Poet]

When I removed the Rams Horns from my K10 last month, I used penetrating oil and a Powerhouse stud remover. I pulled 5 out of 6 myself. I had to have the machine shop pull the last one because on that one I didn't follow the first rule when using that stud remover: Keep the tool at the base of the stud before turning.

I used the same remover a year ago to pull a broken head bolt out of one of my TravelAll's 392 heads. Worked great. No doubt the heating idea would help on any removed manifold. And the stud remover requires a half inch or so of the stud protruding to grab on. Won't work with near flush-to-surface breaks.

I hear the ladies like it too.

[lux hauler]

if there is enough of the stud sticking out, even if it's just a thread or two, start a nut on it and weld the nut to the stud from the center. use the nut to back the stud out.
Speaking of exhaust manifolds.....anyone know anything about the new rams horns that they're making now?