Broken stud removal tips?

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7duce swinger

7duce swinger

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Hey wassup guys, havin trouble removing two broken studs. Theyre jammed inside of the head, and broken off (by me/vicegrips) lol. Theyre not flush even theyre more inside the head than being flush or out. I cant use vicegrips, and i just tried to mig it to a bolt and turn it, but the bolt just snaps off.. What else is there to do? I removed the engine from the car yesterday, i got it on a trailer right now. So i got tons of room to play with. The mig thing has worked for me before on a mustang, and a chevy, just cant figure out why the bolt just snaps as soon as i turn it? Should i use more heat??? I dont like using easy outs by the way lol. People say theyre a pain to remove after theyre stuck. Ive easily drilled them out using one bit, and it is accomplished in very little time, but i would rather not go that route. thanks for any replies.
 
Snap-on makes a screw extractor set with left handed drill bits and easy-outs. I've had good luck with them on bolts, but never tried one on an exhaust stud. I'd drill the studs all the way through that way if for some reason the easy-out breaks off, you can just pound it all the way through the bolt into the head and start over. Good luck.
 
I have to assume these are the studs at the ends of the heads. Those go into water jackets so you can drill clear through them.
1st step, Let the casting be your guide to get a good center with a larger bit , 5/16 or a little larger. Just deep enough to find a center.
2nd step, Drill through the remainder of the bolt with a 1/8" then a 15/64" or 1/4" at most .
3rd step 5/16 tap to clean up
 
Instead of a bolt weld a nut on the stud. That way you can fill it up with weld. Then turn it out and keep it moving but don't stop because it might gall.
 
ok had a problem like this with a broken spark plug 1nce called this racing place in california they told me your bummin i said yah think SO he said this is a secret
you need to start with a small bit drill it a little bigger {now these have to be commercial grade bits there not cheap but nessesary for any car guy good set cost 180.00 i got mine at grainger ) then you take a router file cutiing side bit also from grainger it fits in your drill or u can buy a special straight adjustable head and adjustable speed drill works like a router and finnish file cutting the broken bolt through your drill hole cutting twards the threads try not to hit them if you can avoid it then you may have to cut twards the other side and then you have removed enough metal to weaken the bolt and it will turn out try to keep your cut so the bolt is still in 1 peice yet wd40 or monkey piss the hell out of it before you start and kepp it lubed when you finally get your bolt out carefully retap the threads incase of any dammage to threaded whole and BAM you got your bolt out its teedios and frustating but it worked for me in several cases where i thought i was screwed kewl tip str8 from the professoinal racer mechanics and machinists that can save you a motor or a ton of money i know it saved my *** other wise your in a teardown mode and off to the machine shop GOOD LUCK wich ever route you have to go
 
Well good news and bad news(for me). I drilled one out, and yes i knew they go into the water jackets, (all the ones on the ends) and migged a nut onto one and it worked.(sorry guys i meant nut,not bolt) filled in the center and turned. The first ones were snapping off but thisone worked out ok. Now i started taking off the studs from the other side (badly stripped), and broke off the stud. So im thinking ok no problem, ill just mig another nut to it or drill it out! Wrong!! I got weld inside the hole, and its not coming out very easily. any thoughts? And i do believe theres a little of a drill bit stuck under the weld? What can i do now,is weld stronger than the head's metal itself? Can i drill through this and the drill bit piece? Is it a bad and stupid thing to do, if i weld a stud in place of the hole?, because that seems easy to do to me, but i would rather have some input? Any tips are greatly appreciated, im so f@&$in pissed right now!!! Please help guys..
 
Oh and i did do the small drill bit, then onto a bigger sized one. It worked out great, and i retapped them also. Just trying to figure out my new problem.
 
A carbide tool will cut weld and drill bit and broken easy out.
It would be best to set the head up in a milling machine and use a end mill. A carbide drill bit might work. Same proceedure as before, center is critical.
Masonry bits have 2 small pieces of carbide for cutting edges and that has worked for some but be forewarned, break carbide off in the hole is the end of the story.
 
We did this to my head. We broke the bolt extractor of in the bolt. So we took a torch heated it up really good and drilled it out and rethreaded it.
 
kyles73dart said:
We did this to my head. We broke the bolt extractor of in the bolt. So we took a torch heated it up really good and drilled it out and rethreaded it.
Click to expand...

Good tip. That process is called anneal. It takes the hardness out of tool steel, welds, etc..
I didn't mention that earlier because the majority of us dont have acetylene torches. Propane doesn't burn hot enough to be effective.
 
RedFish said:
Good tip. That process is called anneal. It takes the hardness out of tool steel, welds, etc..
I didn't mention that earlier because the majority of us dont have acetylene torches. Propane doesn't burn hot enough to be effective.
Click to expand...
i cut and heat 1inch plate every day with propane you just cant weld with it .maybe you mean a common propane torch
 
Well thanks guys right now my dads tanks arent filled so we cant use his torch, but ill ask somebody. What might this cost at a machine shop? anyone know? Just in case i cant get a torch in time. Thanks for the great tips guys.
 
Would any one recommend welding a stud inside of the hole?? Or would that be dumb to do? Thanks for all replies.
 
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