So close to running, but then this happened!

-

Cuprum-74

Moparus Fanaticus
FABO Gold Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2012
Messages
728
Reaction score
335
Location
Utah
Well today's been a big disappointment.

First, I'm very close to getting my Duster running, just need to wire the ignition, slap on the carb and get her some fluids.

Everything was going great until I was putting on the headers and got to the last stud...

*Snap tink!* :banghead: There goes the stud it broke with only 1/4" of it sticking out of the cyl. head. I wasn't even putting that much torque on it either.

*Sigh..* So I drilled a hole into the stud and tried to use an easy out to get the darn thing out.

*Snap tink!* :banghead::banghead: There goes the easy out, it broke inside the hole.

*Grrr... grumble* So I then tried to see if I can drill out the easy out, and see if I can get the stud weakened enough to break apart.

*Rrrrrr... CCRRRRTTCHHH!!! SNAP!* :banghead::banghead::banghead:

Auuughhrrr!! @#%#@*^%$#! (As my neighbor looks at my garage funny wondering what happened in there) You guessed it the drill bit snapped.

I've just about given up... I'm so close, yet this broken piece of stubborn steel is... is... There! Just mocking me!

The question is I know I can probably just run it with broken stud, but then it will be prone to exhaust leaks. I don't think these are junked because of this, but this will complicate things.

I cannot simply find another head as these 308 swirl port heads are not very common in the salvage yard around here, plus these have been milled.

I can take it to the machine shop, but then I will be taking a step backward and have to take apart the top half of the motor, buy new gaskets, then reassemble it again. As well as wait on the machine shop to see if they can take it out.

Or are there some magic miracle tricks to getting a FUBAR'ed [stud/easy-out/drill bit] out?
 
You CAN drill out an easy out with a concrete bit... give it time to sink in....YES a concrete bit. Theyre carbide tipped. Run it slow, even pressure, lubrication. You'll be fine. I drilled at least a half a dozen of these things out of heads. Some at the back of heads on a '98 ram with a 90 degree milwaukee drill...

You'll be running before too long
 
If you could get a small torch tip to it and heat all that material to cherry red, that would anneal it so it could be drilled. With a little effort the engine could be rotated a few degrees to improve access.
In any case , If the header is there I would remove it and place a cast iron manifold there to serve as pilot for my drill. I would recommend a carbide drill even though the steel was annealed. Masonry bits have carbide insert tips.
 
Hood good of a grip do you have? Put some channel locks on it and give it the beans. We actually had to use plyers on the stud and channel locks squeezing the plyers. Worked for us in the exact same situation. If you have a welder maybe try welding it to the stud.
 
If you have access to a good mig welder you can get the stud out. Flux core wire will not work, you must use argon to get the weld to stick. Weld up the end of the stud so you can grab it with vise grips. The heat of the weld will help loosen the stud.
 
I can't give you any better suggestoins than those above, but I do have to admire your ability to 'write' sounds!
 
3/8" stud? Do you still have the stud sticking out? If so lay a 3/8" fender washer over it and a 7/16" nut. Weld that nut to the stud in the id.
 
There is a stud extractor set that looks like a black socket set. They are splined and you hammer them over the stud, the splines dig in and the hammering helps shock the threads loose. They work very well, but I can't remember who makes them.
 
If I remember correctly I did not start drinking until the very same thing happened to me. Good luck...
 
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6w2grAV-oc"]How to Remove a Broken Bolt - Exhuast Manifold Stud Removal - YouTube[/ame]
 
I had a similar experience happen to me last weekend. The stud broke leaving about 1/2" sticking out. I found a nut that would slip over the stud and was fairly snug. I welded the nut to the stud and while it was still glowing hot I put a wrench on it and got it to break loose. After that it was all down hill.
 
I was dealing with the same thing when I put my headers on, but it was already broken off.
It is the one on the drivers side rear, and was a PITA to get to, plus it was broken off flush with the head.
I put a nut over it and filled it in with a gas mig welder 3 times but it just twisted off again. (even heating and soaking with WD40)
I drilled it and used an easy out, and that snapped off in the hole.

I plan on changing the heads anyway and used Remflex gaskets, so I just went ahead and put it together and going on a year and no leaks.
Remflex says no re tightening needed with their gaskets and guarantee no leaks, so I figured I would just see how good they are.
After a day or so of running I went back a checked all the bolts and they were still all nice and snug.
A week later I checked them again and they were still just as snug.
I will NEVER use any other gaskets for headers again.
 
I went through this last year. This is how I did it.

Here was the stud that broke:

0517131933_zps0dc8d074.jpg


This is the broken piece and the washer I used to weld to it. I used a fender washer with a smaller hole than the stud so I didn't nick the sides of the hole in the cylinder head:

0518131355_zpsc8aa1ce7.jpg


Here is the welded washer to the broken stud. Then I just welded a nut to the washer and let it cool.

0518131355a_zps27342405.jpg


After filling the nut with weld and letting it cool, I backed it right out.

0518131407_zps28f922e0.jpg


0518131407a_zps3882e091.jpg


0518131408_zpsd4658ea5.jpg


Good luck!!
 
The easy out is made of hardened metal (so is the drill bit). The drill bit is maybe a little softer than the easy out but it's still pretty hard. But they make carbide drill bits in just about every size, they are a little expensive but a carbide drill bit can drill through glass (I done it)!! The only problem is that a carbide drill bit is also very hard (harder than the drill or the easy out) so if you break it off in the bolt you're going to have a real problem. Try grinding a nice flat surface on the tip of the bolt if there's any sticking out so you can get a good shot at hitting it right in the middle. Normally you would take a center punch and mark the bolt in the center. If you haven't put any water in the engine you can get a propane torch and heat the outside of the head (around the bolt) and put some penetrating oil on the threads after it gets really hot. Then use a stud remover and maybe it will break loose and you can also get someone to weld a nut on there like others have stated. If you heat the area around the bolt and get some penetrating oil into the threads you'll have a better chance of breaking it loose.
Another trick is to hammer on the easy out and drill bit (WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES OR FACE SHIELD!!!!!) with a pointed punch. Eventually the drill bit and easy out will break into small pieces because they are so brittle. Then you can take the little pieces out (one by one). You can also get a small carbide burr with a die grinder and grind the drill bit and the easy out from the bolt. It WILL come out...one way or another!!!! If you break the carbide drill bit in the hole a carbide burr will no longer help you as they are both carbide!!!



Treblig
 
Just like treblig said....the easy-out is hardened steel. I had the same thing happen to me. I took a thin punch to it and it shattered. Then was able to drill out the rest
 
Just like treblig said....the easy-out is hardened steel. I had the same thing happen to me. I took a thin punch to it and it shattered. Then was able to drill out the rest

If he does try the pointed punch on the easy out I can't stress enough to use a face shield. One time I was doing this with safety goggles and I hit the easy out with the punch and a small piece of metal pierced a hole thru my ear lobe. It felt like someone had punched me in the face (lots of impact). I had to pull the piece of metal out of the backside of my ear lobe because it was sticking out and wouldn't go back the way it came in.
Same goes with the carbide burr on a die grinder. The extremely hard carbide burr can and will break off at high speed and bury itself in a place you may not enjoy!!!!
LESSON LEARNED!!!

Treblig
 
Treblig is right about. The face shield! I had a chisel shatter while I was holding it and hitting with a hammer. Shot a piece of the chisel through my hand! Hurts like being shot with a 22lr trust me I know that one too! Ive used a small round carbide burr to drill completely through exhaust studs. Works better than a drill bit. Oh and don't heat it and cool it with water until you have finished drilling it will harden the bolt.
 
The easy out is made of hardened metal (so is the drill bit). The drill bit is maybe a little softer than the easy out but it's still pretty hard. But they make carbide drill bits in just about every size, they are a little expensive but a carbide drill bit can drill through glass (I done it)!! The only problem is that a carbide drill bit is also very hard (harder than the drill or the easy out) so if you break it off in the bolt you're going to have a real problem. Try grinding a nice flat surface on the tip of the bolt if there's any sticking out so you can get a good shot at hitting it right in the middle. Normally you would take a center punch and mark the bolt in the center. If you haven't put any water in the engine you can get a propane torch and heat the outside of the head (around the bolt) and put some penetrating oil on the threads after it gets really hot. Then use a stud remover and maybe it will break loose and you can also get someone to weld a nut on there like others have stated. If you heat the area around the bolt and get some penetrating oil into the threads you'll have a better chance of breaking it loose.
Another trick is to hammer on the easy out and drill bit (WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES OR FACE SHIELD!!!!!) with a pointed punch. Eventually the drill bit and easy out will break into small pieces because they are so brittle. Then you can take the little pieces out (one by one). You can also get a small carbide burr with a die grinder and grind the drill bit and the easy out from the bolt. It WILL come out...one way or another!!!! If you break the carbide drill bit in the hole a carbide burr will no longer help you as they are both carbide!!!



Treblig

Totally agree with treblig except try to find a left hand carbide drill bit (machinist supply co, sometimes Grainger) and drill it out slowly. The welding a nut onto the stud is the way to go if you have a welder. I use a piece of copper or brass with a hole the same size of the stud as a cover to not weld onto the head. Good luck.
 
Another trick is to hammer on the easy out and drill bit (WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES OR FACE SHIELD!!!!!) with a pointed punch. Eventually the drill bit and easy out will break into small pieces because they are so brittle. Then you can take the little pieces out (one by one). You can also get a small carbide burr with a die grinder and grind the drill bit and the easy out from the bolt. It WILL come out...one way or another!!!! If you break the carbide drill bit in the hole a carbide burr will no longer help you as they are both carbide!!!



Treblig

I once helped a guy with an old Ford 390 with a stubborn broken bolt. Carbide didn't work, I ended up with tungsten or titanium (it started with a T) drill bid finally did the trick after breaking the others..... :banghead: :cheers:
 
I finally got the stupid stud out! Didn't need to take it to the machine shop after all, I do however need to put the cylinder head and headers back on... sigh...
 
-
Back
Top