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Broken exhaust bolt. Can I do this

  • Thread starter Thread starter Quick Cal
  • Start date Start date
Q

Quick Cal

Guest
So I've got a broken exhaust bolt. I have about 1/2" sticking out. I could try to find a ramp, load it in the truck and take it to a welder,,and pay him to weld a nut on and hope that works. Or,,,could I maybe try some red loc-tite. I know blue you can get loose, and supposedly you have to use heat to get red loose. Is it worth a try,,,or sounds like a waste of time and money. Thanks.
 
vise-grips, penetrating oil, heat, and patience.....go slow take your time, apply heat, apply penetrating oil, try and turn, repeat as necessary

do not rush it........you will break it

then you will see a loss of time and money........ask me how I know

.
 
I've been soaking it with PB Blaster for a week. Last 2 day's with Kroil oil. The vise-grips just keep slipping off. And yes,,I cleaned the lube off,,,lol. I have not used heat because I would have to buy a torch. I can do that when I get paid, but I thought I might get lucky with the red loc-tite,,,and it's cheaper. :rolleyes: I hate to use the vise grips and trash the thread's since I was at least able to get a nut on it and could weld it on.

I tried to double nut it, but the nut's were too thick. So I ground them down to half thickness. Well now I can't get a wrench on the first nut to tighten it against the second. :-s So back to the drawing board.

Thanks for the suggestion's.

I'll post a picture when I get home.
 
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is there enough to get 2 nuts on ? if so you can lock them onto the broken stud and use them to try and remove the stud
 
You can heat the bolt with a propane or MAP torch, and those are not terribly expensive. That and vice-grips, penetrating oil, etc. should get you there. Go real slow and worry the bolt a fair bit.

If it does snap, you can drill it out with some lefty bits. Do not use an "EZ-Out" as they always break, cannot be drilled out, and are the stuff of Satan.

Seriously, EZ-Outs make the Baby Jesus cry.
 
Weld the nut. Also get a small torch, costs less than $20.
 
MisterCinders said:
You can heat the bolt with a propane or MAP torch, and those are not terribly expensive. That and vice-grips, penetrating oil, etc. should get you there. Go real slow and worry the bolt a fair bit.

If it does snap, you can drill it out with some lefty bits. Do not use an "EZ-Out" as they always break, cannot be drilled out, and are the stuff of Satan.

Seriously, EZ-Outs make the Baby Jesus cry.
Click to expand...

Man MisterC a ez-out made me cry... these bikes just dont lik'em... and now either do i.. Rob
 
Here's a pic of what I'm dealing with.

I bought a torch. It is not turning it red hot. Maybe I didn't leave it on there long enough, it sure seemed like it though. Maybe I need map gas. I tried it several time's. But.... Ya all see that gasket. I'm afraid of trashing it. Then I'll be pulling the head to change a gasket.

I said to hell with it and used red loc-tite. If that doesn't work I'll get the nut welded.

Wish me luck. :rolleyes:



picture.php
 
You have a good amount of bolt to work with... I dont know if you need red hot... don't think so.. I think the heat is to get the aluminum hole to expand more than the steel bolt and give the bolt some room... but I don't think red hot is required. .. I'd ask other members. Pound on the bolt a LITTLE bit to jar it loose and keep soaking with PB . I only have about half the thread you do on my #1 cylinder... I will try welding, but it will probably take a left hand bit for mine to come out.

Where is a good place to order the studs?
 
By doing a search, I read a post where the members were saying get the bolt red hot. It won't do it with my torch. Again. Maybe I'm just afraid to leave it on there long enough. I've been leaving it on there for about 30 seconds. I sure hope I didn't all ready trash the gasket.



I got these exhaust manifold studs at O'reilly's for $8. They wanted $13 for the exact same thing at Advanced.

They don't say anything about the grade. But they are exhaust bolt's. They even have a fancy lock nut. Do you think they will be ok. I'm sure they'll get me going. They are a little long. I'm going to see if I can find some shorter one too.
picture.php

picture.php
 
From your photo it looks like you have a clean shot with a drill,correct?
This metal is soft, drill out the bolt.Start with small bit(centered as much as possible)if you hit the threads tap new ones.Try not to enlarge the hole more than original.I'd cut the bolt flat to get a good start in the center.
Behind a down tube is another matter.In that situation I would take the engine out.
doublebulid005.jpg
 
I have a similar mess on my hands. As soon as I have a sub-13 hour workday I'm gonna go buy some left hand bits and a heat gun to warm up the casing.
 
So do you guys see the head gasket. Do you think I will toast it with too much heat. Thanks.

picture.php
 
Quick Cal said:
By doing a search, I read a post where the members were saying get the bolt red hot. It won't do it with my torch. Again. Maybe I'm just afraid to leave it on there long enough. I've been leaving it on there for about 30 seconds. I sure hope I didn't all ready trash the gasket.
Click to expand...

30 seconds will probably not get it hot enough, if you ever did any plumbing work with the copper pipes and fitting you need way more heat time even with those to make them hot enough to make a good solder connection.

the head gasket might take a beating, hard to say, you could try and put a wet towel on the area you don't want the heat transferred this might help a bit, point the flame upwards and heat the broken bolt from the bottom ?

if all this fails you will need to drill it out....

but since you have so much of the bolt sticking out it's probably easiest and fastest to get a nut welded on and have it removed, the best way probably, and the one that will cause the least amount of damage or worry..

.
 
What exactly are you using red loc-tight for???

get your vice-grips clamped on it as tight as humanly possible... heat the aluminum, inside th exhaust port. move the bolt back and forth (loose and tight) if/when it does start to move, keep going a little farther loose with each swing...

Also, aluminum will not get red hot, it will melt long befor that happens. A small propane torch shouldn't be able to melt your head though...
 
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