Broken upper end stud

[uudfourty]

Okay... so...
I was here:

Two torque wrench turns later, I was here:

For clarification... what is the torque spec for these studs... I had a calibrated wrench running off of a Clymer manual, but shiznit happens, and suds break. Anyone have a number which has worked well for them?

In the meantime, I'm going to search the threads for another 10 mins or so, then go back and light up the propane torch.

Just type *** if it's drill and tap time. I can't bear to read the words.

 

[uudfourty]

okay... my "random sh!t" folder won't work... hang on...

 

[uudfourty]

okay...

was here:

Then this happened:

dammit, Janet....

There is not yet a word in the English language which can properly describe how incredibly ****ed off I am right now, by the way.
I submit: AAFARGLEN!--- the level of anger which is experienced after taking a day off work to do an upper-end rebuild which, of course, ends in an broken stud.

 

[duaneage]

Oh you need to be careful with this one. The problem with heating the area is the aluminum is going to conduct a lot away from the area. A question would be are they pressed in or threaded?

I would weld a bolt to it and try to turn it out rather than grab that skinny metal end with vise grips. you could slip a nut over the end, weld it to the stud and give it a few turns.

 

[uudfourty]

Threaded, me hopes, but doesn't know.

If I had a welder, that'd be rad.

If I had a welder, I'd weld it in the mornin...

As it stands, the nearest free-to-use welder is 7 miles away. And I have no trailer on the 94 Buick Century.

 

[duaneage]

How about brazing? you can do that with a map gas torch.,

I sold an engine to a GSRer that had teh same thing happen to his rebuilt engine. he damaged the cases trying to drill out the stud and ruined the half. I would try and weld or braze a nut onto it. Take a few minutes and walk away from it.

At least you have 1.5 inches sticking out and it is not flush.

 

[tkent02]

I would guess some PO has overtightened these studs, perhaps several times.
I would replace them all if it were me.

Welding on a nut seems a good idea.

The red cylinders look nice too.

 

[uudfourty]

I'll do some looking to verify that it isn't pressed into the half.

Brazing is... ugh... unfortunately looking like the best option.

Why doesn't this ever happen on the outside studs?

I'm sure it does, just not to me.

I don't have any MAPP gas, but I'm sure I can come across some.

 

[progas]

It's not pressed in, they are threaded. Heat the area up, and get the biggest vise grips you can on it, and it will come. You just be torquing it in the 28-30 foot pound range. Good luck

 

[progas]

It also looks like there is alot of blow-by on number 3, did you re-ring it while it was apart?? Looks like you also are replacing the camchain, seeing it has been broken, be sure to rivet that link in good shape!!

 

[progas]

Oops, I guess thats a piece of rope holding the camchain, carry on.

 

[tone]

The stud is screwed in, i'd consider welding as a last resort due to the chance of getting splatter into the crankcases, & because heating the stud to that degree will weaken it

As a first option i would remove anything that could be damaged & heat the crankcase as low down as possible while trying to avoid heating the stud too much then apply constant even pressure to the stud to unscrew it as the cases cool

If you try this option do NOT snatch at the stud or it is liable to break off flush with the crankcase & if the stud moves then stops do NOT force it just re heat the cases & start the process again

If you do manage to break off the stud, which is a distinct possibility drilling it out at home accurately is virtually impossible so take it to a good engineer to either drill or spark erode out (cheaper than new cases & a rebuild)

hope it helps
tone

 

[SqDancerLynn1]

A little heat & a stud remover ! Definately NOT pressed it.

 

[Suzuki_Don]

I agree completely with TONE. When I rebuilt the bottom end (the bike's not mine) I had the cases apart and heated the upper case from inside and out and put a lot of pressure on it and in the end gave up. It felt to me like they were going to break. I could not get any of them to budge. It is a real ordeal trying to get them out. So be careful and as TONE said better to take it to a machinist if your attempts don't work.

Hopefully you will get it out, but I doubt it. Keep us updated with your progress. It will be interesting to see what happens.

 

[cruz del sur]

Get a stud remover, and it will be out in no time.

 

[bwringer]

They are threaded studs, and held in with some very stout thread lock compound. It seems to me to be stronger than Loctite blue, but not quite the invulnerability of Loctite red.

Heat will soften the thread lock goop and ease this project considerably. I also recommend a stud remover.

Install a new stud with blue Loctite and ride happy...

 

[bwringer]

Hey, your #2 piston is named "Art"!

 

[Guest]

Apply the heat to the end of the stud only and try to keep away from the block as much as possible. I bet you get it out! Remove the cam chain tensioner next to the stud so you can get a good vice grip on that baby.

 

[uudfourty]

The red cylinders look nice too.

Thanks.
Did it all by my onesies.
I'm going to do a write-up in Appearance Mods when shes done.
I've got a friend who's itching to do some airbrush work on a motorcycle tank.

Good luck

Thanks.

It also looks like there is alot of blow-by on number 3, did you re-ring it while it was apart??

No, but since I'm going to have to place another order for a stud and a base gasket, I might as well.
Come ooooonnn income tax return.

Hey, your #2 piston is named "Art"!

#4 is Simon.
#3 is Creative Differences.

Okay. Thanks guys.
Will get a stud remover and give it a shot. Hopefully I'll have a positive update over the weekend.

 

[mike-s]

As one stud has broken, due to the unknown treatment of the others i would seriously encourage you to buy a new set of studs for the whole damned lot. A stud remover is a good idea, and you would have better justification for one than i would (8 studs for me vs 16 for you).

I had one stud break on me, but fortunately right near the top thread, so i had plenty of meat to grip onto. FIRST i would give it a little bit of a hit with a rubber mallet to help break any bonds (corrosion and/or loctite) and then instead of heat i would look into getting a loctite product called "freeze and release" and spray it directly onto the base of the thread of the stud. It has a penetrating oil in there and it is very effective in cooling the local area and making the stud contract slightly and i am quite certain was a massive help in allowing me to remove the stud. After this, then use the stud remover to get rid of the broken stud, im sure you'll find it works quite well.

Regarding the difficulty in removing the studs, your forgetting that its not just loctite causing it to be hard to remove, as the studs are already machined to be a very tight fit in the body of the crankcase (it was a real pita just to put the new ones in) and the studs also stretch during use (when i replaced my studs they were ALL 4-5mm longer than the new studs replacing them) and the studs threaded section would have stretched as far as the threading would have permitted them to, thusly making it a right bear to get out.