Broken exhaust manifold bolt, remove head or engine?

[Guest]

I have a 82 gs450l that is sooooo close to being done, but of course, I ran into an issue. Both of the exhaust bolts on the right side broke off in the head. We have tried welding a nut, and an ez out, but no luck mostly because of the frame getting in the way. My question is should I take the head off or just pull the whole engine?

[londonboards]

To give yourself a fair chance of doing it nicely, it's head off I'm afraid.

[hampshirehog]

On a 450 it would be easier and quicker to remove the whole engine and not disturb the head wouldn't it?

[Agemax]

remove the whole engine, easy enough job and would give you full access to the broken studs. saves pulling the top end off and having to fork out for new gaskets.

[dackcommabig]

Thank you all, engine is coming out!

[JOE91]

Let me know how that goes for you I too have 2 bolts broken on the exhaust and will be removing the engine don't know if I should drill them out or try an ez-out hopefully you are successful!

[scrapper]

I just got an ez out that is a drill bit with a nut on it about 15. bucks and drilled the hole, tightened the nut down and reversed the drill and nothing, put a 3/8" corded drill and tried reverse and broken the drill bit off. I'm not sure if I want to pull the engine but am thinking about taking it to a machine shop and see if they can get it. PITA

[bwringer]

In approximately 10,000 years of recorded human history, an EZ-out has never once worked on an exhaust stud or bolt.

Seriously, there are cuneiform tablets warning about using these stupid fraudulent things on chariots.


Extractors can only work when the threads aren't seized, like if the fastener has broken for some other reason. Careful drilling is the only way. Start small, go slow, and stay on center and you can sometimes avoid damaging the threads in the aluminum.

[AMK]

In approximately 10,000 years of recorded human history, an EZ-out has never once worked on an exhaust stud or bolt.

Seriously, there are cuneiform tablets warning about using these stupid fraudulent things on chariots.


Extractors can only work when the threads aren't seized, like if the fastener has broken for some other reason. Careful drilling is the only way. Start small, go slow, and stay on center and you can sometimes avoid damaging the threads in the aluminum.

+1 on this opinion.
Once you break it off it becomes an "easy in".
It really muffs things up for the eventual machinist and really takes away most of his options.

[Jmanor]

Had same issue on my 82 GS1100GL. Pull the engine and drill out/re-tap if needed. Plus you have access to replacing gaskets etc..

[dackcommabig]

Thanks for all the advise, we ended up pulling the engine and slowly drilling and tapping. All done!

[scrapper]

I did not know not to do that or I would have taken it somewhere. I have never used one of these but have used easy outs before several times. I never broke off a exhaust bolt on anything? Guess I should have ask.