frozen exhaust bolts

[brs127s]

I just wanted to add something about penetrating sprays. I have used many different kinds including PB Blaster, Conklin Rustbomb, Hydrotex, etc. The best I have found so far that doesn't eat up plastic or other materials has been some stuff made by Seafoam. I have used this for several years and it has never let me down.

[jimcor]

I just wanted to add something about penetrating sprays. I have used many different kinds including PB Blaster, Conklin Rustbomb, Hydrotex, etc. The best I have found so far that doesn't eat up plastic or other materials has been some stuff made by Seafoam. I have used this for several years and it has never let me down.

That would be Sea Foam "Deep Creep" .

PB Blaster is rated 'bout the same, as is Airkroil. The key is patience and hitting the stuck fastener with a drift or if accessible a hammer to set up a vibration that breaks the electrochemical/mechanical bond between disimilar metals. You can remove those old bolts. If you're a professional you don't have time and must resort to drilling and helicoils or other inserts. If you're a shade tree kinda guy like me and you've got the patience to work with a stuck fastener for a week or two you can get it out. That is no exaggeration, a week or two. But you won't have to pull a head or jerk an engine out of the frame and then pay a guy to burn a snapped bolt with an EZ Out snapped off in it, and then a machinist to drill and tap the remaining metal.

I learned this the hard way. My Dad showed me the right way to do it when replacing the window wiper motor on an old Plymouth Fury. After about 5 days or so we busted the bolts loose. Used Liquid Wrench, which is very much inferior compared to PB, Deep Creep, Kroil which are more modern products, hell, they weren't around back then. Don't give up until you've given it at least a week.

Wingnut, a member here and an A&P mechanic, stresssed to me the importance of hitting the stuck fastener with a hammer. The shock and resulting vibration will help dislodge the bond that forms because of disimilar metals.

[brs127s]

Jim is right, no matter what kind of penetrate I have used, I always soaked the frozen bolt, fastener, etc. twice a day for a week, and then used an impact driver to loosen it. I have a buddy that is a mechanic, and he always told me that a impact driver is a motorcyclist's best friend, if they work on their own stuff.

[dennis roy]

I though i'd put my 2 cents in even if it isn't worth 2 cents. On any car i've ever done exhaust work on I have always replaced the regular steel nuts with brass nuts. They never rust and I have never had a problem taking them off when needed. Just thought someone would like to know.

[chef1366]

Good reading guys!

[bradleymaynar]

One thing that I've never seen suggested in these posts (they are very frequent, after all), is to run the bike up to normal operating temperature before attempting to remove the bolts. I've never run into a problem with stuck bolts, yet, but this would seem the easiest way to expand the engine metal over the bolt metal. I would think that doing this would help somewhat, whether it be squirting some PB onto the bolts after the engine has cooled somewhat, or removing them outright.

Another suggestion, not mentioned in this thread, would be to attempt to tighten the bolts before loosening them. Again, a warm engine could help greatly.

My .02.

Brad bt

[Dave8338]

Another suggestion, not mentioned in this thread, would be to attempt to tighten the bolts before loosening them. Again, a warm engine could help greatly.

My .02.

Brad bt

GREAT SUGGESTION Brad!

I've found that this works very well. All you need to do is to get the bolt/nut to move just a fraction of a mm. After that, it is just a matter of patience and time and all things will come loose.

[bwringer]

I use about a pound of antisieze on these bolts, and I crack them loose and retighten once or twice a year just in case they had any ideas about sticking. No problems so far.

I do use the stainless steel allen head bolts, since regular steel bolts quickly corrode into useless lumps in the heat.

[Dave8338]

I use about a pound of antisieze on these bolts, and I crack them loose and retighten once or twice a year just in case they had any ideas about sticking. No problems so far.

I do use the stainless steel allen head bolts, since regular steel bolts quickly corrode into useless lumps in the heat.

Double up and ditto on the antisieze!~ Great stuff!!!!

[tfb]

Has anyone had luck with switching the bolts over to studs so the darn things don't snap off in the head?

I've changed all my bikes from bolts to studs, to avoid seizure problems, but also because the aluminium threads in the head are prone to stripping after decades of PO's.

I second the suggestion about using brass nuts on the studs, if the latter are plain steel. Rust-induced seizure (due to the extreme heat and exposure to the weather) isn't a problem.

If you use stainless studs, then use stainless nuts -- no metallurgical reaction is going to happen.

[Hank.SD]

I'm resurrecting the dead here, but this is a good thread. One of the joys of my new to me '82 is 4 of the 8 exhaust bolts are broken... grrrr.. each one has 1/4 - 3/4" protruding, and the PO had added nuts to them (two nuts welded together) then had short bolts turning into this concoction. I guess it works, but its too much of a cobble-job for me so tomorrow i go buy some PB blaster and a plumbers torch.

Hope it works. I have time.. I'll let it soak for several days and whack them daily.

[twistedwankel]

Forget WD40 Try PB Blaster & heat

ditto and let soak.
tap with something and let soak again.
You/re lucky you have allen screws!!

[Nessism]

Try to turn them forward and back. Once they crack loose, don't force anything. Continue to work them back and forth, it's just a matter of time.

[gearhead13]

I've changed all my bikes from bolts to studs, to avoid seizure problems, but also because the aluminium threads in the head are prone to stripping after decades of PO's.

I second the suggestion about using brass nuts on the studs, if the latter are plain steel. Rust-induced seizure (due to the extreme heat and exposure to the weather) isn't a problem.

If you use stainless studs, then use stainless nuts -- no metallurgical reaction is going to happen.

Stainless studs eh? never thought of that. I wonder if my local fastner place sells studs of different dimensions. high grade steel or ss. I have allen head stainless bolts in mine now and even though i used anti seize i dont trust them. Gotta put that on my to-do list.

[mighty13d]

I'm resurrecting the dead here, but this is a good thread. One of the joys of my new to me '82 is 4 of the 8 exhaust bolts are broken... grrrr.. each one has 1/4 - 3/4" protruding, and the PO had added nuts to them (two nuts welded together) then had short bolts turning into this concoction. I guess it works, but its too much of a cobble-job for me so tomorrow i go buy some PB blaster and a plumbers torch.

Hope it works. I have time.. I'll let it soak for several days and whack them daily.

I just spent $80 at a local machine shop having them fix one that the PO had broken off, drilled out at an angle and then broken off an 'easy-out' in. Now it's got a heli coil in it as much as I hate them but at least it's going to work.