Exhaust bolt extraction

[lurch12_2000]

I attached a socket to my impact driver and used that to remove the exhaust bolts. I've been very successful.

....One of the holes is blind, one goes through.

Well, I never thought of using my impact driver (duh ), as I've successfully used it plenty times on intake manifold screws and side cover bolts....I will try that next time (in the winter of course!).

Are you sure that only 1 hole is blind? on the 850G? This is why I was trying to get a "bottoming" tap, to maximize depth of threads for the short length and thinking both would be blind hole taps.

..and before you all think I'm a hamfisted (stupid maybe?) wrencher, I recall only breaking 1 or 2 bolts in many years of tinkering, and never on tightening!

[errorcauser]

..and before you all think I'm a hamfisted (stupid maybe?) wrencher, I recall only breaking 1 or 2 bolts in many years of tinkering, and never on tightening!

Ah, I'm sure no one thinks you're stupid, these bolts break, no matter who you are and what you try.

I tried all the tips that's been suggested, all but the 2nd one that GS1100GK suggested.

I worked with an old guy for a few years that was the best that I ever saw at removing stuck bolts and nuts. He taught me quite a bit when it came to removing stuck bolts by me just watching him. People would bring things to him that had stuck bolts to get him to remove them.

His method was the same as Nemesis mentioned. It worked, not every time, but it did work and that's the very method I use to this day after watching him do it so many times.. Keep it soaked with a penetrating oil, and take your time. Try to get the bolt to move either direction..slowly and if you put more on the bolt than it'll take, it's going to break.

One of mine broke. Now it's out, with nice clean threads to run my bolt into. That's all that matters to me.

[errorcauser]

Yesterday's good luck with broken bolt removal.

Was preparing the heat (torch) and cold shock method, but didn't need it. On friend's 19xx? Honda Odyssey (the dune buggy thing, not the minivan) broke several bolts on the gear cover. Cover was stuck, couple bolts broken off.

Used putty knife (never screwdriver ) to work between the pieces and work the gasket material loose, then worked it off *straight*

Once cover was off, broken parts of bolts came out with fingers...

Point being that sometimes they are under stress from the mating parts and if you can relieve this stress....Not that common with exhaust bolts, but thought I'd throw that out there.

- JC

I've actually had that happen to me before believe it or not. It's been awhile so I can't remember exactly what it was I was working on, but I'm sure it wasn't the same thing you're repairing.

Anyway, after the part has been separated and you expose the broken studs, you stand humped over it thinking (now the fun begins, will it be a machine shop or shall I show this thing who's boss..lol) about that time, just out of curiosity, you reach and twist one of the broken studs with your fingers and they all come out..

I'm glad it went well for you.

[F1J1]

I just added a 550T to the stable, and proceeded to break two exhaust bolts. Even though I knew there was a good chance of breaking an easy out while trying to extract said bolts, yep, broken easy out. Now I have to pull the head and send it out to a machine shop. My point is be very careful while attempting this type of work.

[doctorgonzo]

I just added a 550T to the stable, and proceeded to break two exhaust bolts. Even though I knew there was a good chance of breaking an easy out while trying to extract said bolts, yep, broken easy out. Now I have to pull the head and send it out to a machine shop. My point is be very careful while attempting this type of work.

I wound up swapping heads because while drilling one out for the heli-coil I drilled a little too far and hit an oil passage so the head weeped oil from around that exhaust bolt, exhaust bolts are one of the biggest PIAs on these bikes. The ones on my new head are literally slathered in anti-sieze.

[Ponderosa]

Just finnished

If you have any bolt left extruding from the head and a wire feed welder. Weld a nut on the stud, get a can of penetrant, DO NOT just throw a lot of torque to it, one hand, choked up on the wratchet, get it to move a little, soak it with penetrant, tighten back, loosen again a little more, soak and repeat. Slow is the trick, pulled four of them day before yesterday in this manner, one of them had a easy out broke in it... Had to drill two of them out and retap.. Probably could have saved a lot of hassle if I didn't let the kid take off the exhaust that had been on there since 82...

[doctorgonzo]

If you have any bolt left extruding from the head and a wire feed welder. Weld a nut on the stud, get a can of penetrant, DO NOT just throw a lot of torque to it, one hand, choked up on the wratchet, get it to move a little, soak it with penetrant, tighten back, loosen again a little more, soak and repeat. Slow is the trick, pulled four of them day before yesterday in this manner, one of them had a easy out broke in it... Had to drill two of them out and retap.. Probably could have saved a lot of hassle if I didn't let the kid take off the exhaust that had been on there since 82...

Yeah, if you've got any bolt sticking out this is the method for sure. It's when they're broken off down in there and you're trying to drill out that heat hardened steel to use an easy out that it gets ugly.

[Ponderosa]

Oh yea...

Yeah, if you've got any bolt sticking out this is the method for sure. It's when they're broken off down in there and you're trying to drill out that heat hardened steel to use an easy out that it gets ugly.

Oh yea, that is too much fun... I rigged a small grinding bit on a die grinder to remove one from a new chain saw case once, figured if I could grind the hardened easyout in the middle of the bolt down I could then drill it without going to either side. Needless to say ended up drilling through the case, brand new chain saw, shot... Thats what you get for lending it to one of the boys...

If you can use a small drill bit and work around the broken EO, sometimes you can get it out. Then just use a left handed bit and drill out the stud..

[Rob81]

OEM header bolt size?

Im not too sure if this question was answered or not, or maybe answered 20 different ways:

What is the OEM measurement of the header bolts? I need to pick up some a the shop.

[salty_monk]

8mm standard thread. About 65mm long from memory (please check that bit).

Dan

[Rob81]

8mm standard thread. About 65mm long from memory (please check that bit).

Dan

My uncle checked it out and gave me these numbers:

It is standard metric grade 8.8, 8mm, 35mm long.
Hardware grade stainless is suitable.
Metric grades are different from SAE grades. 8.8 is similar to SAE grade5

Sound about right?

[cowb0y]

I too have stupidly attempted to remove my exhaust bolt and broke three off of the eight (1100L-16valve). So, I attempted to soak and use an extractor, which promptly broke off in the broken bolt after an hour of messing with it. I think I might be at the stage of removing the head and taking it to a machine shop, but dont really want to do that since I have never gotten that deep into my engine. Whats your thots on it? Is it tuff to remove and are there other methods to attempt a broken extractor in the broken bolt removal??

[cyclefvr2]

if you have a cheap lil wire welder , you can weld a nut to a broken stud then it should come out real easy! i have done this it works great

[chef1366]

I too have stupidly attempted to remove my exhaust bolt and broke three off of the eight (1100L-16valve). So, I attempted to soak and use an extractor, which promptly broke off in the broken bolt after an hour of messing with it. I think I might be at the stage of removing the head and taking it to a machine shop, but dont really want to do that since I have never gotten that deep into my engine. Whats your thots on it? Is it tuff to remove and are there other methods to attempt a broken extractor in the broken bolt removal??

Ahh the legendary never outs. Next time if you do use them use heat. Use heat on the bolts first before breaking them.
Which cylinders are they broken on and are they sticking out at all? Can you get a drill in to them? You'll need some strong bits to drill out that never out.

[duaneage]

For three bolts I would remove the head because it's going to be a lot of work with it on the engine still. A drill press would be a good thing to have so you could bore down the bolt and remove it properly.

EDM runs about 50 dollars a bolt generally and that makes it 150 dollars in shop fees. Some of the exhaust bolts are tapped all the way through and you can get behind them with chemicals from the other side. But these are probably not coming ouot with a little oil, it's going to take drilling and maybe retapping the holes.

I vote for removing the head and then doing it. At least you will get a new headgasket on there. Use studs instead of bolts and this will not happen again. I got a set of studs for 12.99 from Napa for mine.