snapped bolt on exaust header!!!!!

[kparkfan]

I got all my bolts out and the last one decided it was going to snap off. There is about a 1/4 inch sticking out. Whats the easiest way to get this darn thing out?

[Steve]

Spray liberal amounts of PB Blaster on it, wait for it to work. Since you have some sticking out, try grabbing it with a good set of Vise-Grips (mole grips for the guys Down Under) and turning it out. Might also help to try turning it in first to help break some of the corrosion bond.

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[kparkfan]

yeah got it soaking now. sprayed them down 3 times yesterday and let them soak overnight. that one bolt just had to be a pain in the butt.I'm going to go to home depot to get all new bolts cause they are pretty corroded. Is there any certain type i should puchase?

[kparkfan]

Well i went and bought a new pair of vice grips but its a no go. I guess now my only option is to drill it out.

[81gs1100]

Well i went and bought a new pair of vice grips but its a no go. I guess now my only option is to drill it out.

I don't know if there is enough sticking out to get a stud remover tool on it?? Becareful as there are both std and metric sized tools for removing studs.

Or... but two or three washers on the stud, thread on a steel nut, weld center of stud to the nut, instant new bolt, now pray to the Suzuki gods, and back it out like you would your favorite bolt. EDIT: "make sure the stud is clean of all oily grease and yucky stuff"

If that don't work, hmmm, weld it up again and again till you cant anymore and then drill it out???

[kparkfan]

Man that sounds like a really cool way to do it but with one big problem. I dont have a welder. I do have a nice little dremmel tool though so i'm hoping I can drill it out without no problems. I'm going to have to put a welder on my christmas wish list. I can just see the wifes face now.

[Nessism]

If you can get a dremmel cut off wheel on the screw, cut a crosswise slot so a flat blade screw driver can get on the screw. After that, use a propane torch to heat the screw - get it good and hot so the chemical bond will be broken down. The key to getting header screws out is to go both ways, in and out. Once you get the screw to move, turn it back and forth with plenty of PB Blaster. Back and forth and do not force the screw - take your time.

[kparkfan]

Hmmm I'll give that a try. Its the one on the #3 cylinder right near the frame. I was trying my darndest with vice grips but not much room to move around. Should be able to get the cut off wheel up in there though.

[new bob]

Head off then to the machine shop

[chef1366]

Go to Harbor Freight and get a set of left handed drill bits. Center punch it first.

[Speedo]

right. "easy out" or eq. pb blaster is good. heat is good (remember to heat part(s) you want to expand...not the bolt in this case). set up a vibration (ie bang on it). Wife/GF ever give you a jar to open and you can't and then you remember power of vibration and tap all around it with a spoon and BAM comes right off. If you have a nub sticking out, it is a gift, don't cut it off until none of the other good advice in this string didn't work. Get vise grips tight as hell on there and don't just try to turn it, bang on the vice grip with a hammer - sharp raps - this is the "impact" concept of impact wrenches etc and works.

If none of this works and even the "easy-out" (left hand drill bits Chef is talking about) doesn't work (def use a center punch first), you will have to drill it out and possibly helicoil (or perma coil...same thing, just as good) and rethread it. These work great and are actually stronger than original but MUST be done right. There are videos on UTube on this btw. If you are squeamish, have a pro do it. It won't cost you too much.

Hope this helps...

[almarconi]

Have someone weld a nut on the piece that is sticking out. Put a washer on the stud first and weld the nut.

[Road_Clam]

Man that sounds like a really cool way to do it but with one big problem. I dont have a welder. I do have a nice little dremmel tool though so i'm hoping I can drill it out without no problems. I'm going to have to put a welder on my christmas wish list. I can just see the wifes face now.

Almost impossible without damaging the head. Many folks try , but few succede. Do you have or know someone with an Oxy/Acetelyne torch setup? There is a good chance if you heat the stud cherry red, then use vice grips the stud will come out.

[hikermikem]

I got all my bolts out and the last one decided it was going to snap off. There is about a 1/4 inch sticking out. Whats the easiest way to get this darn thing out?

I feel your pain - had the same thing happen to me a couple of months ago on the 750, only I snapped 2 bolts, one was the #3 like you.

DON"T EVEN CONSIDER EASY-OUTS & THE LIKE. You will just snap that off in the bolt & then it's REALLY difficult to drill.

You're lucky you have some of the bolt sticking out - don't drill, slot or otherwise compromise that stub until you have to. Continue to PB Blaster the crap out of it. I got a can of Mapp gas (hotter than propane) at Home depot & heated the bolt until it was as hot as can be, whack straight-on with a hammer, then more PB Blaster. Several cycles of that will help.

Now, find yourself a socket that's smaller than the bolt dia & hammer it onto the little stub - the bolt metal is fairly soft so the object here is to jam that socket as tight as possible over the stub. Pick one that will jam tight... use your rachet now to connect to the socket & HOPEFULLY you can get the bolt to move. all you need is for it to just "crack" so subsequent PB Blaster attacks will penetrate deeper & slowly allow you to work it out.

Take your time - I know you want to remove it & move on, but if you get to the point where the stub is gone, or you screw up drilling then you have to remove the head which is a much longer process in the end.

BTW - that trick worked on the one bolt I snapped that had some sticking out. The other (#3) was flush & after I drilled it & snapped the easy-out off in it, I had to remove the head & my buddy Tig welded a nut to it & out it came (well, on the third try anyway...) welding heat will not damage the alum head, it's a pretty large heat-sink & dissipates the heat through the alum quite well.

Good luck,

Mike

[kparkfan]

Well i tried nessim's way but a no go. Turning the screw driver just broke the pieces off from the bolt where I had made the slot. Guess it's time to take the head off , not exactly what i wanted to do.