woldson Posted April 28, 2009 Share Posted April 28, 2009 Gheezzz, glad you got it off, what an experience! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
attworth Posted April 29, 2009 Author Share Posted April 29, 2009 Gheezzz, glad you got it off, what an experience! That's one way to put it. My wife came out and couldn't figure out exactly why I was beating the crap out of my motor with a big sledge hammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xnke Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 Yeah, the head bolt behing #6 has been a problem every single time i've pulled a head on an L6. It's always full of rust and crap, and takes forever to get out. Anyone know why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woldson Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 If I had to venture a guess, 5&6th cylinders endure heat cycles the most and consequently it where the headgaskest fail the most. There is a tread of fellows tapping the heads water passages around 5&6 to pull more heat away from that area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Roboto Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 Tony,For the broken bolts that protruding above the deck surface enough to grab with a pair of vice grips, smacking the tops of them with a hammer hard, VERY hard, then apply lots of heat to the block surrounding the stubborn busted bolt. Smack the bolt a few more times and work at the bolt with vice grips. Smack some more, apply more heat, repeat. The rapid thermal expansion and shock loading from smacking them is the most successful method for freeing up those stubborn rusty/seized bolts. Feel free to try the penetrating oils, over night soaking, etc. I have found that sometimes helps, but not always. The heat and smacking method is my hands down, most successful method for removing stubborn bolts, pipe plugs etc. If that doesn’t work, then its on to more sophisticated means, drilling, picking out residual bolt threads, and worst case, drilling even more and helicoil/threadsert. Hope that helps, Paul i have a very similar problem ive heard of people suggesting welding a nut to the ones where the shaft is sticking out and then just removing with a socket but since i dont have a welder i guess ill just try your method and beat it to death:beatdeadh and if that doesnt work ill bust out the PB Blaster and bolt extractor ill post my results after im finished 1 question it might be kind of obvious but before i go drilling and using the bolt extractor what would be your opinion for the one that is almost flush to the block surface? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rejracer Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 I have in the past removed rusted bolts with muriatic acid, and now more recently i have found a product called evap-o-rust. both work great on rust, just allow the stuff to work over a couple of days and you have no more rust. I can 2nd Paul's method is the best, for getting things out quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Roboto Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 update...Pauls heat and bang method is a success however i still need to get the bolt thats flush with the block out im going to try this product oh and 1 more the infamous thermostat housing bolt..i tried removing this one first using autozone O.E.M. brand extractor they look something like this i dont have pics of the broken ones(yes i wrote ones because not only 1 broke..2 of them did.. but i got lucky with the first one and was able to remove it) cuz they got me so pissed i threw it as far i could:/..everything was going good i drilled the hole good then the extractor got snug gave it 1/2 turn more and SNAP it broke(chrome vanadium my a$$) inside the bolt causing this mess so now ill have to take it to the pros to have it welded, tapped and threaded... to be continued.. - yes i need to learn how to use the focus on the camera :/ dont hate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woldson Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 That is the worst! I don't own anything harder than any bit that will snap. Bummer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spotfitz Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 ..everything was going good i drilled the hole good then the extractor got snug gave it 1/2 turn more and SNAP it broke(chrome vanadium my a$$) This happened to me on two intake bolts and the first thing I did was throw away all my extractors and promised to never use them again. I managed to use a diamond tipped barb in my dremel wand to drill out the extractor and then finished drilling out the bolt to rethread the hole. Not fun in the aluminum head! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seabee280z Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 I think this is a very informative thread and should be made a sticky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazeum Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 I think this is a very informative thread and should be made a sticky. I second that, very informative thread about what could (has!) happen to all of us with our old cars/engines. I haven't seen a post it thread summarizing all the good technics to work on our cars we can find on HBZ... A lot of work for sure! A friend of mine broke 3 studs on a 911. He welded nuts to try the technic, it was able to remove 1 out of 3 (without the heat and bang method described above) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rejracer Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 The design on those extractors is fairly good, but it appears the metal is not. Check out snap on extractors, they are very good. I don't know how many craftsman extractors I have broken off in bolts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superduner Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 im thinking of removing the head on my L28et. to further inspect and clean valves, piston tops etc etc. would you guys recommend that ? cause im feeling rather pessimistic about even touching those bolts after reading this thread lol . what would you guys recommend i do BEFORE i try to remove the head bolts to prevent breakage if anything at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlatBlack Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 I've taken 3 L28s apart, one with a BHG and I've never heard of that until this thread. I don't think it's a common problem, but I could be wrong. Don't be afraid to take apart your motor! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Roboto Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 (edited) has anyone had any experience using the harbor freight set it runs 8.99 for a set of 5 bits and extractors but the design is different than that of the autozone ones(9.99) and is very similar to the craftsman extractors which run 17.99 here is the harbor freight one it runs 8.99 and here is the craftsman one it runs 17.99 both very similar in design but how about quality? if anybody has tried these please commient now i really regret buying that set of 3 extractors for 19.99 when i couldve bought some craftsman for less or better just taken to the machine shop and have them deal with it, the main problem i see is drilling into hard metals like head bolts to make the hole to fit the extractor in. Im currently using a cordless drill although i did use an electric on the heads, also post any tips u might have -im using oil and going slow(er) rather than going fast idk if thats the right method? also what pricing do machine shops usually run to remove a bolt -i picked up my (alden pro grab it) set at home depot and while i was there i also saw a 5pc black n decker set for 9.99 but it looked like the same material as the autozone ones and very identical design so i opted not to grab that Edited May 25, 2009 by Mr.Roboto added more comments Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caen fred Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Broke one this weekend. I am not too concerned about it because it was on the torquing process that it happened! It's the #1 on the thermostat side. I had no option than to rely on our L engine ruggedness. So I just pretended that it had never happenned and set off 80 miles away for a Hill climb. I did 3 runs and then back to my garage. End of the day, only a minor water leak, I poured 1,5 liter of water once, and it cured itself after... I will take the head off again... and change the bolts, I had used them 3 times before, I was pushing my luck! Yet I must say it's one tough engine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Roboto Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 heck it might even just be easier to somehow weld the T-housing on the head:P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Roboto Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 ok heres an update that is actually a success, although i was beginning to lose hope after a couople minutes of drilling with my $20 bit that was merely scratching the bolt i just got a spur of the moment idea to use a regular metal drill bit again, so chose a 5/32 put 200lbs of man into it and i saw some shavings start to crawl up after a couple more mins i was about 1/4 in. deep which is about the depth the alden drill bit side will dig deep. So i then grabbed my #2 alden extractor, even though the manufacturer says to use the #3 bit for 5/16 bolts to me it seemed a little big so thats y i chose #2(and also because the 5/32 drill bit was the only fresh bit i had that wasnt oversized for the bolt). Anyways lets continue first i tried using a pair of vice grips and they kept slipping off the tool then a crescent wrench same thing happened because the bolt was torqued so hard so then i finally got a 1/4 in. socket on a 3/8 ratchet and gave a slow, careful, torquey twist heard the bolt break loose and out it came. overall i am happy with the results of this extractor even though the drill bit side didnt do much drilling on the bolt. at first i was concerned about how little the threads were sticking out on the extractor side but it proved to be a good product and it didnt SNAP so im happy. - i would also like to mention that i did some heating and banging before i drillled n extracted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowlerMonkey Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Don't buy the left hand bits from harbor freight. The ones I recently bought all dulled even at 120rpms with cutting oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superduner Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Don't buy the left hand bits from harbor freight. The ones I recently bought all dulled even at 120rpms with cutting oil. +1 harbor freight tools are normally Taiwan made. and (no offense) but their warranty policy aint that great either. craftsman has lifte time which is good enough for me if these bastards break. but of coarse... i would rather them hold up. or even better... NOT have the need to use them in the first place. is there anyway to increase my ods of ONT breaking a head bolt tough. like is there anything i can do prior to trying to remove teh bolts that MIGHT loosen them up a bit or something ? like warming up the bolt wwith a torch then hitting it slightly with a hammer on the head or something ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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