broken exhaust studs

[providedrailroad]

Here goes - my exhaust studs were heavily rusted, when trying to remove them (2) of the studs broke off. With one there is not a lot sticking out, with one of them there was enough to get vice grips on but no luck, it only removed the threads. I'm totally ****ed off and have no idea what to do.

I don't really have a propane torch or MIG welder on my hands. Anyone used something like this?

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_SPM5125829901P?prdNo=3&blockNo=3&blockType=G3

Help!!!

 

[GateKeeper]

did not work for me....unfortunately

do a search on the site, you will get a few posts with regards to this issue and how to go about trying to get the out without causing more problems...

I unfortunately had to drill all of the stud out, make larger holes and then have the holes welded up shut, I now have to drill new holes and tap....

somewhere in my build thread you will find the welded shut holes, I have not gotten around to drilling and taping a new hole yet...

best of luck

 

[providedrailroad]

Before I go any further, what is the absolute best way about this? The least amount of money I have to spend on this the best.

There is room to cut slots from a dremel, I have a dremel and that should be no problem. I'm just thinking the force of the dremel and impact driver will either not move the screw, or will cause another break due to too much force.

I guess I can try that and then a left handed drill bit?

 

[7981GS]

If you are lucky, you can repair it in the frame.
Drill out the damaged stub/bolt with left-hand drill bits until it all comes out.
Tap for an insert, install insert, drive the pins in and install the bolt.

Eric

 

[providedrailroad]

If you are lucky, you can repair it in the frame.
Drill out the damaged stub/bolt with left-hand drill bits until it all comes out.
Tap for an insert, install insert, drive the pins in and install the bolt.


Eric

Thanks. did you have any problems with it not being totally straight after tapping?

Did you buy a time sert kit for this, or buy seperate parts, where did you get them? what length insert did you use?

Also, I got the 6 other bolts out fine.

I'm just wondering if there is a better way to go about this since I have 1/2" sticking out of the head on the first broken screw, and probably 3/8" in the the other one.

 

[Suzuki mad]

Firstly, exhaust bolts can be a pain to sort. As you've found out they snap off regularly when they've not been out for a while.

Secondly DONT use an easy out or similar! If that snaps off your head is going to cost a few hundred ? (read $) to remove, have it spark erroded in a specialist shop plus new head gasket to rebuild the bike. Its not worth it.

You can try to cut a slot in them and then impact them out.

If you have thread you can try and get 2 nuts on there and try to draw it out using the inner nut.

If that fails or there have snapped off too close to the head the only option is to drill it out and re tap, helicoil or time cert.

Rebuild options are to use new bolts with loads of copper ease/slip or put studs in and copper nuts taken from a car manifold. Works just as well and you dont need to take the studs out again.

 

[GateKeeper]

I would suggest, once you have this sorted out and all is free and clear, don't use new bolts.....

use studs instead

it's the route I am going with, once I have my issues resolved


.

 

[Nessism]

Get some proper penetrating lube like PB Blaster and a propane torch. The torch can be purchased for less than $20 at the hardware store. Get the bolt red hot after you douse it in the pent lube. Do this a couple of different times as necessary until the chemical bond holding the screw in the aluminum loosens. Cutting a slot in the screw should help you try to turn it out. Better still is have a nut MIG welded to the broken bit. Drilling out the nub is another option but you MUST be very careful to drill straight. Loosening the engine bolts and shifting the engine over away from the frame tubes may help for some of the inner holes. Start with a small hole in the center of the bolt, then expand to the next size up. Using LH bits is recommend as mentioned by Eric. Work the bit sideways if it's not centered in the bolt, before going up to the next size.

Good luck.

Oh, and there are lots of similar threads in the archives that will show up if you search.

 

[Scudder]

I've been down the road you're headin'. Ultimately I ended up taking off the cylinder head and taking it to a machine shop and having them get out the bolts. $30. I would have saved a lot of money and time had I done that in the first place.

Scudder

 

[providedrailroad]

How hard is it to remove the cylinder head? I would have to drop the engine out of the bike wouldn't I?

I live in a tiny town, there is really only one mechanic shop. They are really nice so I might just see if one of them would swing by my house and use an oxyacetylene torch or MIG welder to remove it. If they just charge an hourly rate it would probably be like $50.

 

[providedrailroad]

Well - good news and bad news.

I finally got all the intake boots off! In fit of rage and frustration after (here comes the bad news!) :::

I tried using heat with a propane torch with no luck - with combination of PB blaster, waiting for it to cool, then using vice grips multiple times.

After this, I cut notches into the heads of the screws with no luck. Removing using an impact driver did not loosen the threads, it really only tore up the slot I made to put the flathead bit in.

So, now I'm considering drilling and using Heli coil. The 2 broken bolts are in the cylinder 4 exhaust header, I'm worried about how close the rear bolt is to the frame and the logistics of fitting the drill bits into the hole straight.

What do you guys think? What tools do you recommend, you think I can pull this off?

 

[providedrailroad]

I'm thinking maybe I need to leave the torch on longer. Going to try heating it and using vice grips another time or 2...