Dammit.

Why is it always the last bolt thats a pain in the a$$ to come out???

I'm trying to install a new drivers exhaust manifold to convert the car to duals and of course I have one bolt that just doesn't want to come out. Every other bolt came out like BUTTER but NOOOOOO not this one. I don't want to have to pull the head or motor to get this bolt out.

I've already tried SOAKING it down with penetrating fluid multiple times and letting it sit over night. Tried heating it, tried shocking it and this thing doesn't want to budge.

I'm not to proud to ask for help so any advice you can give me would be most appreciated.

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Try more heat as in cherry red. Henry

 

Is it safe to heat the head that much??

 

Should be safe if it's gradual.

The actual problem is that it's HARD to get it that hot - after all, it's designed to shed heat.

- Eric

 

Do you think that MAPP gas would get this hot enough or should I get myself some OXY/Acetylene?

 

Oxy/Acetylene in small tanks are available at C.T.C., or run it over to your local Midas tomorrow

 

Get some wax/parafin, crayon, a torch and a pair of vise grips. Put the vise grips on that bolt as hard as you can then heat it with the torch. Apply the wax to it and gently, real gently rock that bolt back and forth ever so lightly. It may take a few tries but it will come out eventually. Once it budges you are home free but the trick is getting it to move first. It may be a 1/64 inch at first but keep rocking it and it will get loser and loser. I just did this about a month ago on the same bolt on my 330.

 

Well I heated the area of the head around the bolt till it was starting to glow. It started to move YAY was rocking it back and forth for a good 20 minutes slowly heating then rocking and rinse & repeat LOL. After a while it wouldn't rotate any more past a cetain point so I heated it up red again and went to reposition the visegrips to rotate it from a different angle and when I clamped the vise grip on the sucker broke of clean with the head.

Children for miles around were covering their ears!!!

I knew this was bound to happen since a few other jobs went WAY too easy.

I'm thinking I don't need that bolt. I think that was just an extra one Olds put there cause they had an overstock of bolts during the design phase..

 

Some people dont install that bolt anyhow.....can cause a leak at the bottom
Believe it or not

 

My mind has been spinning since it broken to come up with a solution. I really don't want to chance cracking the new manifold. The butcher came out in me and I even thought about welding a stud at that location and using a nut.

 

Had the exact same problem.... on a 66 425. I ended up pulling the engine. You wout be able to weld to what is left and the head is cast iron. Jack up the engine enough to get a straight shot at it with a drill and drill it out and tap some threads.... it is the proper and best way.

 

This is a typical problem with exhaust manifolds (must be the excessive heat). I broke two bolts one on each head, I had a mobile thread service come to my house and voila. He managed to get one out without too much effort, the other needed a helicoil because I mucked it up with an oxy/ac torch. A tap and die can be used as well, although I opted for the cheaper solution.

 

Did they remove the broken bolts and clean the threads? If so what did it cost? Can you PM me with their info. Maybe I can find someone local who can do it.

 

The outfit I used was "Thread Doctor" out of the Ottawa area. This guy did all my machine work and also runs a mobile thread service catering mostly to automotive shops. I don't remember exactly what he charged but it was around $100 total. Google thread repair service, surely TO. has something like this.

 

OK now that I have calmed down a bit. Whats the gimmick to getting this damned manifold out of there??? I'm guessing I need to lift the engine by the looks of things.

 

I believe starter must come out and if eng mounts have sagged you might need to raise the eng some.

 

You must not be sticking your toungue out at the right angle or cussing at it right.

 

NO SIR!!! I cussed this thing out so good the engine blushed!! Have a look.

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You were supposed to heat the BOLT until it is red hot, not the whole engine!

I feel for ya - that experience was like my brake booster ordeal...
As long as you have two bolts, who needs the rest?

Looks like drilling it out is your only chance.

 

LOL dammit I wondered why it took so long to get red!!!! Maybe if I tried turning the engine instead of the bolt it might not have broken.

 

I usually run em without that bolt anyway

If your using headers definitely leave that bolt out or just put it in loose for show...

Id just use a gasket without it and worry about something else, it wont leak...