Need advise on broken header bolt under cowl
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 484
Likes: 10
From: Albertville, AL
Need advise on broken header bolt under cowl I removed the stock exhaust manifolds this morning and discovered that the rear manifold bolt on the driver side is broken off below the surface. Its an extremely tight place to try to weld a nut on. Looking for advise. Car is at my house and I don't have a welder. I may be able to get a hold of a 110 Mig welder if that will work. I'm a machinist and I know I can get the stud out if I remove the head. Here are the options I can come up with:
1) Finish my install which includes poly mounts, LT's and Blackheart TD's and hope that it doesn't leak. If it leaks, then I will have to pull the head or remove the header and attempt the nut weld on and possibly remove the head to extract the bolt.
2) Attempt to weld a nut onto the stud. Keep in mind that this is on the rear most bolt on the driver side.
3) Bite the bullet and remove the head and extract the broken bolt and reassemble
4) Bite the BIG bullet and rework the heads. Car has 192K but in exceptional condition and always adult driven and uses little to no oil.
I greatly appreciate any advice on this matter.
1) Finish my install which includes poly mounts, LT's and Blackheart TD's and hope that it doesn't leak. If it leaks, then I will have to pull the head or remove the header and attempt the nut weld on and possibly remove the head to extract the bolt.
2) Attempt to weld a nut onto the stud. Keep in mind that this is on the rear most bolt on the driver side.
3) Bite the bullet and remove the head and extract the broken bolt and reassemble
4) Bite the BIG bullet and rework the heads. Car has 192K but in exceptional condition and always adult driven and uses little to no oil.
I greatly appreciate any advice on this matter.
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 302
Likes: 9
From: Pa
In my opinion. Of course never being in this situation. If you have the funds and that many miles not that that's bad. I would take the heads off get them worked and rebuilt new seats ect. and head gaskets as well as head studs for an upgrade. Then you don't risk the chance of a bigger debacle.
TECH Regular
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 403
Likes: 17
I think you should pull the head. You will have some work in taking the head off. But you are also going to screw around for a very long time trying to fix it in the car, and in the end you might have to pull the head anyway.
And a little more advice. Just drill out the old bolt and retap the hole. I've broken "easy-outs" trying to take out broken header bolts, that is no picnic
And a little more advice. Just drill out the old bolt and retap the hole. I've broken "easy-outs" trying to take out broken header bolts, that is no picnic
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Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 484
Likes: 10
From: Albertville, AL
I really appreciate the responses. Funny how we come across these unexpected things when working on cars. I was sick when I discovered it. But hopefully the weld trick will get it done and i will have worked through yet another problem.
A friend is loaning me a 110v welder. I mocked up MIG gun and simulated what it will be like to try to get in there and build up on the bolt. It's doable. I will carefully mask off the rest of the car to protect it from splatter. I'll borrow an auto-darkening hood from work. I'll keep you guys posted. It will be the tightest spot I have ever welded in.
A friend is loaning me a 110v welder. I mocked up MIG gun and simulated what it will be like to try to get in there and build up on the bolt. It's doable. I will carefully mask off the rest of the car to protect it from splatter. I'll borrow an auto-darkening hood from work. I'll keep you guys posted. It will be the tightest spot I have ever welded in.
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Teching In
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: CT
That really sucks. I had that same bolt broken on my manifold before I even tried removing it. I was fortunate to have thread to work with and put vice grips on it to pull it out.
Working on cars really sucks at times.
Working on cars really sucks at times.
I helped a buddy remove a broken stud on his volvo with aluminum heads, broken off inside the hole. Fortunately, it was in the front and easily accessible. What I learned was to use a high heat setting to get the bolt we welded on to hold; nothing stuck to the aluminum head. Good luck.
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 484
Likes: 10
From: Albertville, AL
I appreciate the tips. I watched a great youtube vid that showed this guy removing a bolt that's broken off below the surface. He built it up using short bursts, then placed a nut on the blob, then tack welded the nut on and lastly used a continuous weld at the end to really heat it up. He then worked it back and forth with a wrench and backed it right out of there.
As it turns out with no header/manifold on, there is a good bit of room to work from undernieth. It's also easier to see due to the angle of the head. Only bad part is the splatter coming down on me. I plan to be well suited up. I hope to tackle this one night this week.
Headers arrive tomorrow. I'm pretty excited.
As it turns out with no header/manifold on, there is a good bit of room to work from undernieth. It's also easier to see due to the angle of the head. Only bad part is the splatter coming down on me. I plan to be well suited up. I hope to tackle this one night this week.
Headers arrive tomorrow. I'm pretty excited.
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 484
Likes: 10
From: Albertville, AL
Success. Wow. Sweet Baby Jesus.
Lincoln 140 on high with .035 Flux core. Awesome little welder. I went from undernieth after putting rags and wet cardboard on exposed surfaces.
Prepped area photo from welding position
After building up the stud, I held this nut with long nose vise grips and tacked it to the blob. Then welded it.
From the topside after removing some protectiin.
Lincoln 140 on high with .035 Flux core. Awesome little welder. I went from undernieth after putting rags and wet cardboard on exposed surfaces.
Prepped area photo from welding position
After building up the stud, I held this nut with long nose vise grips and tacked it to the blob. Then welded it.
From the topside after removing some protectiin.
11 Second Club
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,000
Likes: 134
Nicely done.
Now don't ever use the GM header bolts again, even new, they will break again. EVERY ls1 engine I've worked on, I've had many, has snapped the factory header bolts on the far ends, either front or rear of heads.
I use ARP bolts, and good quality studs with nut on the each ends of the cylinder heads
Now don't ever use the GM header bolts again, even new, they will break again. EVERY ls1 engine I've worked on, I've had many, has snapped the factory header bolts on the far ends, either front or rear of heads.
I use ARP bolts, and good quality studs with nut on the each ends of the cylinder heads
