Broken header bolt?
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Broken header bolt? Has anyone broken a header bolt when installing headers?...I have a '98 w/ 51k and just got my headers in and really don't want to break any bolts. I have some liquid wrench and want to start soaking the bolts now (I want to install them this weekend), but I have to drive the car to work every day and I don't want the excess liquid wrench to ignite on the way to work. Any suggestions?
Use some PB Blaster let it soak in there for 24 hours prior to install, my car had almost 90k miles on it when I did headers and I didnt break a single bolt. The Blaster will take a few minutes to burn off when first starting the car after they are first installed, but it burns off completely in about 10 minutes or so.
The bolts from the manifolds to the cats will more than likely break when you start to loosen them, but you won't need them again anyway.
PB Blaster is some good **** though, and might help enough to keep this from happening, but it makes the chance of them snapping greater seeing that it's a 98.
PB Blaster is some good **** though, and might help enough to keep this from happening, but it makes the chance of them snapping greater seeing that it's a 98.
Mines a 98 and I had 0 problems with breaking bolts (not including cats to manifolds, we didnt even try to unbolt it, we whipped out the sawzall for that bitch) just use ALOT of blaster and be patient with the wrench.
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so noone had any problems with manifold bolts? See the thing is, I have to drive to the place where I am going to install them on the day that I'm gonna do it. So I guess I could spray everything the night before, let it sit overnight, and drive there...but I just don't want to start a fire with all the penetrating lube!
The bolts in the head were no problem on the 3 longtube installs I have done. Make sure that anti-seize is applied to the threads before re-installing the bolts for the headers. And use the stock bolts and gaskets, not the ones the headers come with. Clean the threads with a wire brush.
Oh, BTW, do the install yourself instead of paying someone else to do it
Oh, BTW, do the install yourself instead of paying someone else to do it
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Yeah, I'm doing the install with some others who've put a quiet a few sets on ls1's (I wouldn't trust this job to any shop, and I especially wouldn't pay for it)...
I was hoping to hear that the manifold bolts don't fuse to the heads like they've done on a few of my friends lt1's. This is my biggest fear of any mod I do to the car (I really can't afford the time to pull the heads off).
So did you spray the manifold bolts before you began wrenching on them? I really appreciate all of your input.
I was hoping to hear that the manifold bolts don't fuse to the heads like they've done on a few of my friends lt1's. This is my biggest fear of any mod I do to the car (I really can't afford the time to pull the heads off).
So did you spray the manifold bolts before you began wrenching on them? I really appreciate all of your input.
Originally Posted by tylerz28ss
so noone had any problems with manifold bolts? See the thing is, I have to drive to the place where I am going to install them on the day that I'm gonna do it. So I guess I could spray everything the night before, let it sit overnight, and drive there...but I just don't want to start a fire with all the penetrating lube!
as long as you have the wrench on the bolt all the way and not half on when pulling you shouldnt break any, i and my friend both have 98s and i did headers on both without soaking them and didnt break a single one. they are a bitch to get out but once you loosen them they come out easily, just make sure the socket is all the way on the head of the bolt.
It's not so much getting the bolts out of the head as it is putting them back in with out cross threading. That is where most people mess up and have to helicoil. I had to put the back bolt in first on the passenger side to get things lined up because when i started the middle first the back bolt wanted to cross thread so be careful but it is not something to loose sleep over just take your time.
I never used PB blaster on mine or my friends and had no problems. You need to make sure the threads are clean on the bolts and use a little anti-sieze as mentioned earlier. NO LOCTITE! 
A quick buff on the wirewheel side of a bench grinder will remove the factory loctite so they will zip in even easier.
The reason I don't like loctite on stuff like this is simple. It's easier to re-tighten than to re-tap.
A quick buff on the wirewheel side of a bench grinder will remove the factory loctite so they will zip in even easier.
The reason I don't like loctite on stuff like this is simple. It's easier to re-tighten than to re-tap.
Just broke a header bolt in the head today. Not from overtorquing, just the bolt being flimsy. Its a good thing 3 threads on the bolt were sticking out of the head, which made it easy to use vice grips on. But luckily the threading in the head wasnt messed up, which I tested with another stock bolt. Phew. Stage 8 Lockers on the way 
. I guess you can say I dont know my own strength 
. I guess you can say I dont know my own strength 