Taking Time to vent
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
Taking Time to vent I bought some nice new KOOKS Headers, got them on wednesday but the weather was bad so I had to wait till today to put them on. Why me? I think GOD Almighty himself put the head bolts in and torqued them down to like a million foot pounds. I now have a completely rounded header bolt that will not move. I have tried everything possible short of C-4 and blasting cap..To make things worse it the last bolt and is keeping me from moving on... Anyone have any ideas? 
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by stangbangin69
might have to resort to the good ole vise-grips and crank em down...
I have tried that, but with position of the bolt and being that it is on the passenger side there is no room really to crank down on them plus the bolt is really round I can not get anything to bite...
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by styoung
i would try to brake that bitch off at the head. the stud probaly come out easy once you get the tention off.
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 8,807
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver,[KITSILANO].B.C. Canada *WestCoast*
some type of penetration spray for bolts....should have done that first anyway......[I didn't with mine though either...but mine sees 2% precipitation if that...only when caught in rain.] Might have to get it drilled out or go buy an E-Z OUT KIT[have not used one, but others here have...hopefully they will chime in.] G'LUCK
Trending Topics
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 5,398
Likes: 3
From: Jacksonville, FL
Sears sells a few craftsman "bolt out, damaged bolt/nut remover" socket kits for rounded off bolts. I'd try that first. Drilling is a last resort, if you can even get to it - friend of mine broke a head off #1 - tried drilling with it on the car and hit dexcool, wasn't pretty. Good luck with it. Don't know why they're so tight, torque isn't that much.
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Gifts Neither Your Dad Nor Grad Will Shove Into the 'Trinket Drawer'
Brett Foote
Topdon ONE vs. Artidiag 800 BT2: Which is the Diagnostic Tablet For You?
Pouria Savadkouei
Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine
Verdad Gallardo
7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
Im about to kick the car off its jackstands and roll it down the hill.....Im gonna go to sears and get the 10 mm bolt out socket I dont have that one . I have the 11mm and 3/8. Ive tried every variation of lubricant i could think of....
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 8,807
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver,[KITSILANO].B.C. Canada *WestCoast*
Originally Posted by 2001NBMZ28
Sears sells a few craftsman "bolt out, damaged bolt/nut remover" socket kits for rounded off bolts. I'd try that first. Drilling is a last resort, if you can even get to it - friend of mine broke a head off #1 - tried drilling with it on the car and hit dexcool, wasn't pretty. Good luck with it. Don't know why they're so tight, torque isn't that much.
Originally Posted by 2001NBMZ28
Sears sells a few craftsman "bolt out, damaged bolt/nut remover" socket kits for rounded off bolts. I'd try that first. Drilling is a last resort, if you can even get to it - friend of mine broke a head off #1 - tried drilling with it on the car and hit dexcool, wasn't pretty. Good luck with it. Don't know why they're so tight, torque isn't that much.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by Cop Car
+1, worked on my rounded header bolt.. in the back... on the passanger side..
You know once i pulled the cat on the passenger side I crawled underneath and it was the easiest one to get out...
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by NHRAMAN
Most of the reputable companies have their version of an EZ OUT........I certainly hope I did not give the impression that an INEXPERIENCED layman should be DRILLING anything. ..if this needs to be done as a last resort...a professional should be doing the ' DRILLING'.
Dont worry i will not be drilling anything on my car unless its a naked female bent over the hood ...
yeah i was just going to suggest getting under it, it's so damn easy to get to it, the funniest part is you are able to see number 8 so easy, and if youve ever done plugs, seeing number 8 is like seeing god.
btw the bolt being so damn hard is from the two different types of metals. the aluminum heating and cooling down, expanding and shrinking, do it enough times over and over and it starts to fuse itself to the exhuast manifold bolds.
btw the bolt being so damn hard is from the two different types of metals. the aluminum heating and cooling down, expanding and shrinking, do it enough times over and over and it starts to fuse itself to the exhuast manifold bolds.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
Yep its out. I had to cut the head off the bolt with a sawz-all, then once i got the manifold out of the way i was able to get a pipe wrench on and turn it slowly for like 30 mins before it came out....
TECH Resident
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 937
Likes: 0
From: South Alabama
Originally Posted by reject
btw the bolt being so damn hard is from the two different types of metals. the aluminum heating and cooling down, expanding and shrinking, do it enough times over and over and it starts to fuse itself to the exhuast manifold bolds.
Hmmmm....
Originally Posted by Weezzer
Funny, I'd think the thread locking compound they put on the bolts during assembly would have a little something to do with it...
Hmmmm....
Hmmmm....
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by reject
metals expand and contrast, give them enough time and they start to bond with one another
Originally Posted by 2001NBMZ28
Sears sells a few craftsman "bolt out, damaged bolt/nut remover" socket kits for rounded off bolts. I'd try that first. Drilling is a last resort, if you can even get to it - friend of mine broke a head off #1 - tried drilling with it on the car and hit dexcool, wasn't pretty. Good luck with it. Don't know why they're so tight, torque isn't that much.
he had to be drilling for oil !! grind the head off the bolt, if all else has failed in trying to remove it, so you can get the manifold off. Then squirt some penetrating lube on it, some real stuff not just wd40, give it overnight and take the vise grips to whats left sticking out. You should be able to remove it at that point. If not then a drill and an easy out. Wich bolt is it front or back? if you dont have room for a drill you'll have to take the head off.