Broken header bolt! What to do...
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 213
Likes: 0
From: Back to Newport News
Broken header bolt! What to do... I am in the process of installing some pacesetter LTs, everything was going pretty good until I snapped off the #3 header bolt ( 2nd bolt from front on driver's side). Granted I was using the bolts pacesetter sent me but damn! BTW I installed some percy's seal-4-good header gaskets, so I'm hoping the flange is sealed up good enough and wont leak. So what should I do? There's not really and room to get a drill in there and I dont want to have to pull the entire head off. I guess I should just leave it alone and hope for the best, right? Any comments would be appreciated.
Teching In
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Is the bolt broken flush, or close to it?
There is a way, if you can point a mig weld gun in there. Place a correct size flat washer over the stud, then a 1 size over nut on the washer.
Hollow the top of the nut with a countersink first for more access. Weld the nut to the stud and let it cool. The stud will expand from the heat, then cool & shrink.
Usually, it will come out with fingers only. If not, you now have a hex nut there to put a wrench on.
The flat washer limits the arc going to the head.
There is a way, if you can point a mig weld gun in there. Place a correct size flat washer over the stud, then a 1 size over nut on the washer.
Hollow the top of the nut with a countersink first for more access. Weld the nut to the stud and let it cool. The stud will expand from the heat, then cool & shrink.
Usually, it will come out with fingers only. If not, you now have a hex nut there to put a wrench on.
The flat washer limits the arc going to the head.
Sears
Craftsman Bolt Out
Here is a link,,,may not be the right size for you need,,,,i just removed a stripped head plug (not spark, the lil coolant plug by the number 8 plug) with these,,,no room for drilling, worked great. some are used on a socket, some are used with wrenches,,,,but they grab on are dig in,,worked great for me,,they may work great for you too.....
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...+Taps+%26+Dies
Craftsman Bolt Out
Here is a link,,,may not be the right size for you need,,,,i just removed a stripped head plug (not spark, the lil coolant plug by the number 8 plug) with these,,,no room for drilling, worked great. some are used on a socket, some are used with wrenches,,,,but they grab on are dig in,,worked great for me,,they may work great for you too.....
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...+Taps+%26+Dies
I have used those craftmens but only on a stripped out head on a bolt. not an actual broken off head bolt, you will actually want to get that out but it is not nothing to worry about right know you should seal up real well
yeah, the plug i stripped out was completly round on the outside,,not from being stripped, but because it came that way..i stripped out the 8mm hex head that went inside it,,so i used the bolt outs on a completly round piece of metal, took it out easy once i dropped the Y-pipe, cats, etc. (lol)
Same thing happend to me only on the bolt closest to the headlights on the drivers side. It happend about 4,000 miles ago and havent had any issus those Percy gaskets are AMAZING. Only reason I didnt fix it yet is because I dont think the stock heads will be on much longer, aaaaaand the flow-junks are temporary.
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If it's only one, leave it alone for now and see if it leaks. I did the entire 2006 power tour with only 3 of the 6 bolts tight on the driver's side header. Not the best thing, but I had one bolt break off just like you, and I stripped the other two trying to over torque them because I had a shitty gasket leak.
I replaced the gasket with a standard gm multilayer steel gasket and did the 3100+ miles of the tour that way. The exhaust leak was bad enough to hear, but didn't hurt the car.
I replaced the gasket with a standard gm multilayer steel gasket and did the 3100+ miles of the tour that way. The exhaust leak was bad enough to hear, but didn't hurt the car.
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this may sound risky bbuuuutttt ive done header on 4 cylinder engines befor where the bolts wont come out and sometimes break. point is you dont need every bolt installed you can run exhaust manifolds with a few bolts without leaking.
i say bolt the rest in and see if it leaks, im betting it wont. if it leaks and it bugs you you can always drill it out...
i say bolt the rest in and see if it leaks, im betting it wont. if it leaks and it bugs you you can always drill it out...
