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STUDS OF DEATH


that one guy

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You might have been trying to use a 3/8 Allen wrench in a 10 MM hole. 3/8 is 9.525 MM

For you non-metric types, 3/8 is .375 of an inch, the decimal inch measurement of 10 MM is .3937.

 

Once you get the head off, if you still have some of the old head bolt in the block, use a wire brush to remove any rust or dirt where the old bolt goes into the block. Put penetrating oil on the bolt. Hit the top of the bolt square with a hammer, put more penetrating oil on it. Give the oil some time to soak in. Then try to back the broken bolt out. If not successful, more oil, then wait a while. Maybe a day. If the bolt comes out that is good. If you are in a hurry, and end up damaging the threads on the block, making it unusable, that is not good.

 

Another option is to weld a nut on the top of the broken bolt. Cover the top of the block, so you do not get any weld splatter on the block surface, or in a cylinder. The heat from the welding will cause the blot to expand a little, and when it cools, you have a slight bit of more room around the threads. Go back to penetrating oil, and hitting the top of the bolt to loosen it.

 

I would consider drilling the broken bolt off a very last resort. It is one thing to drill out a bolt holding on a fender, and have slightly damaged threads in the hole for that bolt. It is very critical that all the head bolts screw into good strong threads.

 

You must use a thread chasing tap on the hole when done. A thread chasing tap is very slightly smaller than a normal tap, and removes less metal. Remember, the head bolt threaded holes are critical to the engine. you want to do the least amount of damage to them as is possible.

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  • 2 weeks later...
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What's the best thing to do when the bolt breaks off in the block, can I drill it and helicoil/timesert it? Opinions?

 

Did a headbolt break? I am thinking I heard something about this, but an unsure?

Was the bolt hard to turn before it even got tight?

I ask because one can drill the bolt and put a easyout in the small hole and back it out, but if it was hard to turn before you even got it flush with the head, then the small sized easyout could break.

I have never heard of a headbolt breaking before.

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Did a headbolt break? I am thinking I heard something about this, but an unsure?

Was the bolt hard to turn before it even got tight?

I ask because one can drill the bolt and put a easyout in the small hole and back it out, but if it was hard to turn before you even got it flush with the head, then the small sized easyout could break.

I have never heard of a headbolt breaking before.

 

Sorry, I just did it on disassembly, this l20b is more work than it's worth...

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Yup, not me :rofl:

I wish you luck buddy! Turns out, the allen wrench one drilled out super easy, cheap wrench, and the stripped one was only stripped at the first 1/3 near the top.

The old oil was so gunked up in there I had to drill that out too, then the kobalt came in and popped that sucker right out!

Thanks for all the help guys!

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Finally got mine out, figured I'd share my technique. I used PB blaster for a week and tried welding a nut on but couldn't get it. Then I tried the old candle wax trick, still to no avail. The nut would pop right away, I couldn't get adequate penetration with just the nut. So, I welded a washer to the stud (lots more surface area) then welded the nut to that, and BAM!!! First time came right out.

 

Thanks to everyone for the help, hope my advice can be helpful to someone else.

 

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