This was a method that worked for me, so I thought I would share. I had a broken stud, at the surface, of course, that was a 3/8"-16 thread. This is what I did:
Center punch the stud. This is the most important step, because it has to be exactly in the middle.
Drill 1/8". This is just about as important, because again it has to be exactly straight down the center. Drill all of the way through the stud, with a lubricated bit. (but not through the casting, naturally)
Drill 1/4", again all of the way through the stud, with a lubricated drill bit.
Drill 5/16", again all of the way through the stud, with an unlubricated bit. As you do, the drill bit will pick up the remaining material of the stud and remove it from the threads.
If youre as lucky as I was, the stud will be completely gone at this point, like magic. I ran a tap through it to clean the threads, just for good measure.
-denise
Ah, Denise,
You too have found the "secret" of broken stud removal.
I hope everyone doesnt read this, or they wont come to me for help any more, ha ha.
Bruce,
The Tassie Devil(le),
60 CDV
And that would be a bad thing?
Nobody every brings their cars to me, but thats probably a good thing, because Im too busy with my own!
-d
Densise,
You should become an auto tech etc and work on other cars etc and use the money to fund your project cars etc. Since you seem good etc on working on cars.
I sale 1959 thru 1964 parts etc to fund my projects etc.
Dale
Well, there are a few problems with that idea...
I work as a systems integration engineer now, and I would really have to hustle to make more money working on cars.
My health is bad. I have some kind of arthritis. If I spend four hours a day working on my cars over the weekend, I can barely walk the next day, even pumped up on pain killers.
And, people have a hard time taking me seriously about mechanical things, until they get to know me. I worked as a mechanic for a while...I would troubleshoot a system and tell them exactly what the problem was, and they would tell me to go replace something else.
Ive also found that doing something professionally sort of takes the fun out of the hobby.
-denise
One small improvement on the drill technique. I went by a machine tool supply house and bought drills with a left hand twist. If they seize they tend to loosen the broken stud. Many times the stud backs out before Im done drilling. Wear out your phone to find them locally. Or, use the net!
http://www.imperialinc.com/grp263.shtmlhttp://www.mytoolstore.com/hanson/hanson.htmlhttp://www.vermontamerican.com/Products/productdetail.htm?G=120056&GRP=168021ENJOY!
Thanks Rhino,
I did enjoy that.
But, the first site doesnt realise that there is a buying world outside the shores of USA. And, that our money still buys stuff.
Bruce,
The Tassie Devil(le),
60 CDV
South of the Equator, hurricanes, tornados, and water down the drain spins in the opposite direction as it does in North America. Why not order your drill bits from Australia or New Zealand? Theyre probably backwards already!
Gday Joe,
You have hit the button there.
Why didnt I think of that before. New Zealand, definately backwards, ha ha.
Bruce,
The Tasie Devil(le), with one head,
60 CDV
Densise,
Thats my problem I worked 6 years on buying and selling cars , fixing cars etc.
That may why I dont have fun anymore since thats my job or life etc since thats all I do anymore.
Cant blame you for not wanting work 80 hours weeks doing cars etc. Maybe thats why I am burned out etc at times.
Dale
I think you could use a vacation in Hawaii or something.
Cars can be really frustrating, and in fact, I think that working on your own car is even more tiring than working on someone elses.
-d
hehe Thats funny.
Unfortunately, its all too easy to break off a drill bit or an extractor bit in the broken bolt. Of course, these items are made from a substance which presumably fell to Earth from outerspace, and are 10x harder than any known drill bits--once theyre broken off in there, forget it.
A technique Ive used often and with much success works if you have access to a welder. Simply find a nut thats close to the same size as the broken bolt--it doesnt have to be exact, but helps if the nut is a little bit rusty. Get the bolt as clean as possible, and weld the rusty nut to the broken stub. The idea is to get the weld to stick to the bolt better than it sticks to the nut so you get a good, solid connection. Then you should be able to remove it with a wrench.
This technique has never failed me. The combination of heat and torque on the nut seems to loosen whatever hold the rust had on the old threads. But of course you need a welder to make it work. Just reason #1203 to get a welder!
--
Matt Harwood
Cleveland, OH
My 1941 Buick Century Restoration:
http://www.harwoodperformance.bizland.com/1941buick/index.html
Gday Matt,
My problems is usually, well, 99.9percent of the time, the thread or stud that breaks is flush with the surface.
Bruce,
The Tassie devil(le),
60 CDV
Howdy all,
I was just doing the exact method two days ago on a 1969 Pontiac. I had two of the four studs broken. One on each side. One was broken-off flush, the other was about an inch long. The welded-on nut didnt work as the thing ended up breaking off at the base anyway.. So, I drilled them both and nailed the two broken studs dead-on the first time... I was working this repair with the manifolds still on the car, so it was pretty tight up in there.
Two things:
(1) The two remaining original studs were good but real crusty. I decided to run a die over them to clean them up and re-use them. The die I purchased at NAPA had 6 point hex-head sides. This allowed me to use a socket to drive the die up the studs.. No way I could have turned a t-bar die handle in that space... Most of my dies are 12 point type
(2)Originality or not, I alway replace the studs with stainless steel ones, and the nuts with brass.. Then this is fixed forever!
Of course, I keep my cars a very long time, and sometimes need to take the exhaust system apart again for other repair jobs...
Over and out. Jim Snell (Indiana)
http://www.jims59.com/jims69cadillac.htm
I have a welder, but, how do you weld to a stud when its flush with the block, or below?
Extractors, yes, forget it. They wont be any stronger than the stud that broke, so the best you can hope to do is break a piece of hard, brittle steel off inside the hole.
A broken drill bit in there would also be a pain, but is less likely to happen, if you take your time and make a straight hole. I drilled progressively larger each hole, and by the time Id drilled a 1/4" hole in a 3/8" stud, all the 5/16" bit has to do is to tear the remaining metal out of the threads. Its not actually drilling or turning the stud at all, just pulling metal out. I was surprised to find that the threads were untouched. There wasnt even a scratch in them, because the drill bit didnt actually touch them.
The two most important things are, drill straight down the center, and drill all of the way down through the stud.
-denise
Jim, what are the specs on the type of stainless and brass you use?
Howdy,
Sorry for the long posts.. I get too involved in my explanations...
You mean what alloy? I have no idea. I get these items from NAPA, or CarQuest. Depending on the application and availability of the stud size, sometimes, I use a standard stainless bolt and just cut the head off. Depending on the application. Or if the hole passes through the manifold and exits the opposite side, I often use a stainless hex head bolt alone. These can still seize slightly in the manifold over time, but I dont think the rust can actually fuse to the stainless like the situation with steel on cast iron.. The latest studs I used this past week came with a hex head on the outer end so that a small socket could be applied to drive it into place... This is easier than the two nuts jammed together method.. I have been using these for thirty years and no problems. The nuts are two or three times as deep as a normal nut. I surmise this is to spread out more load and allow more thread contact area? The nut contact edges compress and deform slightly where they contact the "yoke". But I think this is a good thing as it keeps them from backing off, and a lock washer is many times not necessary. I just put the nut on without a washer in most cases. Depending on how big the hole is in the yoke.
Here are a couple of links on the subject:
http://www.theherd.com/articles/manifoldbolt.htmlhttp://www.dsmparts.com/customer/product.php?productid=198Best regards, Jim Snell
Hello again,
Just a few minutes on google, and I found another very informative link for stainless bolts. Nice photos also:
http://www.gesslerheadporting.com/members/gesslerheadporting/ghp.nsf/sub-menu/Products02Here is one from Year One. Chevy related, but this stuff is often interchangable:
http://www.yearone.com/serverfiles/headline.asp?hid=015AA55070Regards, Jim Snell
Thanks for all the info, Jim. Reason I asked is that there are many alloys called "stainless," all with different characteristics. Many of them are not rust-proof. They also have different expansion rates, strenghts, etc. Will check out the links. Thanks again!
Ive had a similar problem with a head bolt broken flush with block surface. I remember it well it was Saturday and I needed the engine fixed ASAP to drive the following day. Being a blacksmith /welder I knew cast iron (the block) doesnt burn with oxy acetylene yet the steel bolt) does,so I covered all the surrounding cylinders and torched it out! It was amazing all the threads were in perfect condition after running a tap throught them. I took a chance and it worked great!
The advantage to drilling is when drilling a hole it is next to impossible to drill straight and to get it absolutly centered therefore some of the threads a bound to (be dammaged. with a torch only the bolt melts out.
04-06-06
ERIC, When I was tearing-down my FLAT-HEAD I rounded the head of a rod bolt. An older genterman came by one day to see what I was cussing-at, eh,doing. He told me to drill a hole thru the rod bolt and for some reason the bolt can be removed. Damn, eh, he was right. The bolt came-out and I was able to use the SOCKET that rounded-off the head.
Good Luck, Jim
Jim,
By drilling the hole through the bolt, you actually turned the bolt into as tube, and as you drilled it, the clamping tension relieved as the "tube" was able to stretch and this released the tension on the thread. The hollow bolt was relieved of most of its in-built tension.
As you undo the head with the spanner, the tube can lengthen as it twists, thereby releasing the "shoulder" binding that can really hold a bolt from turning.
Bruce,
The Tassie Devil(le),
60 CDV
You mean cast iron has a higher melting point than steel?
Hi Jim,
Thats a good trick, maybe the heat from drilling loosens it up.
Thanks, Eric
Hi Denise,
Its not the melting point difference, I think its since there is no carbon in iron and steel has carbon the steel cuts with oxygen and cast iron doesnt.
Eric