broken exhaust manifold bolts

[spooner]

is it possible to drill out the rear bolt on the driver side without pulling the head off?

[HUMTECH]

If you remove the exhaust manifold and weld a nut with lots of heat to the end sometimes they will spin out, may be enough to get visegrips on as well.

[Indy]

A Vice Grip should work if there is still something sticking out....try to torch the surounding area a bit before and apply lots of penetrating spray for a few days to ease the procedure.

[spooner]

the bolt is broke off below the surface so welding a nut wont work

[Easy Ed]

If you drill it for a "easy out" use a slow RPM, too fast and it will "heat treat" the bolt then you will need a carbide drill bit.

You say it is broke off below the surface, is that the manifold surface or the head surface. If it is the manifold surface remove the rest of the bolts, move the minifold out of the way and use the vise grip method or weld a nut to it.

Here is a link to give ya some options.
http://www.elcovaforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41269


Good luck, Ed

[Olfart]

might be worthwhile to remove the manifold anyway and replace all the bolts with better ones since if one of yours broke another will probably break later on

[AndyMac]

I just did my broken exhaust bolts a few weeks ago. I was very surprised how easily they came out. 2 were broken off past the head surface, and 1 was broken below the surface. Used a pair of knipex cobra pliers to remove the 2 that were above the head, and then built some weld up on the bolt that was below the head surface till there was enough to grab with my pliers. Took 2 tries to get the weld to stick, but it came right out.

Knipex > vice grips.

http://www.knipex.com/index.php?id=1216&L=1&page=group_detail&parentID=1368&groupID=1503

Good luck

[spooner]

well i tried the welding on to the bolt and actually got it to spin a little bit but then it broke off so Im going to keep trying that method tonight, thanks again for all of your help, the fender well is off and the exhaust manifold is out and on the bench. that rear bolt is just a pain to get to, but Im confident to have it removed tonight. thanks again