Broken manifold

[Cobra]

While removing stock manifolds from the Tahoe, I noticed the stock manifold was missing back bolt on passanger side near the # 8 spark plug& firewall. After removing manifold completely and and checking head I see there appears to be a broken bolt in hole. Don't know if this came from factory like this or broke somewhere along the way. Don't know how hard it will be to try to get easyout in there and try to work it out. Does anyone have any advice?

 

[sumo]

Heat is going to be your best bet. How much of the bolt is sticking out? Can you grab it with a stud remover?

 

[Cobra]

none of it is sticking out. it is flush with head. I for a second thought it was suppose to be that way.

 

[sumo]

tough call. Use a center tap and punch the center of the Stud. THen make a pilot hole on the center punch. Either Drill it in steps to the point where you can retap the hole, or use left hand Drill bits where when drilling, you may break it free and it will unthread as you drill. Another option is to weld a nut on top of the Stud and maybe you can use that nut as a new Head to back the stud out. If you dont feel comfortable with this, Take it to a exhaust specialist to do it for you

 

[Cobra]

k thx. I will see what I can find tomorrow. I don't have access to welder. Maybe those left hand drill bits like you said. I currently have manifolds off, sparkplugs out and I cut stock y-pipe out. I don't taking to speacialist going to be easy. This header install just not going as smooth as I thought.

 

[alc5m]

i think its prob gonna be pretty tough and pretty well stuck in there to hope that the drill would break it loose, but i hope you get it fixed bro

my advice would have been welding the nut, but obviously thats out of the question with no welder ha

 

[Cobra]

tried easyout got half a turn and stripped easyout. tried a bigger size got one more turn then easy out broke in bolt. Spent the next couple of hours removing easyout from bolt. back to square one. Either going to try to drill it all the way thru to releive pressure and then pick it out or gonna have to pull head off block and have bolt removed.

 

[southboundchicken]

had this happen on my motorcycle with the difference being that the broken bolt was easy to get to. i drilled out the center of the bolt and was almost home free when the damn bit broke off putting me back to square one so i took a dremel tool with the long slim grinding stones they use to sharpen chain saws, went thru 5 or 6 of them, and slowly ground out the center of the broken bit and stud to the point of almost getting in to the threads after that i took the bike to a shop that installed a " time set" the repair held up fine and eventually i sold the bike so cant comment if its still holding but hoping you get this problem solved with little fuss

 

[bkboatnsleds]

I bet 6 out of 10 of these on the road have that same broken bolt.. So common, and its suck a PITA!!

 

[brassknucklemafia]

not to laugh at your pain, but i am in the same boat so to speak. i had an exhaust leak on the passenger side manifold, turns out it was due to broken/stripped studs at the collector. so now after trying everything known to man. i am buying new shorty stainless headers in morning, for less than replacing a set of stock cast manifolds. better off now i think.