manifold bolt diy fail

[professor00]

Hello, i am wondering if anyone knows if i can save this and manage to get this bolt out myself before i end up getting the whole truck towed to a shop. i’m pretty defeated and definitely wish i had gone the welding route earlier, a mobile welder said there’s nothing left there for him to weld on to without potentially damaging the block so he declined and i have no welder/welding experience. i’ve used a left hand drill bit and extractor but obviously as the picture shows, i’ve made it worse. the bolt is also slightly below flush so absolutely nothing to grab on to.
thanks for any help

 

[Atcer2018]

View attachment 544895
Hello, i am wondering if anyone knows if i can save this and manage to get this bolt out myself before i end up getting the whole truck towed to a shop. i’m pretty defeated and definitely wish i had gone the welding route earlier, a mobile welder said there’s nothing left there for him to weld on to without potentially damaging the block so he declined and i have no welder/welding experience. i’ve used a left hand drill bit and extractor but obviously as the picture shows, i’ve made it worse. the bolt is also slightly below flush so absolutely nothing to grab on to.
thanks for any help

Like you I have zero welding experience or knowledge. I have seen some vids where talented welders can do some pretty amazing work on really messed up fasteners. I’d get the opinion of a different mobile welder before getting it towed to a shop. Quite possibly the opinion of the mobile welder you consulted was based on his abilities not what can actually be done by someone with more experience.

 

[HarryS]

I've seen youtube videos of folks welding a nut on a stud more recessed than that.

 

[professor00]

Like you I have zero welding experience or knowledge. I have seen some vids where talented welders can do some pretty amazing work on really messed up fasteners. I’d get the opinion of a different mobile welder before getting it towed to a shop. Quite possibly the opinion of the mobile welder you consulted was based on his abilities not what can actually be done by someone with more experience.

thank you, i do believe it seemed more he didn’t want the liability of messing up the engine block which is understandable but there’s not really a surplus of other mobile welders that i know of nearby. i was debating getting a harbor freight welder and trying it myself but i do also fear messing up something greater. it seemed based off my “research” that since the block is aluminum it is no deal welding to just the nut.

 

[Highway]

thank you, i do believe it seemed more he didn’t want the liability of messing up the engine block which is understandable but there’s not really a surplus of other mobile welders that i know of nearby. i was debating getting a harbor freight welder and trying it myself but i do also fear messing up something greater. it seemed based off my “research” that since the block is aluminum it is no deal welding to just the nut.

Yeah i used a flux wire welder from harbor freight and welded a washer and then a nut to the washer and it threaded right out. Don’t have to be a great welder , practice a little beforehand

 

[professor00]

Yeah i used a flux wire welder from harbor freight and welded a washer and then a nut to the washer and it threaded right out. Don’t have to be a great welder , practice a little beforehand

thank you i will give it another go, my thinking was that the hole i do have drilled i can fill with the welder a little bit and then proceed with the welding of washer and nut?

 

[rzr6-4]

thank you i will give it another go, my thinking was that the hole i do have drilled i can fill with the welder a little bit and then proceed with the welding of washer and nut?

Mine broke the same bolt as yours and was actually even lower. I kept trying to weld to the top of the bolt and it kept snapping off. Once I drilled a small hole in the center, it gave the weld more surface area to hold on to and that's when I was able to get it out. Which a hole in the bolt is exactly where you are so if you can get a good hot weld going you are in a good spot.

All said and done mine took probly 12 tries welding to get it to finally break loose, and once I got it out somehow the threads were totally stripped so I had to re-tap the hole as well.

4 hours later....

 

[62Blazer]

The heads are aluminum (I know what you are talking about, but technically not the engine block). You can "mess it up" but being aluminum makes it much harder to do so. A welder can reach down and capture a recessed bolt. As mentioned in another post I like welding on a washer first as you can get a weld on a recessed bolt much easier, than weld a nut onto the washer. Not unusual, even for experience people, to have to try several times to get it to stick good enough. Sometimes they thread out easily, and sometimes not so easy. When the bolt breaks sometimes the broken end kinda' wedges into the threads.

 

[star_deceiver]

Drill in at an angle from this direction using a drill bit half the size of the bolt or a little smaller and then straighten up the hole in the middle. Drill most or all the way through. Use a torch and heat up around the broken bolt, 250F or higher. Then use your easy out.

 

[Jeepwalker]

OP, how many miles on your truck?

If it's a lot, and 1) Your tk has it's original lifter, 2) You plan to keep the truck for a wihle ....maybe now is the time to think *long-term*. You might 'consider' removing the intake/head, and replacing those problematic lifters with new, ..and do the stud on the bench. Start with a fresh set of head gaskets. I know that's a lot more work, but maybe your truck is sending you a 'signal'.....

Just a thought.

PS, if you DO weld to the stud stuff a rag into the exh port, or cover with a piece of tin to keep welding sparks out of the cylinder. Or blow it out real well afterwards.

 

[professor00]

Mine broke the same bolt as yours and was actually even lower. I kept trying to weld to the top of the bolt and it kept snapping off. Once I drilled a small hole in the center, it gave the weld more surface area to hold on to and that's when I was able to get it out. Which a hole in the bolt is exactly where you are so if you can get a good hot weld going you are in a good spot.

All said and done mine took probly 12 tries welding to get it to finally break loose, and once I got it out somehow the threads were totally stripped so I had to re-tap the hole as well.

4 hours later....

View attachment 544931

thank you everyone! i will defer from towing the truck to a shop now that i’ve gained some motivation again. my other worry is that i messed up the threads during drilling but if that happened to you and you’re able to redo the threads then that’s a bit of a relief.
i only have 44,*** miles on 2016 model year. this was the only bolt that was broken the others came out very easily.
i plan on going to harbor freight today and picking up a cheap welder, wire, gloves and a face shield.

 

[aszumilo]

thank you everyone! i will defer from towing the truck to a shop now that i’ve gained some motivation again. my other worry is that i messed up the threads during drilling but if that happened to you and you’re able to redo the threads then that’s a bit of a relief.
i only have 44,*** miles on 2016 model year. this was the only bolt that was broken the others came out very easily.
i plan on going to harbor freight today and picking up a cheap welder, wire, gloves and a face shield.

Get one of the auto darkening helmets. Makes it alot easier to see what you are doing before you hit the trigger on the welder.

 

[aszumilo]

Double post

 

[indept]

thank you everyone! i will defer from towing the truck to a shop now that i’ve gained some motivation again. my other worry is that i messed up the threads during drilling but if that happened to you and you’re able to redo the threads then that’s a bit of a relief.
i only have 44,*** miles on 2016 model year. this was the only bolt that was broken the others came out very easily.
i plan on going to harbor freight today and picking up a cheap welder, wire, gloves and a face shield.

Watching some YouTube videos to see how it's done 1st.
And have a few nuts on hand to weld to the stud. You might break one or 2 welded nuts off before you get it out. Also avoid any drilling, there's a water jacket not too far from those threads. You don't want to break through to that.

 

[RJL1]

Can you just drill that out?

Start with a small bit and work your way up until it's out?

**EDIT** I just read the post above mine. I wasn't aware there's a water jacket close by.

Carry on and good luck!

 

[professor00]

Watching some YouTube videos to see how it's done 1st.
And have a few nuts on hand to weld to the stud. You might break one or 2 welded nuts off before you get it out. Also avoid any drilling, there's a water jacket not too far from those threads. You don't want to break through to that.

thanks for that info! i’m definitely wanting to avoid any more drilling my only concern with the welding was that i don’t have much bolt left to weld to but you all have made it seem that’s not an issue so i will hopefully get some time on wednesday to learn some welding before going for it!

 

[indept]

thanks for that info! i’m definitely wanting to avoid any more drilling my only concern with the welding was that i don’t have much bolt left to weld to but you all have made it seem that’s not an issue so i will hopefully get some time on wednesday to learn some welding before going for it!

 

[CamperMike]

It took me quite a few tries to get the weld to hold on mine. It broke a bit below flush. I had never welded before and bought the harbor freight welder, wire and gloves. Also the auto darkening helmet. I recommend also getting a 45 degree angled long reach set of pliers to hold the nut while starting the weld. They really helped me. It took a few tries and I wasted a few nuts but it came out.

 

[2Timing]

Snap-on Store

shop.snapon.com

Welding is an option, but if you don't own a welder or have no welding skills This is the way to go

 

[Slinge]

71500 much cheaper online