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Herd WebMaster
Forum Admin
USA
165 Posts |
 Posted - 05/04/2007 : 07:26:06 AM
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Inexpensive fix for broken exhaust manifold bolt(s)
Provided by Glen Hogan
I have an Impala SS (95) and had replaced the waterpump and wires at 50K. I also discovered that I was hit with the infamous "breaking bolt problem". Well, the best I could do with the dealer, or should I say GM (the dealer's discretion to pay for warranty work ends at 50K) was for GM to cover half the cost of my "broken bolt" problem. That would require me to pay $700, US. This was not an attractive option. So I chose a quick and easy fix, one that is much more successful than drilling and using an EZ out, and certainly cheaper and less complicated than buying headers.
I dismantled the driver's side manifold. In addition to the last bolt being broken, the next to last bolt snapped off with no effort at all, indicating it was hanging by a thread. I went to a local welder who happens to be an excellent fabricator, but is also a master at removing snapped-off bolts from heads, blocks etc (especially marine applications-you know how rusty they can get). He accomplished this with an arc welder and stainless steel welding rod. He welds onto the broken bolt in the head, building it out with stainless until it protrudes from the boss. Stainless steel will not tack to cast iron, and the intense heat from the weld allows the bolt to loosen. Next, he welds a small steel slug onto the stainless slag protruding from the boss, lets it cool, snaps on some Vise-grips and voila! out she comes. There wasn't one mark or scratch to the head and no damage to the thread. He charged me $50 ( I did all the disaassembly at his shop) and the bolts, manifold gasket, flange gasket and studs ran me $30. My own labor and $80 ain't bad. Its a lot cheaper than the other alternatives and I highly doubt that anyone will be able to drill and EZ out one of these things without making a total wreck of the head. Any good welder worth his salt can do this...he just has to use stainless rod or other metal that won't tack to cast iron. So save yourself some money if you've got the leak. |
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Inexpensive fix for broken exhaust manifold bolt(s
