Removing exhaust header type, studs

Richard · Aug 5, 2004

Well, my stud removal tool should be here soon and I'll make an attempt to remove them later tonight, or Saturday.

Any pointers to remove them? I've been soaking them down with PB blaster for about 1 1/2 weeks now, hitting them couple times during day. I've also sprayed them with engine cold AND with engine hot.

I can do all this (attempt removal) with engine either way. I've contemplated taking machine out to get up to working temperature, come home, shut down, then spray more PB blaster on studs to cool (shrink??) them a bit and see what happens.

I've never done this, so any tricks that tend to be more useful than less useful?

OH, because it's actually on the TURBO, and not the exhaust manifold, I've been able to get some PB blaster into the BACK side of the threaded hole also. My goal is to do my best to soak it from both sides but of course, I have no idea if it's getting in all the way.

Thanks

Junkman · Aug 5, 2004

You don't mention what the material is that the studs are stuck in. I have successfully removed many studs that have broken off on the exhaust logs on my Corvair. I remove the log so I can put it in the vise to hold. Then I heat the ear that the stud is in till it is cherry red. I grab the stud with a cold (right out of the freezer) vice grip as close to the ear as possible. Then I work the stud back and forth. This cleans the threads so the rest of them don't bind on the way out. If the stud stops moving, then I reheat and grab another pair of vice grips. The cold vice grips will shrink the hot stud and the cherry red ear has expanded. This allows me to remove studs that have been broken for years and rusted to the point that there is barely any metal left. If the housing that you are working on is made of aluminum, then you will have problems. I have a stud remover and have never found that it is of much value in most instances. They work great on new studs, but terrible on old rusted ones...

Richard · Aug 5, 2004

uh oh... you're deflating my eagerness.

The material? Not sure, probably some kind of iron? the studs themselves are in the turbo.

(start the music now)

The turbo is conneced to the manifold...the manifold is connected to the engine block... and we twist it all about /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

ok, I got carried away, apologies.

Anyway, if the studs snap (my expectations) I'll have to remove the turbo. To remove turbo, I'll have four MORE rusted bolts/studs to deal with. If I snap one of them, I'll have to take the manifold off and yes... it too, is full of rusted bolts.

What is annoying about this, is my loader arms. They're smack dab in the way. I might take it over to mild hill so I can rest them on hill, yet more out of the way. It's a real pain in hiney to work THROUGH the arms when trying to do the work.

I don't have any kind of torch other than a solder torch (mapp gas) for plumbing. I've heated it with that, but I doubt it would make it glowing hot. Furthermore, I'm a bit nervous making the turbo that hot out of risk of toasting the bearings??

(is that a reasonable concern?)

If the studs snap, my intent is to try to just take the silly thing off & take to machine shop and let them do my cussing for me. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Von · Aug 5, 2004

Richard,
I have removed header studs on Porsches many times by heating the stud with the nut still on cherry red hot and then removing them. They have all come right out and I have never broken one! (Have done this at least 100 times) I then replace the stud with a new one for the next time. Remember to just heat the stud and nut not the housing. Might work for you.

MicroPilot · Aug 5, 2004

( ... Remember to just heat the stud and nut not the housing....)

That just totally sounds wrong and is opposite everything I've ever been told and done to remove stuck hardware. How could this work?

Henro · Aug 5, 2004

I have removed header studs on Porsches many times by heating the stud with the nut still on cherry red hot and then removing them. 

Wait a minute! That should not work!

Oh, I forgot...the man with the Unimog rules... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Von · Aug 5, 2004

Well it works on Porsches because the expansion coefficient is different in the alloy heads and the steel studs. The heads expand faster and more than the steel. Like I said works everytime! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Richard · Aug 5, 2004

Although that sounds backwards to me too, your explination of the co-efficient stuff makes sense also.

given that, would it not have been more efficient (with Porches) to heat AROUND the bolt and try to leave the bolt cold, relative to surrounding?

Anyway, be that as it may... wouldn't you know a thunderstorm has rolled in and is currently washing away my driveway. When it clears up, I'll try one, or have to wait until weekend.

/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

beenthere · Aug 5, 2004

I watched a fellow at an engine shop remove studs from an iron engine block that was going to be steam cleaned, dipped, or whatever. He took a torch and heated each stud real hot (seems it was cherry red) and then touched the hot stud with a wax candle. Apparently that wax quickly cooled the stud, and the melted wax penetrated along the threads at the same time. He would take just a pair of pliers, and turn the stud out. They were actually loose. I was amazed. I had grown accustomed to breaking the studs off, and then drilling out the center to insert an 'easy out' which usually worked. Broke my share of 'easy outs' too, and sometimes had to drill the hole bigger so that just the threads were showing, and then using a tap to clean out the threads.

Richard · Aug 5, 2004

We have success /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif sorta /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

I've left off some of the sordid details, but I'll share them now.

Other day I knew I needed a stud remover, so went to local stores to find one, FINALLY got one at auto store (approx $40). Got it home, and it didn't work, stud too short for it. Soooooo, stopped (different town) at another auto store, got some kind of reversing things, that go OVER the nut (or stud he said) and it screws itself ONTO the offending offender ($35).

Got home and of course, not only did it not work, it is not returnable (can't blame them...THEY don't know I'm still stuck)

Anyway, find the one on EBAY. buy it, get it. Send the guy via UPS overnight, a cashiers check for $7!! with a return overnight inside. (this tool if you saw my earlier post, WILL take a flush stud out). Great!! I'm a happy camper. I send out on Monday, he'll get/return tuesday and I'll have it Wednesday.

Wrong

UPS dropped the ball (sorry UPS) and never delivered it to him. They suggested I resend blah blah. Then yesterday evening, it finally showed up, so he sent it back to me.

Well, of all things, it never arrived. Seems UPS had some aircraft problems on the way to somewhere. I was ready to receive it BEFORE 10:30 today, but of course, it did not arrive.

I called and.. well, "spoke" with them a bit, realizing it was not the fault of anyone per se, so I bit my tongue.

It finally showed up today at 4:00, just in time for me to leave, borrow uncles truck to go pick up my new air compressor!!! DOWNPOUR while getting compressor...sigh, will it never end.

I get home will all my goodies, just KNOWING that little wormy stud is going to JUMP off like melted ice cream. I put the remover on it, and it too, spins off the stud /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

I try it on all of them and same result.

I'm about ready to go buy yet ANOTHER one ($60) that LOOKS mean & wicked... but I decide to try again

moooooovement....

wha?

I try again... sure enough, I have some MOVEMENT!! YAHOO

I turn again and snapola, all the movement was the stud shearing /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif (I'm actually kinda laughing at my string of luck)

Ok.. now I KNOW I gotta get turbo off and to shop so THEY can take it out without damaging it. Small problem... it's connected by 4 bolts, just as old/rusted.

hmm.. those exhaust manifold nuts look reachable...(and I've been spraying them TOO, 'just in case')...sooooooo let's try one

squeeeeeeeek it moved!

try the next

grunt... grunt.... squeeeeeeeeeeek !! HA...2 in a row

next

grunt... squeeeeeeeeeek!! whoooooo hoo..this is looking too easy all the sudden. Hmm.. one more to go, and of course, I can't get access to it without taking the intake off the turbo.

off it goes.

I try it...squeeeeeeeeeeeeeak

!!!

now, I have to remove the fuel line (sprayer for cold starts), remove oil supply line, air boot, oil return

Upshot, I finally have the turbo/manifold assembly off in it's entirety. I'm going to just take it, along with a new replacement bolt to machine shop and say "how much".

Anyone want to buy 1, 2 or perhaps 3 stud removal tools?

volume discount!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif