Removing exhaust bolts?

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user 20022

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How do you guys remove your stuck exhaust bolts? Heat?

Sent from the dust in front of you!
 
Oxy/Acetylene torch is the best you can do when trying all the liquid stuff fails. The corrosion will be located mainly in the bolt hole in the exhaust cover so direct heat there and also the threaded area.
If you know a bolt will not come out with the torch then cut the head(s) and pull the exhaust cover off. The remaining bolt will be much easier to remove, again with heat.
 
Thanks! The bolts on the perimeter are easy to remove its the ones in the center that are a bugger. The only part i can heat is the bolt head. Should I try heating the bolt head until it glows red?

Sent from the dust in front of you!
 
If you have an air chisel you might try that to the end of the stud or head of the bolt. Apply some penetrating oil & give it a good vibration, might break up the corrosion enough the penetrating oil can get to it before you try the torch.

No - you are not trying to get the bolt red hot - the aluminum casting motor parts would melt if you did that.
 
I do have a air chisel that I can use. I'll skip the getting the bolt red hot.

Sent from the dust in front of you!
 
I've used my acetylene torch on many bolts. Note, this is a plumbing acetylene torch, not a welding oxy-acetylene torch, doesn't get as hot.

My normal procedure is to heat the aluminum where the bolt goes in. Heat both parts that the bolt is holding together, and heat it as evenly as possible. With an acetylene torch, it will take quite a while because the aluminum spreads the heat very well. Next, I'll put the socket on the bolt and TIGHTEN it. You only want to give it just enough to turn the bolt head a bit (not even a 1/16th of a turn). Then go back and LOOSEN the bolt the same amount. Alternate tightening and loosening 4 or 5 times. There are a few indicators that may let you know if you're successful in breaking the bolt free:

1) If you get a solid cracking sound and a bit of movement, it's usually broken free and able to be loosened.
2) If you hear a squeaking or squealing sound, you should be able to loosen the bolt with some resistance. If it gets harder as you are removing the bolt, reapply heat and keep going.
3) Many times I'll get a puff of dust out around the bolt head. I've never had this happen once when the bolt has remained stuck. If it puffs smoke, you're good to go.

If none of these happen, I'll try to go back and heat the aluminum again. If it doesn't work your 2nd or 3rd time, it's unlikely that the bolt is coming out easily.

Next steps are to remove the bolt head as Pappy described. Once the part is removed, there should be a stud left. I'll normally go with an oversized nut and weld it onto the stud (sometimes if the stud is fully threaded you can use a standard sized nut. This gives me a good way to get a socket back on the stud. Now, I'll heat the stud&nut with the acetylene torch until it's cherry red. The aluminum doesn't melt, because the corrosion between the bolt and aluminum provides insulation, and any heat to the aluminum gets drawn away pretty quickly. Again, I've never melted any aluminum doing this with a plumber's torch. With the bolt cherry red, I'll hit it with some penetrating lubricant to cool it. (It'll smoke like you wouldn't believe) The objective is to expand the bolt by heating it and then contract it by cooling it again. You're trying to break up the corrosion. I'll repeat that a couple of times too.

Next, I let the bolt cool down, and then re-apply heat to the aluminum, and repeat the original process above. Normally this will get it out.

to date, I've only had a handful of bolts that I couldn't get off with these steps (out of a few hundred), and usually these are in a location were it is difficult to get adequate heat to the aluminum around the bolt. I've had reasonable luck with these few cases drilling and adding a Helicoil afterward. No lost parts yet.

Good luck!
 
Thanks guys! I used a combination of everything you all advised and I got the second frozen one out with no issues.

Sent from the dust in front of you!
 
Just for general information - - -
Not many people have a Hand Impact tool. Only costs about $20.
The ones I see today are a 3/8" drive socket which takes the 5/16"
hex drive shaft screwdriver bits - which are hard to find. Or find the adapter.
I was looking for some bits yesterday at the Big Box Store and didn't find any.
But - they are available on the ole interweb.
There are a lot of the #3 Phillips screws on the older motors with the heads generally
stripped. I have a 1/2" drive hand impact driver that I got 40 years ago and rarely use it.
BUT - when needed, it comes in pretty handy. Not as aggressive as the pneumatic
air hammer wrench used for changing tires and has more torque than your cordless impact drill.
You will find it a very handy tool to have in your arsenal.
driver.jpg





.
 
Yep i have a mini bosch impact it works great for work and home. I had a blue gm electric with cord 1/2 impact and that was great at everything. I'll be getting another from summit. They are on sale for 40 bucks...

Sent from the dust in front of you!
 

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