Sheered exhaust manifold bolt

[mb450]

Got most of my exhaust manifold bolts off whole - execpt one - that sheered with almost zero effort.

Problem is how to get the remains out - of course it's had to tbe the drivers side bolt near the bulk head - so really hard to access.

I'm in no real hurry as the manifolds are going off to be ceramic coated but would like to have it sorted when they come back.

I'm worried that just grabbing it with a large pair of grips will just sheer it further down :-S

[Seasider]

Lots of heat befors the grips, have you enough room to weld a nut on ??

[WazzaL]

Able to cut a slit in it and get a screwdriver, or similar to it?

[spend]

I thought thats what stud extractors were specifically designed for?

Dave

[GreenV8S]

mb450 said:

I'm worried that just grabbing it with a large pair of grips will just sheer it further down :-S

In theory, with the tension removed the remains will now be very easy to remove. In theory. There's no way you'd be able to apply enough torque through pliers/grips to sheer it off again, at worst you will mangle the end.

[mb450]

Cool - I'll get some heat on in and see what damage I can do with a pair of grips :-)
Can't really get stud extractor in :-(

[thenick]

I had a similar problem when I replaced mine, except one sheared and two were completely siezed. I tried everything to get them out but in the end I had to have the heads off to drill the buggers out and heli-coil the threads. Not the cheapest job ever but it did mean I had an excuse to replace the cam!

[mb450]

that sounds expensive :-(
Damn - who did you use for heli-coil just incase I end up there :-(

[spend]

Can you get 2 nuts on the thread that is left? If you can lock them they may give enough grip.

Failing that I'd consider having a nut welded on before carving it up (possibly irretrievably) with grips..

Dave

[mb450]

Might be able to get 2 bolts on it - it's looking pretty rusted in - I don't think they have been touched in from the day they were put in :-(

Will try tonight :-)

[Seasider]

spend said:

Can you get 2 nuts on the thread that is left? If you can lock them they may give enough grip.

Failing that I'd consider having a nut welded on before carving it up (possibly irretrievably) with grips..
Dave

[spend]

Seasider said:

spend said:

Can you get 2 nuts on the thread that is left? If you can lock them they may give enough grip.

Failing that I'd consider having a nut welded on before carving it up (possibly irretrievably) with grips..
Dave

Pervert, as well as retard!!! Must be time to resurrect your 'Coming Out' thread

Dave

[mb450]

Damn

Tried all of the above including welding a nut on and no joy - it sheered off just slightly lower so it's time to remove the head get it drilled out and heli-coiled. Local indy is able to do it he popped round to have a look (and to help weld the nut on).

So can anyone point me in the direction of the head bold removal sequence for a 1999 450
I've found a procedure in a pdf file, but it's got 2 different sequences and I'm not sure which one I should use.

[thenick]

Ah sorry to hear that! I know how you feel... I'm not sure how the heads come off exactly as I got Dave Batty to do it as I simply didn't have the time and needed the car back on the road asap being that it is my daily driver! The heli coiling I believe was done by a local machine shop (a friend of mine told me a good one to use was Sutton Re-bore near Croydon - I don't have any contact details though). While the engines open though it is a good time to check the cam/timing gear/lifters etc and make some changes if you feel like it!

Hope it doesn't hurt your wallet too much... I think my ordeal ran to around 1.5k in the end but that included a new cam, lifters, timing gear, gaskets, fuel pipes, new otter switch, fluids, stretch bolts and a few more bits here and there...

Edited by thenick on Thursday 15th November 11:31

[GreenV8S]

Just taking a head off shouldn't be expensive. It would be worth checking the condition of the valve gear while it's off. Replacing the cam is a completely separate (and much bigger) job. Worth taking the opportunity to inspect the surface of the cam for wear, but if it needs replacing it's going to be a separate and much bigger job.

[mb450]

I'll definitely be looking at the valve gear as I'd pretty much planned to get all these jobs done over the winter - now I have a nice heated garage

Potentially a new camshaft, rockers and valve gear (depending on what I find)
Ceramic coating the exhaust manifolds
New fuel pipes (rubber one)
New water pump
New rad
New diff bushes
GAS Shocks all round
a respray
fortunately the chassis is in perfect nick having been replaced at the factory
recovering the roof

[spend]

mb450 said:

..now I have a nice heated garage..

We all have one of those... Whilst the engine is running

Twice I have ended up with a burnt nose after warming the garage up whilst the car is on ramps, then making an erroneous movement crawling underneath the car

Dave

[That Daddy]

spend said:

mb450 said:

..now I have a nice heated garage..

We all have one of those... Whilst the engine is running

Twice I have ended up with a burnt nose after warming the garage up whilst the car is on ramps, then making an erroneous movement crawling underneath the car

Dave

Ouch

[mb450]

Nose + hot exhaust = Ouch!

Not quite as bad but painful was the shock I got when I carelessly grabbed hold of an ht lead (engine running)

Are 'normal' ramps ok in terms of clearance or do I have to get lower profile ones?

[spend]

I cut a load of 8x2 into segments to make my own ramps, driving back & forth I can get the car 2' up in the air front & back. Just use one segment to get a jack under, or stack them up bit x bit (even add in a few dense concrete blocks) to go as high as you want.

Dave