anyone break a stud during a header swap?

[drummerwill]

I'm looking to swap mine but I'm curious as to whether or not anyone has had any unforseen issues? And how long did it take to do the enitre swap? I was figuring it would take maybe half a day and a bottle of some PB Blast penetrating oil.

['93CB7Ex]

2 of mine broke off my f22a. the ones on each end did and it didnt affect anything.

[drummerwill]

2 of mine broke off my f22a. the ones on each end did and it didnt affect anything.

Was it difficult to remove the broken studs? Or did you just leave them?

['93CB7Ex]

i just left them.

[drummerwill]

gotcha, was there any of it left sticking out to get a vice grip on or would you have to drill them out? I guess it would be different for everyone. I'm just a bit nervous about knocking my daily driver out of commision for a while.

['93CB7Ex]

nah the guy that put my motor in did it. he broke them off like way inside in the head. haha

[drummerwill]

dang that kinda stinks. I'm hoping to avoid breaking anything, hopefully some good penetrating oil will prevent that from happening.

[GeoffM]

During O2 sensor change, if you heat up the header (by driving) it expands. That allows easier removal of the O2 sensor.

Try the same thing here?

[SilverShadow]

Not the same bolt... but I had my son's friend snap the bolt for the Lock up Solenoid. Had nothing for vice or needle nose to hold to remove it and all the transmission fluid just poured out! I thought "here comes $$ to drill it out" But someone thought of using a metal dental curved pick and made little indent and SLOWLY turned the screw till enough was out to grab. Saved me mucho bucks! Something to think about if it happens.

[drummerwill]

ok, that makes me feel better. I'm just nervous about drilling into a block with my left-handed taps and going too far. I know heat is good, and I've heard about turning the stud cherry red to break the rust bond. although the cutting torch is OFC (out of comission) and i dont know if my propane torch would get it hot enough.

[19dabeast85]

During O2 sensor change, if you heat up the header (by driving) it expands. That allows easier removal of the O2 sensor.

Try the same thing here?

That might help, the aluminum head will expand faster than the steel stud but get it too got and have fun handling it. PB blast them 2x every 12 hrs before removal and be done with it.

[drummerwill]

During O2 sensor change, if you heat up the header (by driving) it expands. That allows easier removal of the O2 sensor.

Try the same thing here?

Maybe just leave the motor running to break the bolts free? although that could have some very bad effects. hahahaha... (Brings to mind shooting my 1913 .22 rifle and burning an eyebrow from the breech flash.)

[GeoffM]

I didn't mean have it running while you get them all the way out.
Just enough to break one loose. After that they should each be able to be broken. If not just turn it back on.

[blu35p4rr0w]

I pulled all my studs out with vice grips. No heat or anything. heat definitely would have helped! One in particular did not want to budge. It kept stripping. I eventually had it to where I couldn't close the vice grips with both hands. I used channel locks to snap the vise in place. Then i wrenched that screw to make it even tighter. I put a pipe on the end of the vice grips and used all of my body weight to pop that sucker loose enough to start spinning it out.

I wouldn't recommend doing it my way. Good way to snap a stud. It's also hell on your vice grips to tighten it after it's already clamped on. Definitely heat it up before you start trying to pull it out. I was drunk and angry when I did that stupidity. Luckily it worked out. I very well could've became much more angry if the stud snapped inside the head.

[drummerwill]

Sooo, I can pretty much expect to snap a stud during the process of removing the stock header?

Now how long did it take ya'll to do the swap?