4 days!!!! Ive been fighting with this broken bolt for 4 days. Hence no updates on my build thread. Its the bolt that connects the manifold to the y pipe. I figure easy enough, just drill it out and re tap the hole, no problem. This bolt is made of something that is not from this earth! It melted the tips of my titanium drill bits and has managed to ruin every bit in my box. So i went to home depot and bought some cobalt bits for 50 bucks . Put it in the drill press and started to drill. Made it about a 16th on an inch down and the tip of the bit starts glowing. But it made a little hole so i tried to stick a ez out and pull out the broken bolt. I get my hammer and tap tap tap tap SNAP! At this point im pissed. I throw the manifold across the garage and came in the house where I sit now. stupid bolt. I need ideas! I was going to take my cutoff wheel to the welds on the nut itself, I cant find my friggen cut off wheel. Ideas please.

quote Originally posted by 87antuzzi: I need ideas! I was going to take my cutoff wheel to the welds on the nut itself, I cant find my friggen cut off wheel. Ideas please.

Go buy another cutoff wheel.

Seriously, you shouldn't let a drill bit get that hot. Make sure it is well oiled. Lubrication will reduce wear and keep temps down.

I literally just threw the manifold in the woods behind my house. anyone have a 2.8 manifold they want to sell?

Take the manifold to a muffler shop. They will get it out. I used to do that when I was young and had no experience........

It got the job done cheaper than buying a new manifold and a heck of a lot quicker too.

quote Originally posted by 87antuzzi: 4 days!!!! Ive been fighting with this broken bolt for 4 days. Hence no updates on my build thread. Its the bolt that connects the manifold to the y pipe. I figure easy enough, just drill it out and re tap the hole, no problem. This bolt is made of something that is not from this earth! It melted the tips of my titanium drill bits and has managed to ruin every bit in my box. So i went to home depot and bought some cobalt bits for 50 bucks . Put it in the drill press and started to drill. Made it about a 16th on an inch down and the tip of the bit starts glowing. But it made a little hole so i tried to stick a ez out and pull out the broken bolt. I get my hammer and tap tap tap tap SNAP! At this point im pissed. I throw the manifold across the garage and came in the house where I sit now. stupid bolt. I need ideas! I was going to take my cutoff wheel to the welds on the nut itself, I cant find my friggen cut off wheel. Ideas please.

Two words:
Lube <-keeps bits cooler
torch <-helps bolts turn

I found the manifold. Ive used lube to help cool the bit. It still turned the tip red. Im going to cut the tack welds on the nut off and re weld a new nut on.

That bolt was a huge PITA for me too. Like Carbon stated I just used a torch and lots of WD-40 and it finally came off.

Every time I have removed an exhaust manifold, I found the same bolt broken. There were even a couple manifolds that the "nut" was actually rusted too bad to be reused.
After fighting that nut and bolt (like you currently are) I found that I was able to hammer on the stud, which will break the welds that hold on the nut.

To reinstall, I used stainless steel bolts, nuts, and lock washers. It's a little more of a pita getting a wrench and socket on both ends, but it is a little easier to lineup, and I have never had a problem.

Antuzzi.... Cut the nut in half with your cut off wheel, then use a punch to get the rest of the bolt out. Stubborn exaust shat. Good luck man...

[This message has been edited by Tony Kania (edited 05-29-2010).]

1. Don't let the bit get that hot. If you have to drill for 5 seconds and let it cool, that's what you need to do.
2. Whenever I have something stuck, I walk into a shop with it and flash a 20 dollar bill to the techs. It hasn't failed me yet.

eh, why not just cut the flange off and get a new split flange? (find one before you cut off hte old one tho...)

Exhaust bolts are why I just bought a new cat for my S-10. I had to replace the down/flex pipe (it's a 2.2), and the bolts at the manifold came out fine. The pressed-in studs on the cat, on the other hand, wouldn't budge. I used probably half a can of liquid wrench, and a quarter can of CRC freeze off lube. Broke two of the studs on the front end, and rounded one of the nuts which I had to cut off. Was going to attempt to drill them out, but there is absolutely no room to get a drill in position under the truck. Finally said the hell with it; decided I would just break the studs for the exit side of the cat as well, and just buy a new cat for it.

I have always been able to get them out using a torch to heat them to glowing and then drill them out. if this did not work I did exactly what you are talking about, cutting off the nut and welding a new one back on. they can sure be a PITA!.
good luck with it, it is better to walk away than to get mad. an if all else fails take it to someone and let them do it. the few bucks it would cost you would be money well spent.
D.

If i was there with a cut off wheel... it would be out in 2 seconds . damn california manifolds.

ROTFFLMFAO! ^^^^^^ You just ain't right! Tears in my eyes....

quote Originally posted by 87antuzzi: here is a pic of the low end bit i was using. Melted it the bolt itself

What a fight. You should of got some of this http://www.kanolabs.com/google/

Spray it on. Go eat a ham sandwich. Come back and twist it out with 2 fingers. No snake oil either.

Spoon

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Two yeast spent their entire life "about 2 days" discussing what the purpose of life could be and not once did they even come close to the fact that they were making champagne. Quoted by: Unknown

Heat it up and spray it w/ some PB blaster as it cools. Do this two ro three times.. Be carefull as the PB is flamable... Then heat it up again till its glowing red, grab the broken bolt REAL tight with some vice-grips and twist it out... If your good at welding, weld a bolt to the end of the broken bolt instead of using vice grips...

HA. VICTORY!

This thread was 3 years in the making?

So WHAT worked??

All you had to do was to heat the bolt cherry red and take it out with a stud extractor. If you don't have a stud extractor just weld another nut on the stud end and use a socket.

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" THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, 3.4" Pulley, N* TB, LS1 MAF, Flotech Exhaust Autolite 104's Custom CAI 4T65eHD w. custom axles, HP Tuners VCM Suite.
"THE COLUSSUS"
87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H
" ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "

quote Originally posted by Dennis LaGrua: All you had to do was to heat the bolt cherry red and take it out with a stud extractor. If you don't have a stud extractor just weld another nut on the stud end and use a socket.

Well... there's a right way, a wrong way, and a Fiero way of doing things.

[This message has been edited by Rolling Thunder (edited 05-30-2010).]

I'm amazed you had so much trouble with that broken off stud. I accidentally broke the tack welds that hold that nut on once. I'm surprised they didn't give out for you.