Well, I decided to tackle the broken manifold studs in my 02 F250 V10. There were three broke on the left and two on the right. I managed to get all but one removed on the left, and then there was a stubborn one. I drilled into it, tapped an easy out into it, and the started to turn. I barely put pressure on it and it snapped flush with the head. It is the upper hole at the rear of the left head. I was thinking of using very small drill bits and drilling out the bolt around the easyout until I could get a small vice grip on it. Does anyone have any other less time consuming or aggrivating solutions to this, besides putting it back together and trading it in on a new '08?

 

i think teh trade in on a 08 sounds like the best option..

8-)

 

Well I feel for you since I did the exact same to the rear lower stud on the left side. I kept drilling on it and got a new hole that I could helicoil. The bad part is the hole was too large for the helicoil to fit right. Also the hole was way to low. I just left the bolt out when I mounted the headers. It's driving me nuts enought that I will eventually replace the head.

Anyway my only advice is keep digging at it and working with it and be patiant. Hopefully you'll have better skill and luck than me.

 

Can you cut a slot in it with say a Dremel tool then use a screwdriver to get it out?

 

No, but cutting a slot in it isin't a bad idea. I may give it a try tomorrow. Luckily, its at the dealership I work at tying up an unused lift. If there were any 08 V10's around, this would be gone. Every dealer by me has 6.4 diesels left.

 

What type of easy out is it? Left hand spiral multi flute, 2-flute straight? There are extractors made for removing broken taps which may work on the ezout depending on type.

If it was me I'd get some solid carbide hi-roc drills. Use a small drill to start and then go larger, got to drill the easyout in the center. Since the ezout is LH drilling with the RH bit may back it out.

I feel your pain. Come spring I'll be working on my old mans 03'. The guy that replaced the studs work hardened a stud when drilling and only could put in a shallow heli-coil. The stud broke again so now I got to fix it come spring. All I can say is solid carbide can be a lifesaver.

I'm so glad I put headers on mine around 20k miles.

 

MIG welder - weld a nut to it (try to get the easy out) and back out the easy out. Or, you might get lucky and the nut will weld to the stud and it'll come out in one piece.

In my case, I had the same problem but didn't break the easy-out. It was still tough to get out, and probably should have just welded a nut to it, but it was broken off pretty deep in the hole, too much to build up without hurting the aluminum, I thought.

How far down is it broken off? Flush? or is it still sticking out slightly above the head?

 

EZ-outs are a problem because they are hardened (and brittle).
The welding approach is most dependable if it is near the surface of the head.

Other things I've done with the fluted types:
- Longish rather skinny center punch, tapping at severe angle against inside of flute to back it out (turning clockwise)
- Using the brittleness against it, I used a hardened center punch and sharply tapped and tapped on it, slowly (painfully slowly) shattering and chipping it away.

 

Let's just say, the easy out is gone. It isin't pretty, but its out. I used a couple of hardened dremel tool bits and ground the area around the easy out and into the head. The easy out was broken at an angle, with nothing protruding above the head. I was able to grind enough out to get on the stub of the easy out with a small vice grips and extract it. Then I drilled the remains of the bolt out. I had to drill and tap the hole to M10x1.5, but it seems to be ok. Knowing what a total pain this side was, I dreaded to attack the right side. Luckily, a technician friend of mine has been helping me with this after work, so we stayed to work on the right side. Two were broken already and two more broke just by looking at them wrong. We got very lucky that only two were broken beneath the surface. However, they both came out with left hand drill bits!!!!! Tomorrow I'll be bolting the ebay headers on (I would have tonight but they sent the wrong bolts) and hopefully be driving it again soon. Looks like I won't be putting myself deep in debt with payments on a new one. Thanks for everyones help.

 

Congrats on the fix and the whole no new payments thing.

 

Wow ,got scared just by reading your story.Hope I will newer be forced to touch that.

 

What kind of studs are you guys replacing these with ?
Do they have a stainless stud for replacement ?

 

Stainless studs are not the cure, they will snap eventually. My 04' had stainless studs (powdered steel nuts) and my dads 03' had the same and he had 6 busted studs. IMO the stock manifolds are more to blame than the undersize studs. Exspansion and contraction of the manifolds from heat/cool cycles eventually snap the studs off and the nuts seizeing fast to the manifold doesn't help anything.

 

Hi...I am going to have to tackle this job also on my '03 Excursion. I can see one broke on each side.

For people reusing the stock manifolds, what did you put back in for bolts?

 

Would heating them for a moment with a torch not help in their removal.
I am often amazed what a little heat does in helping get out a stubborn bolt.