Everything was going great. First three bolts came out with my fingers after I broke them loose. The next one snapped. So I stopped for the night, Soaked everything in pb blaster. And picked up tonight. Note I had been the bolts for like 4 days once a day. But was also driving it and letting the pb burn off. After 2-3 hrs of soaking it.

At the shop we have a little bottle of mapp gas so I brought it home with me. Heated the hell out of it (not red though). Put the wrench on and snapped it clean off in the head. I guess I should bring home the oxy torch.


Any suggestions would help also. TIA.

 

Ok I will try to dig up a long but informative post on just this prob:

Here is a bit more of advice about changing to headers: I just cut a paist from a old post:

The #1 thing in my book is to LUBE THE HELL outa those soon to be old exhaust bolts.
I would use PB blaster or Sea Foam Deep Creep. If the vehicle is not your daily driver, soak them as much a possible for like a week straight.
Use the red tube to get right in there, spray the top side of the bolt head and let it soak. This step is very important because you do not want to break off any of those bolts.
I have heard of heating up the bolts with a torch, good way to burn up your valve cover gaskets, and catch fire to your sprayed on lube, I always change them cold.
I even heard of starting the truck to heat up those bolts, great way to burn your hands and fingers. Remember LUBE LUBE LUBE, jack up truck to a comfortable working height, take off front tires. And do all the other safety stuff, block rear tires ect....
I start on the passenger side, it’s always easier. Do not try to "snap" torque the bolts loose, use a slow draw break torque. And use a quality socket, as straight on as possible.
If you break one, don't panic, you do not have to remove the head to fix this problem, at least I didn't, and I broke 3 on pass side and 2 on dvs side, on 1 truck and 2 and 2 on another.
If you do continue removing the rest of the bolts, hopefully with better luck. And then ditch that ol heavy stock factory manifold, do not throw them away those stock suckers are pricey especially the dvs side, why I do not know.
If you do break a bolt, use a GOOD QUALITY set of drill bits to drill it out. Use a center punch to make sure you start in the middle, VERY IMPORTANT. Start with a smaller bit and work your way up to a bigger one.
Match your drill bit to your tap size needed for the correct bolt size. 7/16 1/2 or 9/16 can't remember. I would then tap in new threads. I WOULD NOT USE A EASY OUT, been there done that, broke it off in the hole, another long story.
If you are having trouble tapping in new threads, might be able to use a "helical" thread insert, easy to use, buy it in a kit, just have to drill out a bigger hole to insert the thread coil. De-burr or run a tap in to clean out the old holes best you can.
Get new hardware, gd 8 or better, do not use the hdwr provided (junk) not enough washer face to the header flange. I got mine with a premade large washer, and use the lock washers with the little face to face lock teeth.

Not sure that they are called, got them and my bolts from Fastenal, use some thick header gaskets from Jeff's Bronco Graveyard, pricey but awesome. Make sure you use anti seize compound on the hardware.
DO NOT have any solvent on your hands when you install the gaskets, it will cause a hot spot on the gasket and burn it up. Passenger side will need a bit of trimming or bend outa the way for now, trim later. For a 4x4 F250 follow advice below:
2 people makes this part a lot easier, while you wrestle the header into position, from under the truck, your helper will align the gaskets and start the bolts, all hand tight at first.
If you are having trouble getting it in, try taking off the shock tower, 3 bolts ? Might give you more wiggle room, did for me especially on the dvs side. Evenly tighten down bolts, all the while making sure the header doesn't catch on anything.
Ck the clearance on the cab mount frame bracket to the collector area, grind the bracket as needed. Use a quality audible Tq wrench, start at minimum working your way to max. STOP THERE, DRINK ONE BEER, AND GET READY FOR OTHER SIDE.
Ok on dvs side, remove dip stick and tube (plug pan to stop oil leak) and brake line coil from master cylinder to frame mounted proportional valve. Cap/plug all opening, brake fluid in the eye is a m...F....
Probably have to remove that brake line clamp plate from back side of shock tower, remember to take tower outa the way also. Bend/trim inner metal fenderwell and install in same order as passenger side.
Reinstall all the other stuff you took off, remember to re-bleed brakes. Make sure nothing is touching your headers, spark plug wires, fuel line ect...I would start the truck with open headers, so you can soak up the fruits of your hard labor.
Some smoke is normal from all the lube and the paint burning off YOUR new headers. Let truck idle, blip throttle to scare the neighbors, again make sure nothing is touching the headers.
Decide if you are man enough to drive it around the block, let idle till all the smoke quits. Shut off and do a torque ck on those bolts. CAREFULL THE HEADERS ARE HOT
The torque will be different due to the bolts being hot now, do a minimum tq ck.
Decide what exhaust system you want to use, cherry bombs, flowmasters, I prefer straights to stacks. If you are not going to do it yourself, make appt with muffler shop, have fun driving there. Remember you can install a Y-style muffler bypass with cap.
After a few days of driving truck around, do another "Hot" torque ck and than "cold" one. If you used those cool lock washers should have no problems.
I know this is long but hope it helps, have fun let us know how it turns out, and throw in a pic.
If you own a ½ ton go to this thread 7-24-2010 “My 460 needs to be heard” ½ ton swap with pics.

 

That pretty much said it all. I do think I will try the soaking thing now. She can seat as much as she needs to. I will probably soak them twice a day. I am already using pb blaster. Has anyone used anything better?

Thanks for the copy paste on the thread.

 

There is a lube called " mouse milk" (no kidding) its a aviation quality lubrication oil.

There is a kit that is called "freeze off" or something like that??? Hit up the ol local parts store for it.

LUBE LUBE, antisieze when reinstall, and proper torque.

 

I went through this process... even after a few days of lubing I broke a large number of the bolts. I am now in the process of going through the heads. not my first choice. But if I have to remove the head to drill then I might as well replace with rebuilt heads.

Good luck!

 

I was determined to repair in place, and like the challenge. Except for the broken off easy out, a long story it self.

 

I am begining to not feel good about doing this. Here goes my weekends for a while. Oh well, horsepower is worth the lack of sleep.

 

I have used this technique on two trucks and it worked for me. Take your time and use a REAL GOOD, I MEAN GREAT, NO EXCELLENT set of drill bits. New, sharp and quality, not wally world stuff, I got a set from Fastenal.

Yes they were $$, but made the job go EASY. Make sure you use a quality center pin punch and hit it right in the middle. That's why I take the tire off, to be able to get in there, but still had the inner fender well still installed.

On a few I just kept drilling till I was almost the same size as the bolt. Then dug out the left over bit with a pick from the hole. If you have to re-tap a hole I welded the tap into a old socket so I could use an 3/8 extension to get some torque on it. And get it there between the frame and inner fender well gap.

If you can't get the old bolt all out and just clean up the threads, re-tap it and keep going or helicoil it. Ck out a set at the parts store to see what they are and have them explain how they work. I used a combination of both technique.

When I could not get the threads clean or could not re tap I helicoil it. And remember to use plenty of anti-seize on the new hdwr. And have you hands clean cause the grease will burn up the new gaskets. As me how I know this.... was a pain full lesson.

If you want to try a easy-out or broke bolt extractor kit, once again use a quality set, as me how I know that, broke a POS extractor off in the hole I just drilled.

Mad a real bad day ALOT worse, but I got it all out, and those bits you do not drill out. Use the FTE search eng and look up "exhaust manifold" you will see alot of threads covering this issue.

People say you can weld a nut on there, lol. Or just pull your heads, and pay machine shop to do it.

 

One way that works for me is if they won't loosen, I will tighten them just enough to see if it moves and amazingly most will! Then just go back and forth tighten then loosen, a little more loose each time and if you are patient, it takes time, they will come out. The only ones ever to snap off on me were either already damaged or because I got impatient and put to much pressure on it.. Heating just the bolt does no good, for heat to work you have to heat the metal around it and hopefully cool the bolt. Or heat all of it and let it cool, a hot bolt will just twist the head off instead of snapping off.
There are many ways to do this, but the one important thing in all of them, Be Patient!
Good luck!

 

Still soaking. The truck and myself.

 

Well the drivers side header is on. I bought the flowtech headers. And from what I can tell I have to lift the engine to get the pass side on the truck. Also I am wondering if these headers will clear the factory starter. And what is the torque spec for the bolts?

And soaking was the way to go for sure. The bolts all but just fell out after 2 weeks of soaking them.

 

Here is another way to get the broken bolts out. Take a flat washer the correct size for the bolt, hold it against the head, over the end of the broken bolt. Using a mig welder, weld the washer to the bolt. Next, take a new bolt, & hold the threaded end to the center of the washer, & weld it to the washer. Let everything cool for a bit, then try to turn the assembly. Try tightening, then loosening. Penetrating oil while the bolt is still hot will also help.
As a mechanic, I have removed hundreds of bolts this way. I rarely use the drill method anymore, as there is too much risk of damaging the treads in the head.

Stacey
1978 F250 SC Ranger 4x4

 

I will be using a nut and bolt technique. Because I did destroy the threads.