Exhaust stud removal
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From: Cedar Rapids, IA
Exhaust stud removal
I have a broken exhaust stud on my 2004 Aviator. The stud broke even with the nut surface, not flush with the head. It's also the easiest stud to access without removing the manifold.
I center punched the stud and started to drill it, but unfortunately the chuck of my drill interfered slightly with the heat shield and caused me to drill off center. I sprayed the bolts for the heat shield down, let them soak overnight, then tried to remove them but the very first one broke off. So I bought a drill bit extension and aimed the drill hole back toward the center, but that's not helping much. I have a 5/32" hole in the stud and have sprayed the stud and manifold interface with the gasket and head down with Blaster 3 times over the course of a day and a half but the EZ-Out isn't spinning the stud out.
The labor rate for replacing the manifold is 1.8 hours but I don't see how that is realistic. It doesn't look very easy, and I'm afraid other studs may brake if I try to remove the manifold.
Does anyone have suggestions on what else I might try to get the stud replaced? And "take it to an exhaust shop and let them fight it" is NOT out of the question.
-Rod
I center punched the stud and started to drill it, but unfortunately the chuck of my drill interfered slightly with the heat shield and caused me to drill off center. I sprayed the bolts for the heat shield down, let them soak overnight, then tried to remove them but the very first one broke off. So I bought a drill bit extension and aimed the drill hole back toward the center, but that's not helping much. I have a 5/32" hole in the stud and have sprayed the stud and manifold interface with the gasket and head down with Blaster 3 times over the course of a day and a half but the EZ-Out isn't spinning the stud out.
The labor rate for replacing the manifold is 1.8 hours but I don't see how that is realistic. It doesn't look very easy, and I'm afraid other studs may brake if I try to remove the manifold.
Does anyone have suggestions on what else I might try to get the stud replaced? And "take it to an exhaust shop and let them fight it" is NOT out of the question.
-Rod
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looks like a good job for a welder and a nut.
don't know if you have access to a 110v mig, but i think your best bet would be to try and weld a nut to the broken stud and use that to turn it free.
some have had success with just building up the stud with weld and turning it with a pair of vice grips, but for the extra work a nut would be the way to go.
other than that, a reverse drill bit might be an option, but it doesn't sound like drilling has been that easy.
other than that, i'm about out of ideas. short of letting someone else fight it out, like you said.
mike.
don't know if you have access to a 110v mig, but i think your best bet would be to try and weld a nut to the broken stud and use that to turn it free.
some have had success with just building up the stud with weld and turning it with a pair of vice grips, but for the extra work a nut would be the way to go.
other than that, a reverse drill bit might be an option, but it doesn't sound like drilling has been that easy.
other than that, i'm about out of ideas. short of letting someone else fight it out, like you said.
mike.
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Thanks for the ideas. I do have a MIG welder, but I'm afraid of getting too much heat concentrated in that area and possibly warping something.
I started out with left handed drill bits but they unfortunately didn't do much be get dull. Standard drill bits are cheaper so I don't feel as guilty dulling them. Considering how difficult the stud is to drill, I'm surprised it broke.
-Rod
I started out with left handed drill bits but they unfortunately didn't do much be get dull. Standard drill bits are cheaper so I don't feel as guilty dulling them. Considering how difficult the stud is to drill, I'm surprised it broke.
-Rod
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best advice with the MIG is to go slow. use the lowest setting that will actually get some degree of penetration. like sheet metal, use tack type welds and let it cool between cycles. You may find that the heat is your best friend, if kept to a reasonable level.
as for drills, i've heard that Cobalt drills turned about as slow as you can stand is the best way to drill out a hardened bolt. Cobalt is a very hard metal, but doesn't like heat, so going slow helps keep the drill bit sharp.
for 100% truth in advertising, i haven't tried either of these myself, but these are the methods mechanics i know have used.
I think if you have a MIG at your disposal, that is probably your best bet.
here's a decent video on welding a nut to a stud, but i think i'd go in shorter bursts with the welding if i were doing it:
here's one broken off in aluminum:
I like the way this guy works. a little slower and more cautious.
keep in mind that if you are using a flux core wire you will have an added degree of complexity with the slag created. gas shielding would be the easiest if you are already set up for it.
let us know how it goes!
Mike
as for drills, i've heard that Cobalt drills turned about as slow as you can stand is the best way to drill out a hardened bolt. Cobalt is a very hard metal, but doesn't like heat, so going slow helps keep the drill bit sharp.
for 100% truth in advertising, i haven't tried either of these myself, but these are the methods mechanics i know have used.
I think if you have a MIG at your disposal, that is probably your best bet.
here's a decent video on welding a nut to a stud, but i think i'd go in shorter bursts with the welding if i were doing it:
here's one broken off in aluminum:
keep in mind that if you are using a flux core wire you will have an added degree of complexity with the slag created. gas shielding would be the easiest if you are already set up for it.
let us know how it goes!
Mike
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Since it was becoming apparent I wasn't going to get this fixed by the weekend and my were are going camping out of state, I opted to take this to a respected exhaust shop in the area. They were able to get the stud out and tried replacing just the stud, but it still leaked. They then opted to pull the entire manifold and replace all studs and gaskets. Good thing they did, the stud directly below the one in the photo above was weak and broke basically as soon as they put a wrench on it.
So they pulled the manifold, confirmed there were no cracks, decked the mating surface on the manifold, replaced all studs and nuts, replaced the gaskets, and put it all back together and gave me a 1 year warranty all for $335. For me, that's money well spent.
-Rod
So they pulled the manifold, confirmed there were no cracks, decked the mating surface on the manifold, replaced all studs and nuts, replaced the gaskets, and put it all back together and gave me a 1 year warranty all for $335. For me, that's money well spent.
-Rod
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Now, if they would only divulge their secrets...
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-Rod
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