first time poster but have lurked for year lots of great info but today had major problem. was removing exhaust manifold studs 9 out of ten were broke proceded to get 7 out withstud removal tool 2 broken off 1/4'' down in head tried drilling it out with left hand drill bit and right angle drill and proceded to drill through water jacket in head. am i the only IDIOT do ever do this? NOW WHAT.!!! Is it time to take out motor? this motor has been very good to me but has 210,000 miles and is in a 99 350 dually which is starting to rust. i think motor will outlast body. any suggestions from anyone and please dont tell me out stupid i am i already know that. thanks jim

 

Just use some good sealant on the new stud for that hole. Like you said the rig is not worth enough to put big $$$ into it. With the threads sealed properly the repair will out last the pickup.

 

Yup, make sure the hole is nice and dry, and clean, and use some RTV on the stud, and away you go.

There are various bolts over the years that go through into the water jacket, like on a 390 FE, the water pump bolts go right into the water jacket. It's not a big deal just to put some sealant on the bolt/stud.

Not sure RTV would be my choice, maybe epoxy, or some other hardening-type sealer instead of RTV.

Just make sure the hole is very clean and dry.

 

JB Weld would be my choice. Like the package says, "It's better than bailing wire!"

 

thanks guys was afraid i trashed head now how do i go about changing my oringal drill angle through stud? i have tried to use easy out but the hole into aluminum and it wont back out. some thoughts. thanks again jim

 

Do you mean the tip of the easy out is going into the aluminum? Cut the end off

 

hi just little update ended up tapping head using sand man suggestion and used jb weld the saga continued when i tryed to remove other stud had perfect hole through stud and broke easy out off in hole. tried drilling it out and found out they dont drill. ended up breaking it through with small punch. but all is good now. forgot how quiet truck was. now i have to get my mind right for driver side. thanks to everyone on this site for the info. will keep lurking from the side lines. jim

 

Just a little info: a freind of mine works in an automotive machine shop. They have a portable EDM machine that uses an electrode to disintegrate broken bolts, E-Z outs, drill bits, taps, etc without harming the orginal threads at all. When the Ford V10's first came out and started popping exhaust studs, he and the EDM spent a lot of time at the local Ford dealer. The machine is small enough to do with everything in place, so if you have to do another one or three, you may want to call around to good machine shops and see what they can do for you. It only takes an hour or so, and if they'll let you take the truck to the shop, you'll save the "outside work fee" that some shops charge.

 

I just finished this "fun" job hit the water jacket with one, used jb weld holding well- IF I had to do it over again I would do what I did with one stud that I could not get to turn with a wrench or socket- Got my die grinder out and a good cone shaped burr, cut nut off stud, and by the time I got done the stud turned out with my fingers- the vibration loosend it in the aluminum and I would do this to all studs!! Just my 2 cents worth

 

huntdiamondjim or flamefighter7


Same problem with hitting the water jacket.
Just wondering if the JB Weld is still holding up?
did you use any thread sealer and if so what kind?
How many miles have you driving since the repair?

Any reply would be much appreciated.

 

you know i used jb weld and it still works fine. ive only put about 5000 miles on it since but all is good. i think it will outlast my body i have a 99 and it starting to get rust behind cab now but i have 220,000 miles but i am in so much salt in winter here. truck has been more than great and doesnt owe me a penny. jim

 

what i have found that work great is to weld to the stud when they are recessed in the head. just keep tacking to it until it is above the head. than weld a washer to the built up weld. then weld a nut to the washer and spin out the stud. never let me down yet and i have done probably 100 of them

 

I wondered about doing that. When rebuilding old Mauser rifles, sometimes the barrels are too tight to get out with traditional methods. The solution is to make a relief cut in the barrel (which is being scrapped) where it contacts the face of the receiver. With the tension removed from the threads, the barrel usually turns out by hand.

 

Q: Will welding a nut to the broken stud melt the aluminum head? Can you heat the stud up cherry red, then spray penatrent on them..... let sit a while and then back them out. I want to avoid the broken easy-out problem all together but don't want to melt or ruin the integrity of the flat aluminum exhaust face. I wonder if heating the stud cherry red will melt the aluminum threads too. Luckily I'm pulling out my old 98' 5.4L and swapping in an 03' 5.4 that I just bought. So I'll have it a bit easier with the replacement engine out of the truck. Will be installing shorty headers with SS bolts and high temp. copper anti-seize instead of regular studs. Checked with "Stage 8 fasteners" and they don't make a locking set of bolts that's stainless.

I will first cut the nuts off the studs and remove the exhaust manifolds hopefully finding all the studs protruding out from the head. I would like to try heating them first before attempting to back any of them out to break that corrosion between the stud and heads. I wonder? does anyone know how far the studs thread into the head..1/2 in. 3/4's I want them all out without any damage to the head what so ever if possible.

 

You resurrected an old thread.
A fellow posted that he zip wheeled the nuts off all the studs. Pulled the manifolds, welded new nuts to the studs. Then backed them out without any grief on all 20 studs.
That's the road I'd take.
Another fellow made a jig to line the drill up. If I remember right he used plate steel with properly spaced holes. There's a thread here somewhere.
Do a forum search you, will find many ways to skin this cat. I'm partial to the method 1 above.