Broken exhaust manifold stud

[Sandman817]

Today i decided to work on my car for a bit, and address the broken exhaust manifold stud problem that came with the car when i purchased it. I started drilling the stud, made a 2nd pass with a larger bit but then i noticed the hole wasn't centered, it was noticeably off center. I got my bolt extractor, hammered that into the hole i drilled out and started to turn the extractor. I wrenched on the extractor a few good times until it got very tight, this is when i thought the bolt was going to break free and back itself out. well, was i wrong or what... The hardened steel extractor broke off in the exhaust bolt. Now i was kinda standing around scratching my head and a bit pissed off at the fact that i now have a bolt extractor broken off in my cylinder head.

Does anyone have any good tips for me to get this thing out now? I am thinking about picking up some left handed bits and hopefully that would do the trick. Its just really hard to get a centered drill going, even with a punch.

 

[95420A]

It's almost machine shop time now man. How much of the extractor broke off in there? You can keep tryin to get it out yourself but it might be worth the cash to have a professional do it. That way if they screw it up it's on them.

 

[flying_eagle]

well if your using an extractor the threads on it would be left handed so you should be able to use a normal right handed drill bit

 

[Sandman817]

Hmm well im pretty sure i haven't f'd up the threads in the head. I think i am going to use an oxy accetylne torch at work and heat it up red hot and then use a left hand drill bit and drill it out.

Flying_eagle the extractor is hardened steel, i wont be able to drill into it, the bits aren't able to bite into it.

 

[SOADweskey]

This happened to me and I had a machine shop EDM the stud out. It cost $100 so in retrospect I could have just picked up another head for the same price or less.

Good luck getting it out with the torch.

 

[flying_eagle]

Well that depends on how cheap the extractor is but you could also trying welding a nut onto the extractor and backing it out that way

 

[91stocker]

I had the same problem when i picked up my car. It had 3 broke off in the head. I also broke an extractor off trying to remove the second one. That extractor ate up bits with out making a scratch. I end up swapping on a 2g head. The old head was tired and worn anyway. I recommend picking up a reman'd head or going a similar rout. If not good luck getting that extractor out, every "special" bit i bought to remove it got smoked. Maybe you will have better luck then me.

 

[Sandman817]

Heat, penetrating oil, and a good drill bit normally works well if you take your time. Ill see how it goes, if something goes really wrong ill bring it to a shop and have them do it for me. I work at a nissan/jaguar dealership so i figure ill try to use what i got now that is for free, then go on the money spending route.

 

[dannyd97gst]

This is exactly how I learned not to use an extractor....ever. Great advise from Flying Eagle, try to weld a nut on the extractor or the broken stud and back it out.