well i need to get the manifolds off my hemi, got the uper bolts free spin very easy..the bottom bolts are very tight..and the heads don't seem like they fit any wrench/socket i have..standard or metric...how many are into the water jacket on this hemi???and would welding a "modern " nut to the exsisiting help break the old aged gripp???open for ideas and suggestions,,,thanks
Have you hit them w/ a hammer and br*** punch? This works for me on most of my bike motors/suspension. I use a 6 point socket, but I can remember what size. Fits fine though. I don't think welding another nut would be a problem in either case
no haven't done anything but spray them with juice and grunt with a 3/8 rachet....already have one on left lower that is snapped off when i bought it....but has most of it flush with manifold, so i figure it should be weldable when i get the manifold off...don't remember what i have on the right.. in so far as sockets or wrenches to fit the bolts, well i've tried metric and standard and they all have play..i guess too many years of heat...although they don't look like they ever got rusty....
Ever since learning how to weld a nut onto a broken stud when bolts break, I dont spend all day screwing around trying not to break them anymore. If they break, I weld on the nut and save my day for other things.
If you have Oxy cutting gear just break the heads off the bolts then blast the remains of the bolts out of the block with the oxy then clean up the threads. You can't damage the cast iron block as oxy won't cut cast iron.
I would cut the nuts/studs off at the manifold and get the manifold out of the way and provide access to the stud remains. I WOULD NOT attempt to cut the studs in the block with a torch.......cast iron will melt and/or "pock"......no need to risk screwing up the block. Ray
I'd try knocking the hell outta them first w/ the hammer. That worked for me on many occasions. Then just break 'em if you have to. You can also turn them in a little and that sometimes works.
Fe26,hes got a HEMI and you want him to take a torch to it,come on man he ain"t working on some piece of ****.
Dosn't matter what he's got, you can't damage or pock mark cast iron with a torch. I don't mess about with broken bolts or studs, I 'blow' the remains of the bolt out at the drop of a hat. I heat the bolt nice and hot, stand well back from the stubborn ****** and press the oxy lever. You'll have fireworks as the molten mess has nowhere to go but up, hold your nerve and after a few seconds you'll notice the flow of metal slow down, at this time move the torch around to get at the little bits and pieces, then move onto the next one. When block has cooled down, use a tap to clean the threads and wash out the debris. Once again cast iron with a high carbon content (4%-6%) cannot be cut with oxy.
sure sounds like the heads have deteriorated and you will need to weld on a nut. Heat it and tap on the head to help free it.
I've used a gentle flame on a brazing torch to heat up bolts before, a little more controllable in a confined space or with valuable metal around it. Good luck!
hit them wit an air hammer if you have one. i do it all the time on manifold bolts on off topic cars i work on all day long. works better then you think. steel bolts in aluminum heads, how badly stuck do you think those get??
Mark, are you still fussing with this? I recently broke 5 studs off a 315 head trying to get a manifold off.... Three were broken below the surface so I had to set up the head in the drill press and drill those out. For the others, I layed a thick washer down first, welded the stud to the washer then set a nut on top and welded it on. These then came out with an end wrench. .
no, i have decided to probably cut the down setion of the dump off the manifold for now...it is in my way for building the steering system for the topo..i hve to run headers to be happy and there is no room for the column to go in with the rear down section of the left manifold in the way...think cutting it is easiest option right now, then i'll pull the motor after i finish building the steering and the rest of the structure.. trying to get it ready to A. install floor tin , once i finish the ribbing for the floor... B, fab up the steering system... it would be way easier to extract the manifold bolts/studs with the motor out of the fiat...if i have to i'll blow the heads off the bolts and remove the manifold and then weld to the remainder of the bolts...never seen a bolt that stayed seized after laying a good hot shot of arc weld to it
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