I have broken off a header bolt on my 350X leaving about 1/2 of the stud sticking out. First of all, aren't they just threaded into the head? Secondly, I'm having a time getting it out. I've basically tried liquid wrench (with trike standing on it's tail hoping it will run down int he threads) and the old vice grip trick. I can get it to budge back and forth a tiny bit but this stuborn bolt won't come out. Any ideas? Worst case, I dril it out and heli-coil it.

Gary

 

I had the exact same thing happen with my 350x, exept I broke all 4 studs off! lol. Don't worry if you can't get it out, you're right it threads into the head so if they won't turn out by hand you can take it to a local machine shop like I did and have them drill out the old ones and tap you some new threads if yours are shot. New studs are very cheap so I'd suggest changing all of them if you're gonna fix the broken one. Just my $.02. Good luck. Later.

 

If you have a 1/2 sticking up, go to sears and buy a good set of stud extractors. just lube up the stud and let it soak. whatever you do, don't drill it and try to use an EZ out. let a machine shop get it out.

 

The fact that it moves atall means it should be able to come out. Try some heat from a gas torch and work it with the vice gips. Heat around the stud. If there was ever loctite put there the heat will soften it and it also expands the metal arond the stud.

 

Try heat with a torch and vice grips. It should work. ive broken many and thats the best way i have found. Heat around the base of the stud for a min or 2 then try to slowly work it out with the vice grips.

 

try to build the heat in the head not the bolt so the bolt will not expand as fast as the head and this should help

 

if theres any good thrads left.. then try and see if you can double nut the bolt and use the bottom nut<closes to the head> to wrench it out using some heat as well....

 

Thanks for all the replys. Well, I bought a bolt extractor from Sears. If you haven't seen one of these, it basically looks like a socket with a tapered inside. And it has sharp groves (similar to the rifling of a gun barrel except a lot more course) cut in it so that when you turn it on counter-clock wise, it really bites the bolt. It bit it so well, that I wrung the bolt off except this time it's broken off about 1/8" down in the head. And I also applied heat when doing this. NOW what?! I think my two options are 1.) drill it out and helicoil it. Or 2.) try to use an easy out. My fear of an easy out is that this thing is in there so tight that I will just break a hardened easy out off and will REALLy be in trouble then. So I'm probably going to commence to drilling! Thoughts???

 

My zilla head bolts were drilled out before and a coil type thingy (maybe its the helicoil) put into them. Basically its got threads on the outside to go into the cylinder and threads on the inside to take studs. It holds relly well. I cant remember the name of them. I was told before there are two brands of them one is not a strong as the other. Sorry my brain cells are wasting away I can't remember the names of them.

 

Yeah that sucks, I got 3 out of 4 on mine. If its in there that good just take it to a machine shop, they can center it and get it out safely, that cost me 40 bucks at my shop. And thats cheaper than ruining the head.