Help! Working on plenum gasket and broke an intake manifold bolt!

comptiger5000 · 07-31-2010, 03:02 PM

I'm in the middle of my plenum gasket job, and all set to start reassembly, when I remembered that the front pass. side bolt on the intake manifold snapped when I went to remove it. So, I've got to get what's left of it out of the head.

It's completely rusted in. I've soaked it in PB blaster 5 or 6 times, tried freezing it, and still can't get enough grab to get it out with Vice Grips. So, I went and bought a screw extractor, except it snapped before it even began to move the bolt (it's really, really stuck). What should I do?

I'd like to have her running again tomorrow, and don't want to have to have her towed to a shop on Monday. Help is greatly appreciated.

**jhotrod83** · 07-31-2010, 03:24 PM

They make special extractors you can get through a tool dealer like mac tools or snap on tools that works very well. It is a reverse drill bit with a splined rod a little bigger than the drill bit. If the reverse pressure from the drill bit doesn't pull it out then you hammer the splined rod in and twist it out. I'm not sure if you can find those tools locally. Ask a few nicer mechanics to borrow theirs or try to find them in local stores. Otherwise you will probably have to tow it

comptiger5000 · 07-31-2010, 03:25 PM

I don't think anywhere local has them. The problem is, it's a 1/4" bolt. Anything I put in there isn't very strong. The last attempt I made simply sheared the extractor in half (basically a reverse drill bit).

**jhotrod83** · 07-31-2010, 03:29 PM

These bits come small too and are meant for high pressure. The bolt you are trying to get out should be a 5/16 bolt so you have plenty of meat to drill. It sux but it sounds like you will have to drill. Is there any bolt sticking out? Pics?

bigbossd1030 · 07-31-2010, 03:29 PM

Try heating it with a torch.
Make sure there isn't any flammables in the area first though.

comptiger5000 · 07-31-2010, 03:30 PM

I already hit with a heat gun (don't have a torch here), although I didn't get it glowing or anything. Didn't want to risk warping the head. I'll edit this with a pic in a minute.

**jhotrod83** · 07-31-2010, 03:33 PM

You won't warp the head but you will need a torch to get it hot enough to work. A rel torch, not map gas

comptiger5000 · 07-31-2010, 03:35 PM

I'll see if I can get or borrow a torch. If not, I'll give the heat gun another try (output temp of 1050* F), and hold it for longer to see if I can get it glowing.

Bolt is in the center of the pic.

**jhotrod83** · 07-31-2010, 03:38 PM

Stud extrctor is the tool you need. You should be able to get them locally. It works like cam wheels tightening it's grip the harder you turn it. It is a type of socket by the way or sometimes a series of gears

comptiger5000 · 07-31-2010, 03:39 PM

That sounds perfect! When I tried vice grips, I just couldn't get enough of a grip. I'll go buy one and let you know!

casperbrown · 07-31-2010, 05:00 PM

small pipe wrench after a glorious soak of pb ...... stuck bolts are gods way of questioning/testing how much you really love your jeep

j.love · 07-31-2010, 05:26 PM

Holy fragments of metal jeep fans! you need to cover your valley! you will never get all those pieces out! try a shop vac!

WOW.

comptiger5000 · 07-31-2010, 06:37 PM

I had the valley covered while I was drilling. There's actually very little stuff (not metal, just a couple bits of leaf and such) down there for me to clean up (and I plan to hit it with the shop vac). The bright spots in the crappy cell phone pic where the light was reflecting off the oil film on the rough metal casting, making it look like metal bits.