rusted on exhaust bolts

[woody82270]

OMC 260, with osco risers. bolts rusted on. tried breaker bar, stripped head on one. any tips? Chiefalen, gimme your wisdom.

 

[lowkee]

Re: rusted on exhaust bolts

When I run across bolts like that, it becomes a 3 step solution:

1st attempt: Spray PB blaster on them and take a coffee break. Try again in 10 mins.

2nd attempt: Use a hand torch to heat up the surrounding metal (heat expands metal, so heating the bolt makes it worse). Try immediately.

Final attempt: Weld a much larger nut onto the head of the rusted bolt. You put the weld inside the nut so you can use a larger socket/wrench. (caution, risk of bold head breaking off, which isn't a big deal since..)

If final attempt fails: Drill and re-tap time. This part usually sucks, a lot, because, for exhaust bolts specifically, the bolts are hardened steel and you may go through an entire drill bit getting a deep enough hole to re-tap it.

If someone else has had better luck with a different approach, I'm all ears (eyes?), too. Rusted bolts are evil.

 

[chiefalen]

Re: rusted on exhaust bolts

Lowkee gave it to you straight. PB blaster. Over and over again.

Now don't get angry with me but in the airforce we used pepsi-cola.

I know, i know, sounds crazy. But on real bad rusted stuff we poured it on, waited and then poured somemore gave it a chance to work maybe a hour or 2.

Heating everything around the bolt won't hurt and will help break it free.

Not the bolt the surronding metal.

Woody my main man woody, this is the way with old chit, and used near saltwater.

Good luck and may the force be with you.

 

[not2high2fly]

Re: rusted on exhaust bolts

I agree PB BLASTER is great stuff, just give it a while. Also try to tighten the bolt first it might break it free and won't screw up the bolt head for removing. good luck

 

[chiefalen]

Re: rusted on exhaust bolts

Good news even if the manifolds and risers are bad.

http://www.amarket.com/maniomcs.htm

I found a place for you the absolutely lowest price i seen for the whole shebang, 2 manifolds, 2 risers and all the gaskets in one box. 400 american dollars ain't you lucky.

 

[woody82270]

Re: rusted on exhaust bolts

Thats why i was in the marine corps. we would've just gnawed the damn things off. Thanks chief, as always u da man.

 

[JustJason]

Re: rusted on exhaust bolts

I'm assuming your talking about the bolts that go through the manifold and into the head. PB blaster isn't going to do much because the threads start 6-8 inches below the bolt head. If your pulling the manifolds i'm assuming here they are bad. Your best bet is to get out the ones you can then use a sharp cold chisel to knock the heads off the bolts that are roudned off.

 

[legoman67]

Re: rusted on exhaust bolts

say goodbye to dealing with stripped rusted bolts
http://www.irwin.com/irwin/consumer...X414YCQIUB2CGWQKBCQGIJCK?catId=IrwinCat100511

the best 40$ i have ever spent on a tool

 

[WizeOne]

Re: rusted on exhaust bolts

OMC 260, with osco risers. bolts rusted on. tried breaker bar, stripped head on one. any tips? Chiefalen, gimme your wisdom.

Are they studs with nuts or are they bolts thru the risor flange? If they are bolts it's pretty tough to get any penetrant to the threads. Also if they are bolts you should be able to get heat on the areas of the mani where the thread reside. Heat it and cool it numerous times and as said before, always try to tighten them before you try to back them out.

If push came to shove, you could grind or cut the bolt heads off, remove the risor, then work on the exposed stud.

 

[Johnshan1]

Re: rusted on exhaust bolts

The problem isnt with the threads- its with the fact that the manifold bolts got rusty, expanded in the manifold due to rust, and now they are frozen/welded to the manifold.

I cut the bolt heads off, then used a prybar and a wedge between the head and the block to pound the hell out of it all to get it working side to side, eventually you will get it off.

I had to cut one of my manifolds off.

Either way, after that horror show you can use a pipe wrence to extract the bolts that are now studs.

I used grade 8 as a replacement and turned them once a year to make sure they stayed free from then on.

 

[woody82270]

Re: rusted on exhaust bolts

Okay tried everything suggested. NO DICE!!!! Irwin bolt extracter, pb, blow torch, cant weld nut to bolt, no room, and cant cut off heads for same reason, and yes, tried pepsi, and coke, but not rc!!!! what do you guys think of oxy/ace, and burning them off? Now, all the heads are round!!!!!!

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: rusted on exhaust bolts

pull the motor then you can work on them.

 

[s1120]

Re: rusted on exhaust bolts

From years of working on old cars, and tractors, I have found a system that realy seems to work. First get a torch [I use map gas, hotter then propane] and heat it up as hot as you can. being it is a manafold, and the bolt is rusted to the hole, I would mostly heat the manafold, but the bolt also. OK, so now when its as hot as you can get it,[probably not cherry red hot, but the best you can do with what you have] hit it with the PBlaster. Its going to smoke, and sizzle, but keep spraying it on there. OK, now the tough part...


Walk away from it.... Let it cool down a little. then go back, and repete the process. Heat, spray, cool. Do that 3-4 times, and I bet it comes off.

As for the bolt head. Make sure you are using some good, six point sockets. SOme of the companys make a "flank drive" socket, that bears on the flats of the bolt/nut, and they will hold better then the ones that grab the points. Maybe you can hammer a metric socket on if its partway rounded also.

Good luck!!!

 

[chiefalen]

Re: rusted on exhaust bolts

You cant get a angle grinder on the head? Use a metal cutter wheel. Slice the head of the bolt off ?

What motor is this the one in the boat, or the one your trying to rebuild that we spoke about on the phone that was at your house ?

 

[Bondo]

Re: rusted on exhaust bolts

Ayuh,...

Luckily,.. Manifolds are relatively Thin castings....

When All else Fails,....
Grab the BFH,+ Beat them into Pieces....

 

[JustJason]

Re: rusted on exhaust bolts

You can always grab the next size smaller socket and try pounding that on the rounded head.
I'm suprised to hear you say the cold chisel didn't work.

 

[v1_0]

Re: rusted on exhaust bolts

Okay tried everything suggested. NO DICE!!!! Irwin bolt extracter, pb, blow torch, cant weld nut to bolt, no room, and cant cut off heads for same reason, and yes, tried pepsi, and coke, but not rc!!!! what do you guys think of oxy/ace, and burning them off? Now, all the heads are round!!!!!!

I've used the following: http://www.bt-andf.com/index.php with luck.

The other thing, after you heat the surrounding metal use an icecube on the bolt itself to try to shrink it. Must be careful, though - don't want to play with the temper too much.

 

[Johnshan1]

Re: rusted on exhaust bolts

I had a Shamrock boat with an inboard, no room at all, but I still was able to manage to get the dremel tool on the heads to cut them off.

Once those are off, start with the wedge and to to get the ends moving free, back and forth. It sucks, but its do able, worst case, cut the manifolds off with a cast iron saws-all blade found at home depot or lowes. Then use a pipe wrench to extract the studs.

 

[Johnshan1]

Re: rusted on exhaust bolts

And you are talking about the manifold bolts right?

Your top post says risers, the title says exhaust- if they are the risers, it cant get any easier. Cut the heads off with a dremel tool.

 

[v1_0]

Re: rusted on exhaust bolts

I've used the following: http://www.bt-andf.com/index.php with luck.

The other thing, after you heat the surrounding metal use an icecube on the bolt itself to try to shrink it. Must be careful, though - don't want to play with the temper too much.

I went by the autoparts store today, and right next to the PB blaster I saw another product - it says it 'freezes' the bolt/screw/nut and this causes the rust to break. It also has some penetrating oil that seeps into the rust cracks and frees the bolt... Looks interesting.