Technical Broken head bolt

Working on my girls 53 plymouth ended up with a broken head bolt closest to the firewall any suggestions on pulling it I tried welding a nut to it but it just snaps off. There' barely enough to grab with vise grips if I try to drill it I'll have to pull the motor due to the fireall

 

Right angle drill?
Weld another nut on it. Crank up the heat.

 

broke it taking it off, or torquing it on?

 

I'm thinking it was torque on her brother pulled the head thinking he went the wrong way cause I pulled the rest and they came off no problem

 

i asked because if it broke coming off it is rusted in, if it broke trying to tighten it, it is not stuck, you just need to get it to spin. try tapping it around with a very fine punch. i have been able to get bolts out that way.

 

I beat on it for a bit. Those plymouths don' have much room lol no luck I had to call it quits my girl was getting mad cause I said I wanted to crush her car lol I offered her my 51 instead

 

If you have room enough for a Dremel tool you may try cutting a slot in it with a cut-off wheel, then remove it with a large flat blade screwdriver...one with a square shaft you can put an adjustable wrench on if you need extra torque.

Sent from my SM-S320VL using Tapatalk... Gary from Virginia

 

Pre heat the bolt before you weld the nut on.
Let it cool repeat the heat and let cool 5 times then try and turn it out.

 

Acetylene torch. Put some sort of shield between the head and the firewall so you don't set the car on fire, get that bolt red hot, let it cool, walk it out.

 

Fire up the torch or welder and hand it to her brother. Get a beer and an easy chair and let the show begin.

 

Cut the nut in half. You will get better penetration with your TIG..

 

I weld a washer on first so I can tie it in, then weld the nut onto the washer.

 

Put a flat washer that fits tightly around the broken off bolt before you weld the nut on; it helps to protect the deck surface. Then, weld the nut on getting better penetration. Then, apply several heat and cool cycles, squirt some penetrant under the washer, loosen/tighten a few times, and pray! Good luck. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ What he said.

 

^^^^Yep!

 

Try melting wax into the threads too. I have found that wax will be drawn down into it when heated better than oil products.

 

Round 3 I cut a spot to tap on with screwdriver but the metal just ripped next step the washer method that was mentioned up above

 

Is the head still on the engine or have you got it off? It doesn't say in the thread. I assume it has been removed, but I thought we'd better be sure.

 

It' a flathead motor heads off bolts broke off in the block

 

I thought sure it was coming out but after 2 slow turns welds broke

 

If you wind up having to drill it out reinstall the head with a half dozen bolts. then using a drill bit that had a outer diameter that fits snug in the head use that bit to exactly center the start of the drilling.. then using preferably left hand bits drill a small hole first. the keep getting larger. lots of times when you get the bolt thin the left hand bits will back it out.

 

I just didn' want to have to pull the motor but due to the closeness of the motor to the firewall guess I'm screwed

 

Could make her brother pull it, you get the broken off bolt out then he re-install it. Every bolt he puts anything on make him repeat; RIGHTY TIGHTY, LEFTY LOOSEY, while you sit back and drink your favorite refreshment. After all he broke it.

 

I would use a washer and nut with no rust. maybe even ground to new metal. you need a good strong weld with no contamination. Tie the weld in with the washer then the nut get a good solid weld. If you are using a mig remember it starts out cold. So start on the washer and move to the stud and make a hot circular weld on it then the nut. Sometimes it takes numerous try's. But I have always had this work for me. Candle wax or penetrate oil helps while it is still hot.

 

The first weld always broke for me. Try again and get it really hot. You won't hurt the block and it anneals the stud. Don't try to get it out in one continuous turn. If if it turns some, work it back and forth and also heat it some and melt in some wax. The wax is really a miracle.

 

Wow. Finally one for me ! You'll have to soak that b#tch with atf/acetone or Kroil for a few weeks.

Mine was broken deeper, so I got lucky. I got some 303 rod in 7/16" and sectioned it 3 times. Had to find a HAMB'r .... Don from Don's Race Fab ... with a lathe .... to drill the lengths in 4 stepped sizes from small to just under the rod size. Why ?

Drill guides !! That's why.

I purposely planned to be lazy ... and keep my heads on the engine. Why waste a gasket set ?

I used some 5 inch aircraft LEFT handed drill bits, and attacked. Came out on the last drilled guide.

I'll attach some pictures, for the HAMB'r that finds this post on a deep broken head bolt.

You don't need to do what I did, or maybe you could. Just need something to center the bit, and drill into the center of the broken bolt. More so .... a sh#t ton of soaking solvents. It wouldn't have backed out without that.

Don't forget a magnet, and drain your antifreeze .... from the cooling system. It will rise thru the bolt hole, and go right .... into the oil pan, otherwise.

Good luck.

EDIT : 7" LEFT HANDED DRILL BITS !! Went to re-measure because of your firewall issue. 7 inch drill bits and an angle drill help you hit that ? ( may get a screwy answer to that ) < ba dum bum bum !! >

 

Be careful with the righty-lefty advice! Don't Mopars of that vintage have left-hand threads on the wheel lugs on one side of the car?

 

Bought easy out used oil and on blast wore out 2 bits and broke one and it still hasn' drilled through it yet smh

 

EASY OUT? DO NOT use an Easy Out; if you break the Easy Out off, then you're really stuck, and a lot of guys break them. Find a big open field, and throw that Easy Out as far out into the field as you possibly can, unless it can be returned. You may have to buy some expensive, quality, bits, and go with consecutive sizes; preferably left hand twist like our fellow HAMBER above demonstrated. AGAIN, NO EASY OUT !!! See if an automotive machine shop will do a house call, and make the brother pay for it. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.