Broken Exhaust Manifold Bolt

[Bleepster]

2011 Silverado, 5.3L 1500 LT.  I noticed that the driver side FRONT exhaust bolt is broken off.  I can only stick a probe in the hole about 1/4".  I assume the head sheared off below the flange.  i know this is a common issue, but 99% of the time its the rear bolt.

Is there an easy fix?  they sell a bracket for the rear bolt breakage, but is there anything for the front?  or do I need to bite the bullet and pay a shop to get it out?

appreciate any input.

 

thanks

Edited October 1, 2021 by Bleepster

[shakenfake]

I would bite the bullet and get a shop to pull it out. No sense in just waiting around. I also suggested switching to ARP bolts

[Bleepster]

as i suspected.  i'll make some phone calls and also have a price on replacing all the bolts to ARP  thats a good suggestion.  thanks 

[shakenfake]

ARP bolts should only be about $30 for a set. You can do them yourself quite easily with no second pair of hands.

[Jworks]

Agree......let somebody get it  out thats use to that.  Broken bolt removal is not fun.

[Bleepster]

well - i was quoted $650 to replace all the bolts.  and if one breaks on them, take on another $65 per bolt that breaks.  then they told me that they would have to remove the head - and who knows what that will cost.

 

has to be a way to do this without head removal.

[shakenfake]

It is incredibly hard to do it without head removal. I suggest removing the head yourself and taking it to a shop. I got a total 4 bolts out of 2 different heads with disassembly and reassembly of the valves and valve springs, a cleaning and the head painted for a total of $220. Now for you it should only be like $60 if you take it to a machine shop. Mechanic is going to charge you more. 

 

You can remove the head yourself. It is pretty easy to do.

[CamGTP]

If you can feel the stud with your finger inside the exhaust flange, you should have plenty of meat there for a vise grips to grab it when the exhaust manifold is removed. I had two broken like that and I just used vise grips after I heated the surrounding area of the cylinder head with a propane torch.

 

If it's only got a little meat there to grab we just weld a nut to stud and try to remove it that way.