Oh No!

harescrambler · December 5, 2005

CRAP! I was installing my fance new stainless headers from Dynotech when the whole reason I was installing them in the first place became very clear. On the fourth cyl in the drivers side "yeah the nasty one that's hard as hell to get to" has the bolt broken off. Well the whole reason I'm doing this is I had an exhaust leak back there but thought I'd just install headers since I wanted headers anyway. Well I've installed the headers but couldn't get the last bolt in. So I put high temp

RTV around the rear port and torqued down the header. Here's my question, hopefully I can get this to work until next summer when I can get to it. But HOW! There's not enough room to get a 90 deg drill in there to drill it out and get an easy out. How am I going to get that bolt out of there?? HELP!

bronyaur · December 5, 2005

I had a bolt broken in the same place on my '95 Suburban 5.7. I found it when looking for an exhaust leak (sound familiar?). I used a right-angle drill (airtool) to drill it, a left-hand drill bit that was about two inches long, and an easy-out. Luckily, it came right out. I had plenty of room to work. I'm not familiar with the amount of room you have to work with on your particular truck, but I know you don't need much if you have the right tools.

If there truly isn't enough room to use even the right tools, you'll have to pull the head.

Good luck.

harescrambler · December 5, 2005

I had a bolt broken in the same place on my '95 Suburban 5.7. I found it when looking for an exhaust leak (sound familiar?). I used a right-angle drill (airtool) to drill it, a left-hand drill bit that was about two inches long, and an easy-out. Luckily, it came right out. I had plenty of room to work. I'm not familiar with the amount of room you have to work with on your particular truck, but I know you don't need much if you have the right tools.

If there truly isn't enough room to use even the right tools, you'll have to pull the head.

Good luck.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah there's about 4 inches or so of clearance. I don't have a right angle drill right now but I am looking now. We'll see if I can get one in there or not. So far it's not leaking but I think it's just a matter of time.

chris_kucia · December 5, 2005

I had a bolt broken in the same place on my '95 Suburban 5.7. I found it when looking for an exhaust leak (sound familiar?). I used a right-angle drill (airtool) to drill it, a left-hand drill bit that was about two inches long, and an easy-out. Luckily, it came right out. I had plenty of room to work. I'm not familiar with the amount of room you have to work with on your particular truck, but I know you don't need much if you have the right tools.

If there truly isn't enough room to use even the right tools, you'll have to pull the head.

Good luck.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah there's about 4 inches or so of clearance. I don't have a right angle drill right now but I am looking now. We'll see if I can get one in there or not. So far it's not leaking but I think it's just a matter of time.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is just my humble opinion, but I've found from experience that if you don't have room to work, or more importantly, room to see, you can really make a mess of that bolt and threaded hole.

I know its a lot of work, but if you pull the head, you can do a decent job and do it right the first time. Its not going to take that much longer, and other than the new head and intake gaskets, you won't be out that much more $$.

If you mess it up, you'll be in for a lot more work than it would take to just pull the head. I've done it both ways, and I'd rather do it right the first time.

Sure, if I've got a good line of sight and can get the tools in, I'll do it with the head on the block, but if I don't have either, it just isn't worth messing it up. If I did it regularly, I'd probably risk it, but I do something like this once every 2-5 years. I don't need to make more aggravation for myself out of an already aggravating problem.

Just my opinion. Worth what ya paid for it...

toydeluxe · December 5, 2005

You might even consider unbolting the motor mounts, and jacking the engine up, and over a little. I've done it several times on other vehicles...........in fact, that's what you should have done when installing your headers........it goes from impossible, to easy as cake. It may give you just the right amount of clearance for a drill, without the headache of pulling heads, and replacing the intake and head gaskets. You'll easily rack up a couple hundred in gaskets, there.

MAXX_EXC · December 5, 2005

CRAP! I was installing my fance new stainless headers from Dynotech when the whole reason I was installing them in the first place became very clear. On the fourth cyl in the drivers side "yeah the nasty one that's hard as hell to get to" has the bolt broken off. Well the whole reason I'm doing this is I had an exhaust leak back there but thought I'd just install headers since I wanted headers anyway. Well I've installed the headers but couldn't get the last bolt in. So I put high temp
RTV around the rear port and torqued down the header. Here's my question, hopefully I can get this to work until next summer when I can get to it. But HOW! There's not enough room to get a 90 deg drill in there to drill it out and get an easy out. How am I going to get that bolt out of there?? HELP!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If all you need is line-of-sight space then grab a helper or clamp (you can't hold a drill and a mirror at the same time) and a good mechanics mirror. Mirrors have surprised me many times with their versatility.

harescrambler · December 6, 2005

You might even consider unbolting the motor mounts, and jacking the engine up, and over a little. I've done it several times on other vehicles...........in fact, that's what you should have done when installing your headers........it goes from impossible, to easy as cake. It may give you just the right amount of clearance for a drill, without the headache of pulling heads, and replacing the intake and head gaskets. You'll easily rack up a couple hundred in gaskets, there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The headers slipped right in without moving the engine at all. The only thing on the drivers side that needed to move was the front driveshaft. I unbolted that and the header slipped right in. The passenger side was a differeent story, the oil fill dip stick was rusted into the block and I had to crush that to remove it but I was able to massage it to get it open again. Hell, I even got it to look round again! So far the high temp RTV I used is holding so no leaks. When it does "which I hope is closer to next summer" I will address it again then.

willieboy · December 7, 2005

If you cranked down the other bolts to much, you really run the risk of:

1. Cracking the new header

2. Warping the new header

3. Possibly damaging the head

If it were me, and I liked the truck, and I did not want to replace the headers, I would be looking to get this fixed now, and pull the head to do it.