SOLVED: Bolt extractor head broke off - advice needed

[alvocado]

I'm having one of those days. I pulled my passenger exhaust manifold to address a leak due to a broken manifold bolt. As luck would have it, the bolt snapped below the head surface but was the forward most bolt with decent access. The oil dipstick tube is also rusted to the block but I can work around it to get a new gasket on assuming I get the bolt stud out.

I got a left handed drill bit on on the stud and drilled a solid, centered hole. The bit wasn't grabbing the bolt so I tried an extractor which bit immediately. I started turning the extractor with a wrench by hand and it was very tight. Then the extractor head snapped off in the bolt stud.

Now I have a chunk of extractor stuck in the bolt creating an uneven surface that's impossible to get a drill bit on it. I don't weld so tacking a bolt on unfortunately isn't an option.

Any ideas from those who've been down this road?

 

[rdezs]

The extractor is made from tool steel.... Forget about trying to drill it with any sense of accuracy. Accurately spot welding another bolt to the end of it is probably your only option. That will take one very steady hand, and someone with a lot of welding experience. (They'll pretty much be able to take a look at it and know exactly how many amps, etc)

How far ended the extractor go before it grabbed? If it grabbed it right away, I would first try a very small sharp pointed punch, and try to get it to turn and release.

 

[rdezs]

A quality tool shop will have a diamond bit for a die grinder, flat on the end. But even that will take some time, rotating clockwise.... And with the heat and vibration it might just rotate it enough to fall out. I have one I picked up for about $20 several years ago. Not sure what they run these days.

 

[alvocado]

The extractor is made from tool steel.... Forget about trying to drill it with any sense of accuracy. Accurately spot welding another bolt to the end of it is probably your only option. That will take one very steady hand, and someone with a lot of welding experience. (They'll pretty much be able to take a look at it and know exactly how many amps, etc)

How far ended the extractor go before it grabbed? If it grabbed it right away, I would first try a very small sharp pointed punch, and try to get it to turn and release.

The extractor bit immediately and I didn’t get one full revolution before it snapped. It was very hard to rotate.

Using a punch is a great idea. I’ll try that and attempt to reverse it out.

 

[alvocado]

No movement with a punch and the tool steel is so hard, it's tearing up the punch face. I'm concerned that the extractor bit may have started to bite the bolt sleeve lining which may have been why it was so hard to turn. If that's the case, I need to get the tip out cleanly from the broken bolt before taking another run at the bolt stud.

I think I'm looking at pulling the head to take to a shop where there's room to work it on a bench. Not what I was signing up for but that may be the most efficient route at this point.

 

[OR VietVet]

Make sure you chase all the other threaded holes in the head and clean gasket surface thoroughly. Get and install a Dorman exhaust clamp kit and use that and leave the broken piece in there. Or pull the head.

I looked and according to what I see, there is a Dorman clamp that works on left front or right rear but not on the right front.

 

[alvocado]

Make sure you chase all the other threaded holes in the head and clean gasket surface thoroughly. Get and install a Dorman exhaust clamp kit and use that and leave the broken piece in there. Or pull the head.

I'm not familiar with the Dorman exhaust clamp kit and just looked it up. This could be a solution, permanent or until I have a reason to pull the head for lifters, etc. It's definitely worth a try. Thanks for the tip!

 

[rdezs]

Yeah, they make a clamp for the right front as well. Sure beats pulling the head off.

 

[alvocado]

Looks like the front right is only for the 6.2l. I don't have any extra threaded holes on my right head near the front bolt so back to head removal.

 

[Fless]

The two bracket bolts attach to the front end of the head:

 

[OR VietVet]

The two bracket bolts attach to the front end of the head:

View attachment 455877

But, on the 5.3 head, can the bracket be installed like that?

 

[alvocado]

I don't believe so. The Dorman catalog notes the right front is only for the 6.2L. On my 5.3L head, there is a ground bolt on the front.

 

[OR VietVet]

I don't believe so. The Dorman catalog notes the right front is only for the 6.2L. On my 5.3L head, there is a ground bolt on the front.

You can still use it as a ground, with the bracket there. If the bolt thread configuration is the same, it might work, but you are gonna want 2 bolts to hold the bracket securely.

 

[Fless]

My Gen3 head has the bolt holes. Can you move the ground or simply put it on one of the bracket bolts?

 

[alvocado]

My head has the same two holes with a ground bolt in the upper hole. I'll try to track one down locally but I would think Dorman would spec it for both the 5.3 and 6.2 if it worked on both, unless the ground location is the reason.

 

[OR VietVet]

I

My head has the same two holes with a ground bolt in the upper hole. I'll try to track one down locally but I would think Dorman would spec it for both the 5.3 and 6.2 if it worked on both, unless the ground location is the reason.

View attachment 455881

I think if you get creative, it may work.

 

[Fless]

If the ground bolt/stud is long enough, use it for the bracket -- along with the other bolt below it -- and put your ground wire on the exposed stud.

 

[j91z28d1]

if you really wanted to drill it there's a fixture they sell that bolts in the other holes and centers the drill but. the do also sell bits meant to drill out broken taps and extractors. I don't remember the name thou.


the clamp is the way to go. I have a cheap Amazon one on the back drivers side of my cathedral port 6.0. I believe it's the same head as the 5 3. heads are the same both sides, back of the drivers is front of the passengers side. so it should just bolt on.

ground can be anywhere that is able to be clean and makes good connection to the block. no biggie.

 

[donjetman]

@alvocado
I have 3 of the bridge clamps on my exhaust manifolds for 6+ yrs and 70k miles.
https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/thr...-cold-berryman-b12.120184/page-2#post-1469315

 

[alvocado]

Success. The Dorman 917-107 clamp works like a charm. I relocated the grounds to an available hole to the right and the wires were long enough to reach with no modification. All the holes were M10x1.5 threads which matched the clamp kit bolts. The only reason I can assume this part is listed as not compatible with the 5.3L is the ground location but it's an easy solve.

Thanks to everyone who chimed in and particularly for the Dorman kit info. It saved me hours of work pulling the head.