WTF...my weekend sucked - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

SuperSweet · 05-27-2009, 11:19 PM

So I got my longtubes/true duals today after waiting 2 weeks for them and go to put them in tonight. As I'm taking them out I notice that one of the bolts is broken off. No big deal, just grabbed some vice-grips and took it out (painfully). As I'm installing the longtubes the rear header bolt on the left head goes SNAP! right before it makes contact with the flange. No, it wasnt cross threaded or anything. Guess thats why the original bolt was broken though. Looks like the motor will be coming out on saturday. ughhhhhh had to vent

LTb1ow · 05-27-2009, 11:22 PM

Pull the head?

SuperSweet · 05-27-2009, 11:24 PM

not sure why the topic is labeled my weekend sucked either lol. it would just be easier to drop the motor out and drill the bolt out then re-tap

NJ346 · 05-27-2009, 11:29 PM

is it the last bolt? When I put my headers on I noticed that the last bolt on the drivers side was broken off in the head. I think it may have rusted over the years. Just tighten down all of the others and build up the gasket at the end with some copper rtv(high temp stuff) and you'll be fine. No need to pull the motor if it'll still work.

SuperSweet · 05-27-2009, 11:54 PM

there is no way I could do that and live with myself lol. Just couldnt do it.

mtg6486 · 05-28-2009, 12:13 AM

thats nuts just pull the head n save yourself a lot of trouble

SuperSweet · 05-28-2009, 12:19 AM

its not nuts...to pull the head i would have to remove intake/valve covers/head..and risk the gaskets. It would only take me about 4 hours to take the motor out from the bottom and can keep the headers in while extracting the bolt. I would be looking at more time and possibly more money to just take the head off.

KirkEvil · 05-28-2009, 12:47 AM

less time to pull the head but more money for gaskets, bolts, fluids. Instead of drilling out the head and retapping, why dont you drill out the flange on the headers.

Triple-A · 05-28-2009, 01:15 AM

I usually clean threads from rust/dirt/locktight.
If you know what your doing... it's def better to drop the engine. If you pull the head off it's gonna be at least intake and head gaskets.
Good Luck!

SuperSweet · 05-28-2009, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KirkEvil

less time to pull the head but more money for gaskets, bolts, fluids. Instead of drilling out the head and retapping, why dont you drill out the flange on the headers.

Because the bolt is inside the head not a flange

Quote:

Originally Posted by Triple-A

I usually clean threads from rust/dirt/locktight.
If you know what your doing... it's def better to drop the engine. If you pull the head off it's gonna be at least intake and head gaskets.
Good Luck!

I did clean all threads. And thats why I'm pulling the motor

sweetbmxrider · 05-28-2009, 08:47 AM

thats rough. you can't remove the broken bolt and retap the threads with the motor still in?

edit - probably ac in the way....

JL8Jeff · 05-28-2009, 10:52 AM

That was my biggest fear when I did the headers. Those bolts had some type of loctite on them from the factory. Add to that the natural reaction of 2 disimilar metals and it's a crapshoot if it will come loose.

Triple-A · 05-28-2009, 12:30 PM

PM me if you need help. I'm down to give you a hand.

enRo · 05-28-2009, 02:31 PM

Now you can join the "I snapped my header bolt off" club. That makes 2 of us

SuperSweet · 05-28-2009, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetbmxrider

thats rough. you can't remove the broken bolt and retap the threads with the motor still in?

edit - probably ac in the way....

Its the bolt on the rear of the drivers head. A/C isn't in the way but its a very tight space. Plus the bolt is almost broken off flush against the head leaving me no room to grab it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JL8Jeff

That was my biggest fear when I did the headers. Those bolts had some type of loctite on them from the factory. Add to that the natural reaction of 2 disimilar metals and it's a crapshoot if it will come loose.

Does anyone have the phone # to GM head of engineering for 2002?

Quote:

Originally Posted by enRo

Now you can join the "I snapped my header bolt off" club. That makes 2 of us

Always excited to be in a new club lol.

After looking at it today I've devised a new plan that will hopefully work the fastest since I'm occupying a space at my shop. I'm going to remove the header again, unbolt the left motor mount, jack it up a little bit and hope that I can fit a 90* angle drill with a starter bit(much smaller in length). Then try to use my bolt extracters to persuade it out. I'll be doing this tomorrow night so I will post up on how it goes.

SuperSweet · 05-29-2009, 11:27 PM

Fixed...but cant mount the muffler hangers anywhere for the TD's now

Edit: SOUNDS F-ING SWEET

05-30-2009, 09:06 AM

You have to drill in behind the back seats and throw a bolt in it