Broke the exhaust stud then the extractor what now?

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BH27E7

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I was trying to remove the passenger side rear exhaust stud and i broke it off flush with the engine. I then drilled it out, inserted the extractor, turned a few times and it broke off inside the hole!!!!! WTF!!! Unbelievable!!!!!!

I tried to re-drill the hole but the piece of the tool that is in the hole is so hard i cant get the drill bit to bite into it.

Anyone have any ideas?? I am STUCK.


Any Suggestions would be appreciated.
 
Welcome to For A Bodies Only!

Man that sucks. You might have to remove the head and have a machinist do his magic of some sort. I wish I could be of more help but since you have a piece of super hardened metal broke off in the hole I can't think of any other way of getting it out. Do you have a extra head that you could swap out?
 
Thanks for the welcome Mullinax.

I was hoping for some better news than that but i think you may be right!
 
A guy in my shop did that last year on a 440 head. We drilled out the extractor for hours than used a heli coil to fix the threads. It's not easy or fast, but it can be done. Buy lots of drill bits and use the header/exhaust manifold as a guide to make sure your are centered and straight. GOOD LUCK
 
I've been there, and I can feel your pain! Here's a couple of things I have had some luck with. Try to weld a screw or something onto the extractor and use it as a handle to wiggle it out. A TIG torch is the way to go if you have access to one, but one of those "stud gun" dent pullers might work if you have room to swing it.

Try slotting the end of the extractor with a cutoff wheel in a Dremel tool and see if you can turn it out with a screwdriver. Or just slot all the way through it. Since it is outboard of the port, you shouldn't hit water. The manifold should cover the incision when you are done, but don't slot into the port or you will have an exhaust leak.

I have also used a oxy-acetylene welding torch to draw the temper out of the extractor/drill bit/tap so it can be drilled.
 
I would use a TIG too, but not everybody has one. I survived a good many years without.

Heck, a carbon-arc rod and a buzz-box makes for a redneck EDM setup. Not too precise, but you can burn a bolt out...
 
Well, the head's gonna have to come off. Take it to a machine shop and they'll have to either mill or drill it out with a carbide mill or drill and then probably helicoil it. Some old exhaust studs just won't come out easily.
 
Thanks for the ideas and well wishes.

Slotting the extractor with a dremel is a good idea and i will try that first. If the extractor piece comes out i will be happier.

Back in the garage with another project i didn't plan on. What a mess. I just can't believe the trouble this is going to cause me. What a BUMMER!!

Oh well another merit badge after this.
 
ez outs aint all theyre supposed to be! ive never had any luck with them, most have broke.
i would pull the head, heat that area then spray some lube oil on it. ive had good luck doing that. the heat expands the metal letting the oil in. cutting a slot or welding a bolt on the extractor sounds like a good start.
 
unless you have any of the skills mentioned here, i`d advise you to pull the head and have it done in a shop. you could end up with more trouble then started with. secondly, how many miles are on the motor? maybe take them borh off and have them freshened up while it`s apart. just a thought.
 
I did the same thing on my last engine, this is what I did.

After I broke the EZ-out, I ended up cutting a slot in it so I could use a screwdriver on it. But before I did, I heated the area around it with a torch, then sprayed it with an inverted can of compressed air to freeze the EZ-out. I then used a large flat blade screwdriver to remove the EZ-out. It actually came out easily, just remeber to twist in reverse. I then drilled out what was left of the bolt 1 size oversize and re-tapped it for a bigger bolt.
 
I to fall into this catagory to!

What I did was pull the head off and took it in and we had to drill it over size and now I have a oversize stud in the haed and the right size on the manifold side.

To top it off it was the last stud on the drivers side into the water jacket but no leaks at all and this was done at least 7 years ago.
 
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