Frozen head bolt / engine reconditioning

Have you tried an air impact gun with 6 point impact socket. Hard to believe that wouldnt do the trick with a quality gun and lots of air pressure.

this is the culprit.
twisted an "Allen" brand hex key like a pretzel with a 30" breaker bar.
Thinking if we nip the head off the bolt with the torch and get the cylinder head off we could get penetrating fluid to the threads in the block and get the remains to unscrew.

Unfortunately someone used an incorrect bolt to fasten the heads to the block.

Take a blunt object a solid bar the same or larger size than the head of the fastener. Give it a few whacks with a BFH.

Try attaching a vice grip as hard as you can to the head. Have one person rotate the vice grip while the other rotates the allen tool. It helps to try to rotate first tightening a bit then counter clockwise.

Hope this helps

These tools and a single jack

George, Does the tool on the left rotate when you whack it with a hammer? If so that should work...LOL

Yes, it rotates when you whack it. Very little but enough to break loose a frozen bolt or screw. You don't need it very often but when you do nothing works as well.
I've had one for years.

Doug M

What is that called and where would i get one?

quote:

Originally posted by tajon:
What is that called and where would i get one?

Manual Impact Driver.

here is an example
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPjsBF98n7I

Manual Impact Driver.

Try Amazon, or any reputable tool store. I would guess you want a 1/2" Drive unit.

If the impact driver doesn't work, take a sharp drill bit and drill the head off of the bolt and slip the head over what's left. It should be easy to remove without damaging the threads in the block after that.

Ron

Thanks for all the suggestions We will keep you updated

And one more suggestion...

Weld a nut onto the top of that thing, then put your impact wrench onto it. Start at a lower pressure impact setting and let the wrench hammer for a while. I find the steady vibration at lower pressure often does the trick on a frozen bolt better than putting my impact gun on the highest torque setting.

...This is what I would try, not everyone is going to have this equipment at their disposal:

1. With a Hand-Held Sledge Hammer...say 4 Pounds, hammer on the Head of the Bolt 'Down' in an Action as you would to 'drive a Nail into wood'. This can loosen the threads, or even Snap the Head Off. THEN try the Impact Wrench.
You can hit the bolt head 'Side-ways', but you take the chance of hitting and damaging the Head.
'Shock' is a 'Tool' Often used in the Machine Shop.

2. If you have access to a Acetylene Torch, Heat the Head of the Bolt Up, RED HOT! and let it air cool down, this will loosen the threads up. I would NOT try to Melt the Head off using a 'Cutting Torch', you'll Damage the Head!
And be advised that when the Bolt Head is Heated Up to Red Hot, and cooled, you have annealed (softened) the Hex in the Head, making it subject to being 'Stripped' when next using the Impact with a 'Allen' Socket. BUT, annealing makes the Steel Easier to Drill.

...a 'Sharp HSS Drill'(High Speed Steel) will Not cut a Grade 10 Allen Head Bolt! The 'Core' of the Bolt is Harder than HSS! It will take a Carbide Drill(very expensive). And Not By-Hand!, you will not be able to put enough force behind it! And Not with the Engine in the Vehicle! You'll need to mount the Engine Block on a Mill Table, and use a Carbide End-Mill to cut it, with Enough Down-Force.

Good-Luck with It!

P.S. I once 'tore' a Frozen 3/4" Grade 10 Allen Bolt, 8 Inches Long, In Half, using a 1" Drive 800 Lb/Ft Impact Wrench, after 'Hammering' On It (with the Impact Wrench), Continuously for Nearly an Hour! We Did NOT Heat the Bolt before-hand. I believe we Did Hammer on it, before using the Impact Wrench.

...3 One other method:
This is Risky and Dangerous!! A Last 'Desperate' Resort, used Only when All Else Fails!!

Again with the Acetylene Torch...Heat the Head up, evenly to RED HOT. Stand Back and Poor a 'Bucket' of cold water over the Bolt. Expect a Steam 'Explosion'! This 'Should' Crack the Head, making it easy to Snap the Bolt Head Off using that Sledge Hammer. This can Risk Cracking the Head, Itself!

I don't know what your head is made of (cast iron?), but as a last resort you can use oxy/acetylene to "blow out" the bolt in cast iron. I've done this successfully with a stubborn broken water pump bolt that couldn't be removed with an easy out.

you twisted an L shaped allen tool? i'd try a quality socket style hex tool as in George's pic with a 1/2" breaker bar. worst case it won't turn just grind the head off down into the washer, no drills or torches needed with such easy access. then the remaining bolt can be heated near the block and removed with vice grips ...

but like i said that's worst case, i'll be surprised if a quality hex bit socket doesn't turn it right out. a couple good smacks and applying heat to the bolt head can only help

quote:

Originally posted by JTpantera:
Have you tried an air impact gun with 6 point impact socket. Hard to believe that wouldnt do the trick with a quality gun and lots of air pressure.

exactly! get a proper "impact" hex socket short version and a quality Air impact gun and that problem is solved in a second.

Sorry we weren't clear before.
We were using a 1/2" drive Allen brand hex key socket with the 30" breaker bar, not an "L" shaped key. We also gave a Snap-On 1/2" impact wrench with 150 PSI air its opportunity too. Nothing.
We return to the project Friday.
We're going to cut off the twisted bit of the hex key to leave just what we need to engage the socket in the bolt head and try the Snap-On impact again. Or a bigger one. I have a 1" drive electric version I can adapt down.
If that doesn't work, I think we'll be cutting the head off the bolt. Probably use a cut off blade in a small angle grinder.
Easy access with the engine out on a stand.

i just asked if it was an L key because they might not have used great tool steel for someting only intended to be used by hand. i'd gently warm the block in the area where the bolt is sunk with a propane torch, again very gently maybe several times to let the heat soak in before going at it again. absolutely no where near hot enough to harm anything just like normal operating temp

a little heat can be good