Stuck Stud

The exhuast manifold stud on the front end of the engine is stripped and is stuck in the head. I tried soaking it with PB Blaster, vise-grips, welding a nut on the end (the welder wasn't the greatest but it was the only one availble and the nut wouldn't stay on), cutting a notch in the end to put a screw driver in and all to no avail.

I really want to have the jeep up and running again for Monday but I'm stuck. Anybody got any ideas? Please?

 

An effective method that I have found is to shock a stud, (or brake bleeder, or flare nut) loose. heat the problematic threaded piece red hot with a torch. Keep the heat in the fastener as much as possible, without getting too much heat in to the surronding casting. Once you get it good and hot, dump cold water on the red hot fastener. The sudden shrinking kind of blows the bonding rust loose from between the threads and will allow you to loosen the fastener. Sometimes, it takes a couple of repetitions of the procedure to get the fastener out. Just be extra sure that you don't get any more heat in to the surrounding area than needed.

 

You know the PN for that or a name for it?

 

Thar's a stud remover/installer, but, if it's really rusted in all it may do is break it off for you. I had a similar problem with a F134 manifold bolt. When push comes to shove and you've exhausted all the other remedies, here's what you do. By this time it's either out or broken off. You'll probably be better off if it is broken, as shorter for this technique is better. Center punch the center of the bolt (as close to exactly center as possible), start with a small drill bit and drill out the center of the stud. Use progressively larger bits until you are getting near the threads. Use the proper size EZ out. If done properly about all you'll get out are some threads. Be patient and don't drill into the threads.

 

Ah, memories of steel in my face as I drilled out my 232 stud. it was worth switching to headers.
Not to start a controversy, but once past the WD-40 stage, wouldn't it make more sense to heat the cast area around the stud, as it expands at a greater rate than hardened steel? How about a freezing agent on the stud to contract it?
I put my bearing races in the freezer for a cpl. hours before installing them.

gj

 

I've personally never been a huge fan of putting any more heat in to the cast than I absolutely needed to. I've always had good success heating the fastener. I believe that the expansion followed by the rapid contraction destroys the corrosive bond between the stud and the casting.

 

I concur with keeping limited heat on cast. I would also try to protect the cast when quenching the stud w/cold water using a funnel or other set up that would primarily direct the water at the stud. This may be where an electronics freeze spray or any compressed gas that comes out cold (nitrogen, etc.) may come in handy.
Another trick may be to try to turn the stud inwards a hair before backing it out.
This may help to break the baked in corrosion.

gj

 

Craftsman Stud Extracter worked like a charm, no elbow grease needed!

Thanks for all the advice! Unless another detail gets in the way my CJ should be doing its first offroading (at least with me as owner) on Monday!! Course it still has tiny tires (235/75R15), no body mounts left to speak of, strange steering and who know what else will pop up on Monday but dammit it'll be fun.

 

Good advice, I make it a habbit to do this on most all fastener.

 

Watch out for loose body mounts, My original '74 body was so loose that I had to make sure that i was in the right gear hill climbing because I'd lose my clutch linkage (from body shift) 1/2 way up & I had my clutch Z-bar re-assembly kit ready when I got to the top.

gj