[latenight2736]

So i guess this belongs in troubleshooting... but anyway.

I am replacing headgaskets on my motor and it's out of the car and on a stand so it's not super difficult. with the valve cover off and beginning to loosen the cylinder head bolts in the correct order i get the first two no problem. Although I was using a 3/8" breaker bar it seemed easy enough and I didn't have a 14mm 12-point socket with a 1/2" drive to use. I get to the third bolt in the sequence and it doesn't budge. I quickly realize that i now really do need the 1/2" drive socket so i go and buy one. And then... it is stripping and I am really scared to keep trying because it could get worse.

Any advice on how to loosen this at least partially stripping cylinder head bolt??

 

[latenight2736]

should I drill it out?

 

[ZeroPunk]

Ouch! I just took mine out last week and I was fortunate enough to not strip any. I'm not sure what you should do... maybe get a 13mm and hammer is onto the bolt then use a breaker bar to give it a quick jerk to get it loose. I would try again to use the 14mm 12-pt and maybe you can get it before it's stripped completely.

Goodluck!

 

[Storm]

When you turn it, it doesn't come out? That would be odd, unless it got crossthreaded really bad going in. You might have to sacrifice a socket and tack weld it to the bolt head so you can apply upward pressure as you loosen it.

They go into the block a ways, so helicoils are going to be a bitch to install. I would shop for a new shortblock.

 

[RallyDriver96]

You're stripping the head of the bolt, not the threads right? Spray the shit out of it with penetrating fluid and let it sit overnight (I don't think that'll hurt anything). Now being a Noob, why are you using a 12pt instead of a 6pt? Also, if you do strip the head, you can get some sockets for stripped bolt heads that kindof twist onto (or hammer onto) the bolt head and remove it pretty well.

Greg

 

[RoadRunner]

^ Head bolts are 12pt bolts..

 

[latenight2736]

yea, the threads are not stripping, it's just the head of the bolt rounding off. not a shortblock problem thank god.

and, yes the head bolts are 12-point in shape so a hex socket doesn't work.

I haven't taken the step of drilling the head off yet, so I'll spray it with something tonight and try again tomorrow morning after I go to the dealer to buy new bolts.

 

[Storm]

Okay...if the head is stripping, I'd pick up a new 12pt 14mm socket and try it. If it still strips, weld it to the bolt. Once it's out, you can grind the weld off to keep the socket if you want. Your old socket is probably worn anyway....so sacrifice that one.

Can't weld it? Try JB weld and let it sit overnight......just slather grease in the area around the base so the JB don't run out and glue the bolt to the head.

Last ditch, or maybe before all the welding/glueing, etc.... would be to use a stripped nut remover in that size. Those things work excellent on rounded nuts....it sould work just as well on the headbolt.

 

[latenight2736]

I bought a stripped nut remover and it still doesn't work. I can't for the life of me hammer the 14mm one on and the 15mm size is definitely too big. it might have something to do with it being 12-point, but it just doesnt work.

Guess I'll try the JB-weld because i can't weld myself.

 

[tnice17]

lmao JB weld wont work....

problem solved

 

[latenight2736]

that's what I got, 14mm is really hard to hammer on and 15mm is too big.

I'll just try some more...

 

[tnice17]

what about using american....(i think its called)

you know when everything is...... "x/x" in stead of "mm"

 

[latenight2736]

those "bolt-out" sockets are listed for both metric and standard measurements. For example the one I tried that should work is the #8 bolt-out, which is for 14mm and 9/16". They are approximates because a bolt can be rounded to different degrees.

 

[tnice17]

those "bolt-out" sockets are listed for both metric and standard measurements. For example the one I tried that should work is the #8 bolt-out, which is for 14mm and 9/16". They are approximates because a bolt can be rounded to different degrees.

gotcha.... is the motor in or out of the car?

 

[latenight2736]

it's out of the car, and the cams are out so the bolt is totally exposed.

 

[tnice17]

vise grips?

 

[latenight2736]

I'm going to just try super hard to get that bolt-out socket on. It doesn't matter if I grind the bolt down a little bit with the hammering, as long as the socket is all the way on and the teeth are grabbing it should do its job.

 

[DAV3_02]

put the 3/8" drive socket back on. then take a socket that slips over the end of the handle of the tool your using. i.e. 3/8" breaker bar and put a long extension in that socket so you have some more leverage so now you have:
3/8" breaker bar + socket + long extension = lotsa torque!

or you can slip a pipe (jack handle)over the end of the bar to add torque.

well unless the bolt is already destroyed.

i did a set of HG's today. in the car without removing the intake in about 6 hours. beat that. haha

 

[tnice17]

wow this is getting popular fast...lol. anyway if u find a socket that it a bit to small. hammer it on...lol.

keep us updated

too much to ask for pic....:run:

 

[latenight2736]

DAV3, bolt already destroyed. i have a 1/2" breaker bar and a three foot long jack handle that made quick work of the other head bolts. It was the twisting 3/8" socket that rounded the bolt and made it too late.