Dealing With Broken Manifold Studs

[Keith Browning]

I finally had the opportunity to use my Beydler Drill Guide. This was an exceptionally corroded truck - a 2012 F550 with a 6.8L V10 engine with 8700 miles on the odometer. It's a municipal truck that apparently is used for snow removal here in Northern New Jersey where the use of brine solution for ice control on many of the roadways is becoming more common. Apparently this stuff is more corrosive than rock salt in my opinion as I have never seen corrosion this bad, this quickly and on so many vehicles. The corrosion is actually eating away at the metal around the exhaust studs after they break...

 

 

 

 

A close-up of the drill guide template installed over the broken stud.

 

 

 

Another close-up with the drill guide now installed onto the template.

 

 

 

 

The Beydler template installed on the cylinder head and ready to attack!

 

 

 

 

Drilling perpendicular and on center as advertised using a Beydler supplied drill bit at slow speed and using lubrication to prevent damaging the drill bit.

 

 

 

 

The result is a straight hole down the center. At this point an attempt to remove the broken stud with an extractor was made but unsuccessfully. No problem This was followed up from here with a larger drill bit and a thread tap in an attempt to preserve the original threads but this too was unsuccessful due to corrosion. The hole was then drilled to the final size necessary to prepare for a thread insert.

 

 

 

 

Cutting new threads in the cylinder head. This is a special tap that cuts threads to accept a thread insert.

 

 

 

 

Installing the thread insert effectively restoring the stud bore with the original thread size and pitch.

 

 

 

 

The final result was excellent! The broken fastener was confidently removed with no additional damage to the cylinder head caused by drilling off-center.

 

 

 

 

End game. All of the broken fasteners removed and new studs installed awaiting new manifold, gaskets and nuts.

 

 

 

And for those of you wondering how there appears to be so much space between the cylinder head and the frame/shock tower, the secret is to unbolt the engine mount from the cross member, jack the engine up and place a piece of 2X4 between the cross member and the engine mount and remove the jack. This effectively raises the engine up and away from the frame allowing very easy access to the lower fasteners and provides a couple extra inches to get in there with a right angle drill and work. Do this one side at a time.

[Jeff Clyde]

very nice !!

[forddieseldoctor]

As much as I love the idea behind those I wonder if the welder trick would have worked on that one or if I'd have been drilling too.

[Keith Browning]

On THIS truck I suspect not. The reason being that most of the time I only need to drill a pilot hole and broken studs usually come right out. Not this one.

[8WA Sman]

Looks like the Ford approved plastic scraper did an amazing job of cleaning up that cylinder head

 

Do you always use anti-seize on those stainless studs or is that not what I am seeing?

[Bruce Amacker]

Nice job, well done!  A student recently showed me how he does it with a Mig- put a washer over the stub, puddle it into the stud/bolt, and then weld a nut onto the washer to extract it.  He did four while I was teaching a class on a 5.4.  He showed the the removed stubs, it took 10 minutes per stud. 

 

[Matt Saunoras]

If I have one stud I need to extract for someone it takes longer to get setup than it does to actually remove it. What really wound up being a time saver was this set of bluepoint turbo socketshttp://store.snapon.com/Twist-Impact-inches-mm-Set-Socket-Impact-Twist-Fractional-Metric-1-4-drive-22-pcs--P644174.aspx

 

Rather than have one 1/4" or one 5/16" bolt extractor I now have a multitude of choices.  Build the stud out and chose the socket that fits best. 

[8WA Sman]

I have been thinking about getting some X-tracalloy rods. I have heard some good stuff about them. Anyone have experience with these?

[forddieseldoctor]

On THIS truck I suspect not. The reason being that most of the time I only need to drill a pilot hole and broken studs usually come right out. Not this one.

 

I had a 11 or 12 with a v-10 that was under warranty with a broken stud before I got the welder thing figured out and I ended up putting a helicoil in cause there was no other way. I've gotten some out with the welder that I couldn't budge with an extractor.

[Keith Browning]

Looks like the Ford approved plastic scraper did an amazing job of cleaning up that cylinder head

Not a head gasket surface so I am not all that concerned despite what the WSM states. It is not going to make any difference on the exhaust manifold surface especially when you take the severity of corrosion that is taking place here. If you saw this thing before I cleaned it up... plastic scraper - BEH!   Are you fucking serious?

 

Let's take step 8 from the WSM procedure which is a warning:

 

NOTICE: Do not use metal scrapers, wire brushes, power abrasive discs or other abrasive means to clean the sealing surfaces. These tools cause scratches and gouges which make leak paths. Use a plastic scraping tool to remove all traces of old sealant. Failure to follow this procedure may cause future oil leakage.

 

Old sealant? Oil leaks?  Looks to me that Ford does not proof read their own publications for accuracy and content. No wonder we are all so confused... well, some of us are. We need to think about what it is we are being instructed TO DO - or - NOT TO DO  when following a procedure.  

 

 

Do you always use anti-seize on those stainless studs or is that not what I am seeing?

Yes. Can you think of a reason NOT to? ...before we get into a long un-needed debate on the use of thread compounds or the stainless steel hardware that introduces new problems and does not exactly "fix" the problem with snapped off manifold studs. If this is your ambition then let us start a NEW topic in the subject. I have seen repeat failures. I am positive this truck will one day need to have this repair made again and If I am the poor bastard that has to work on it again I will not likely need to drill anything out.

[Matt Saunoras]

Don't worry Keith.  I anti-seize stuff too

[BigWalt]

Nowadays I used anti-seized on every exhaust stuff, like clamps, bolts, studs,  etc,etc

[Matt Saunoras]

Add dually wheels and super duty rotors to that list too

[forddieseldoctor]

Add dually wheels and super duty rotors to that list too

Only dually wheels? I've been doing it to almost every wheel that gets really stuck.

[8WA Sman]

I also use anti-seize,I just haven't been using it on this particular application. I was just curious if you had a specific reason. I also realize some situations/demographics require different types of repair procedures.

 

I have found that Champion RX-454 Penetrant works well to speed up gasket surface cleaning process, whether I am using 3M scotch brite pads by hand or on my air sander. I feel it also greatly reduces surface finish wear.

[8WA Sman]

If I have one stud I need to extract for someone it takes longer to get setup than it does to actually remove it. What really wound up being a time saver was this set of bluepoint turbo socketshttp://store.snapon.com/Twist-Impact-inches-mm-Set-Socket-Impact-Twist-Fractional-Metric-1-4-drive-22-pcs--P644174.aspx Rather than have one 1/4" or one 5/16" bolt extractor I now have a multitude of choices.  Build the stud out and chose the socket that fits best.

If I have to drill a hole to extract a fastener I have had some good results with these http://store.snapon.com/Combination-Extractor-Sets-Extractor-Set-20-pcs--P630634.aspx

I am not talking about Keith's broken fastener, that thing looks married.

 

 

I have also used this http://store.snapon.com/Pencil-1-8-Collet-Blue-Point-174--Die-Grinder-Air-Pencil-Right-Angle-1-8-Collet-75-600-RPM--P643967.aspx to grind fasteners out or smooth up the fastener face so it drills/starts easier. Sometimes taking a flat punch and hitting the fastener will help it come out easier, if you notice when the fastener breaks sometimes that last thread gets stretched

[Buddy_M]

Welder method has never failed me, however I don't weld a washer then a nut, I ground straight to the head I'm extracting, run the MIG a lil hotter than it needs, and weld a 3/8" nut directly to the stud. If it's broken inset to the head, I'll take my die grinder and a carbide to clean up any rust before welding it up to attach a nut. Wait about 30 seconds to a minute after welding and spin the stud out. Last V10 I did I had both sides(about 16 of the studs needed this method) done in about half hour.

[Matt Saunoras]

Has anyone ever had a problems with heli-coil inserts?  I have used them in the past for less critical threads but was considering getting a time cert kit incase the situation ever arises where I needed to repair a head.   

[DieselD]

nice walk through on the templates keith

[justins62]

where has this been all my life. i could have used that a million times by now