CopperBronco
Jr. Member
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2021
- Messages
- 379
Just wanting to use the internet's collective brain power. Two of my header/exhaust manifold bolts at the engine block are impossible to reach with a socket wrench, and I tried a grinding down my 12 notch box wrench to fit in here, and then a flare nut wrench, but it started to round the bolts a little. I've also been soaking the bolt in penetrating oil for 3 days off and on now. I do this before any rusty bolt process begins and have had mostly good luck. What I'm trying to avoid is breaking the bolt off in the engine block if at all possible. These should only be 20-25 ft/lbs and hopefully pop loose, 6 of the 8 I could get my wrenches around and they came loose quite easily. I've mostly re-tightened them now so not to put pressure on the 2 remaining bolts.
I'd love to torch it, but I'm afraid of a live flame in the engine bay. I tried a heat gun to no effect so far. Any advice here on torches/flames/heat? Bronco can't start right now as a spark plug is broken while I was wrenching on it, I can get that replaced, but I know some folks like to heat up engine and then try to remove bolts.
My next step is to possibly take an air chisel and carve a notch into the bolt, and then use the metal chisel and a sledge hammer to gently knock it loose. It's worth noting I don't have a welder so I can't just weld a nut onto the bolt and then wrench it loose, that'd be nice to have as an option. I imagine the heat would help as well.
I am also contemplating just cutting the header pipes off as I plan to replace these anyways with the Duff's SS Dominators... so these are scrap parts anyways as long as everything fits back together nicely with new parts. But I try not to destroy old parts in case anything goes wrong during install of new headers. But if any of you think this is the best path forward I'm up for it.
Any other ideas out there on what to do with these almost impossible to reach bolts? Photo attached, it's the bolt in the middle, I have 2 of these on the passenger header, and a few more on the driver side which will be even harder to reach. Thanks in advance for the help.
I'd love to torch it, but I'm afraid of a live flame in the engine bay. I tried a heat gun to no effect so far. Any advice here on torches/flames/heat? Bronco can't start right now as a spark plug is broken while I was wrenching on it, I can get that replaced, but I know some folks like to heat up engine and then try to remove bolts.
My next step is to possibly take an air chisel and carve a notch into the bolt, and then use the metal chisel and a sledge hammer to gently knock it loose. It's worth noting I don't have a welder so I can't just weld a nut onto the bolt and then wrench it loose, that'd be nice to have as an option. I imagine the heat would help as well.
I am also contemplating just cutting the header pipes off as I plan to replace these anyways with the Duff's SS Dominators... so these are scrap parts anyways as long as everything fits back together nicely with new parts. But I try not to destroy old parts in case anything goes wrong during install of new headers. But if any of you think this is the best path forward I'm up for it.
Any other ideas out there on what to do with these almost impossible to reach bolts? Photo attached, it's the bolt in the middle, I have 2 of these on the passenger header, and a few more on the driver side which will be even harder to reach. Thanks in advance for the help.
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