Getting seized bolts out of aluminum....

[jondee86]

Was taking the top water outlet off a 4AG head to fix an old water
leak. There are two 8mm bolts that hold the outlet on, and both of
them sheared off at the start of the thread. So I have about 10mm
of thread sticking out of the head, and 15mm of thread firmly
stuck inside the head... corrosion welding FTW

So the question is... outside of giving the broken bits plenty of
CRC, a good crack on the end with a hammer, and using vicegrips,
are there any other "sure to work" solutions worth trying ?? I don't
have a welder, but I could get hold of a little propane torch if
heating the end was going to do any good.

Currently I'm thinking is would probably be easier to just rip the
head off and take it to a workshop. If it is still a problem, I have a
spare engine with a good head that I could swap over.

Cheers... jondee86

[fangsport]

try gently heating the aliminium around the bolt after spraying CRC on it.
tap bolt with hammer then use visegrips

[fivebob]

Forget CRC, instead make up a mix of 50% ATF and 50% Acetone, worlds best penetrating oil

[jondee86]

Thanks... I'll give that a shot. The engine was running fine, so I'd
rather not take the head off if it can be avoided.

Cheers... jondee86

[jondee86]

Forget CRC, instead make up a mix of 50% ATF and 50% Acetone, worlds best penetrating oil

Probably smells pretty damn good too in a confined space

Cheers... jondee86

[fielderz]

Forget CRC, instead make up a mix of 50% ATF and 50% Acetone, worlds best penetrating oil

Sounds good, I'll remeber that for my own use.
I would also recommend heating the stub initially before doing the above, it is likely that the corroded aluminium is a hydrous oxide, so if you heat it up to a couple of hundred degrees you should drive the water out of its crystal structure, and reduce its volume- possible desiezing the stub immediately. If not, I would then do what fivebob said above.

[rollaholic]

i would not recommend combining the ATF / acetone method with the heating method

[Dell'Orto]

See if you can borrow a welder, welding a nut on the end is almost guaranteed to get it out

[fielderz]

i would not recommend combining the ATF / acetone method with the heating method

As stated, you would try heating first, and then you would obviously allow to cool before pouring flammable liquid on it. I for one still have faith in common sense haha.

[fivebob]

i would not recommend combining the ATF / acetone method with the heating method

Yes, unless you like to live dangerously.

The ATF/Acetone mix is so good you probably won't need heat

[85AW20v]

If you can get at it, a small 2mm hole drilled through the housing to the thread of the bolt will also help getting the penetrating oil mix in the length of the bolt.

Also try a couple of nuts locked together on the thread and then a battery drill with the adjustable torque settings, in reverse. Start of with a light setting and gradually increase the torque setting. Worked well on my boat motor.

[fivebob]

In doing a bit of searching on the net about the ATF/Acetone mix it seems that some people are calling it BS because ATF and Acetone don't mix.

The acetone just acts as a thinner for the ATF, modern synthetic may not mix very well with it so perhaps a little bit of diesel or turps in the mix might help.

All I can say is that it worked for me on some very rusted manifold bolts that heat and CRC wouldn't budge, then again the ATF I used was about 20yrs old.

[Bling]

Put two nuts on and tighten them together, then use the bottom one to undo it? If that doesn't work, and it sheers flush though (quite likely given the head has snapped off already), then good luck coming back from that

Welder options is great, if you have no luck try and borrow one. I had some tiny bolts snap off inside a saber saw. Welded on top of it until I could fit a nut on, then they came out with fingers.

[rollaholic]

i would not recommend combining the ATF / acetone method with the heating method

As stated, you would try heating first, and then you would obviously allow to cool before pouring flammable liquid on it. I for one still have faith in common sense haha.

indeed, but this is the internet! hehe.

im sure jondee knows better than to pour something like that on something thats glowing hot, but others reading this may not be so experienced.

i've always had good results with heat, but it does depend on nearby stuff too. setting fire to plastics etc makes a bad situation worse if i couldnt move the stub with vise grips i'd probably reach for the oxy. failing that it' be drill and e-z-out, followed by more drilling and helicoil

[fielderz]

indeed, but this is the internet! hehe.

im sure jondee knows better than to pour something like that on something thats glowing hot, but others reading this may not be so experienced.

Well that would be good old fasioned darwinian evolution at work.. If you haven't got fire or heat+flammables sorted, then GTF out the gene-pool. haha

[Mr Revhead]

Forget CRC, instead make up a mix of 50% ATF and 50% Acetone, worlds best penetrating oil

Nice will have to try that. Also there are so many things out there better than CRC. Chemz Penetrate, and Cyclo Breakaway being two.

[Lurkin]

I didn't have access to welding equipment last time this happened to me.

CRC + aerosol can of 'freeze' to apply to the bolt + easy outs..

Maybe to be tried after the welding trick if that fails? (hopefully doesn't etc).

[Crucible]

If there is enough thread, screw on some 6x1 nuts and then use a ball pein hammer to burr the tops of the broken bolts. The nuts should lock when undoing turning the bolts with them. Heat always helps with aluminum!!

Failing that vise grips + heat.