Ive seen this happen a few times at the shop , first thing i would try would be to purchase a new 10mm 12 point socket just because sometimes they do get stretched out . If that doesn't work you can always purchase a "Stripped bolt head" socket , not sure on the real name but most auto part stores do carry them .

As far as the head bolts go you can either purchase a set of Arp or you can just buy the 2 bolts that you need .

 

hmm ty for the input.

beat a 12pt 3/8" on there and it didnt hold, gave way rather easy

@ 02-Lnacer-Es, by stripped bolt head socket, you mean one like the set I linked @ http://www.harborfreight.com/9-piece...ets-67894.html ?

ty

 

If all else fails you can always drill or grind out the head of the head bolt, and remove the head, leaving the stud in place. Then remove it with vice grips once the cylinder head is off. A set of head bolts is likely only $30-$40.

Just be very careful to get all the shavings/abrasive residue if you do it this way!

 

Well I bought that kit and it did fantastic! Zipped the first bolt right out, then it shredded the one..and last remaining bolt I needed out. The head is perfectly round and almost a size smaller now.


I've already accumulated some metal debris from chewing up the head bolts, won't all that be cleaned out by the machine shop? I'm on my way to shop around for a SAE extractor in hopes something closer to a 3/8 will help me now. If that doesnt work I believe my only choice is to drill it out.


ahaha oh boy talk about debris one of my sockets just shattered

 

the machine shop should clean everything up for you...i also ended up buying an extractor kit just like that when i did my top end rebuild, came in handy rebuilding a couple dirt bikes too...

as far as vice grips go, head bolts are torqued quite a bit, my ARP's i'm pretty sure have about 90 ft-lb, maybe more, i can't remember, but the fastener is intended to stretch, and that is what holds the head on, so if you can shred the bolt head and get the cylinder head off, there will no longer be any load on the bolt, and it may come off easier, in other words the vice grips might just work, unless it's seized...

worst case scenario, what you can do is carfully grind it down, then drill dead center (you will need cobalt bits), and drill larger and large, then get a dremel and a long cutting bit and grind the bolt out to the peaks of the block threads, then pick the threads of the bolt out with a scriber, and chase the threads with a tap...i've done this several times, it's not fun, takes forever, and sucks overall, hope it doesn't come down to that, but good luck with the repair, keep the updates coming!

 

If you end up getting the head off with the bolt still attached you might also consider a small pipe wrench. I've had better luck getting threaded studs out with a pipe wrench than vice grips.

 

Excellent help folks, I have yet to come across a set of vice grips/needle nose vice grips slender enough to allow me to turn that bolt. That option is out.

I bought some extract bits for my corded drill they look just like the set I mentioned earlier but slip into a drill. No room for that either.

Bought some spline SAE hammered a 3/8" on and it just spun with any real torque applied. No go. Bought the Irwin extractor set, no go.

Im thinking about climbing up into the engine bay and just start drilling, start small go big untill the head of that bolt is gone. Then the head should just pop right off right?

 

lol **** this bolt man im pricing out junkyard motors. $550 for a new motor with only 60k, starting to wonder why im going through all this

sorry for the public ***** fest

 

So you already took the head off ?

 

no no this is me whining about that bolt

 

Ah ok , You can also get a good welder to come in and weld a nut onto the top of that bolt and remove it that way .

 

Sounds like he is having issues with the last bolt still lol. Ive been there man it sucks everytime no matter how much exp you have dealing with that issue. I know you tried the one size down trick already have you tried even smaller sizes? If you can beat on an even smaller size maybe itll hold better. Cant make it any worse lol

 

I assume you already tried hammering on a 12 point socket of the next size down, right? This sometimes works where other things will not.

 

the extractor set i have, i was able to remove sheared bolts, with no head at at all, as small as M8's. and i know my head bolts are 11mm...

that really sucks man, i'm really surprised it's stuck, unless it had been previously over-torqued .

You should break the torque on all bolts in the removal order, and in that order do the same number of turns on all of them a bit at time...then you know before you even take anything off

 

honestly after pricing machine shops around me. valve jobs start @ $350 and go up..

if i can pick up a new motor with half the miles this one im trying to repair has..for $450

wouldnt that be the smartest option? i plan on taking this baby cross country so a new motor sounds appealing to me.

also see heads listed for $150-200. would that be a simple bolt on replacement? someone was telling me id have to take the new head to a machine shop to get it "decked" anyways..