I snapped a bolt before 30 foot lbs in my intake manifold on my 350!!! What can i DO????

Question

Number 6 on the intake manifold...... I was going back through and giving them another 1/4 turn to 1/2 turn after the gasket sealer sealed some and SNAP, off it came. I have at least 1/2 to 3/4 in the head and the head of the bolt in my hand... Its the last one on the passenger side in the back. I cannot believe this!!! This is taking me so long to do now i feel overwhelmed. Is there anything i can do or do i have to take it back off and get the bolt out of the head?

Number 6 on the intake manifold...... I was going back through and giving them another 1/4 turn to 1/2 turn after the gasket sealer sealed some and SNAP, off it came. I have at least 1/2 to 3/4 in the head and the head of the bolt in my hand... Its the last one on the passenger side in the back. I cannot believe this!!! This is taking me so long to do now i feel overwhelmed. Is there anything i can do or do i have to take it back off and get the bolt out of the head? Do i have to reorder a new gasket set as well? The manifold gasket is still drying, can it be saved?

Do i have to reorder a new gasket set as well? The manifold gasket is still drying, can it be saved?

Answer 1

How do you know that it was before 30 lbs/ft? If you were going 1/4 to 1/2 turns, you were not using a torque wrench, right? What probably happened was that you crossed the threads from the get-go. Now the "easy-out" method may have to be tried, but if the threads are so badly damaged that you broke the head off the bolt, you will most likely break the easy-out tool (they are extremely brittle). No offense, but it is time to start over, with someone who has experience in the automotive field. It sounds like you bit off more than you could chew without any previous knowledge as to how to properly make engine repairs. "Heli-coil" repair kits are also available for such problems; but quite honestly, if you had trouble putting in a bolt, you will have a great deal of trouble with this method, which is more time consuming than easy-outs, but offer a good repair for damaged hole threads. Both methods can be dangerous to your engine, even for the experienced. Metal shavings from the drilling required can get stuck in the worst places, and you end up trashing the motor. I am not trying to be nasty, but fixing cars can be difficult. If you don't know what you are doing, then stick to your field of expertise, and have someone else fix your engine.

Answer 2

Are you talking about an O Ring on the Thermostat housing? As for any work on the manifold if you remove the thermostat you need to drain the coolant into a safe container otherwise it will leak out all over. If you will actually be pulling the intake manifold from the engine it is more involved and you need to get the surfaces of the intake scrapped very clean. Also the cylinder heads and the valley of the block need to be scrapped clean. I use RTV Sealer on the valleys of the block instead of the rubber seals you get with the gaskets. If you are just pulling the thermostat housing, scrape it clean and put the new seal or gasket on it. When you fill the radiator back up, bleed the air out of the engine block by pouring the 50/50 Mix of antifreeze and water into the radiator slowly. Listen for air escaping out of the system as you fill it up. If you trap air in the engine it will boil the water and cause over heating. I run the engine until the new thermostat heats up and opens to allow the water to run through the radiator. Then I check for water level and then replace the radiator cap. You will need to check the fluid level the next day after it HAS COOLED OFF and fill add some if it needs it.

Answer 3

If you go to a Chevrolet dealer right now before you get too nervous they can remove it easily, with an eazy - out. Now there is no torque on the intake bolt. Leave the intake on and see if their able to remove the broken bolt without removing the intake. Changing all the bolts to grade 5 or 8 you should 'nt snap them off again. If you'd like to do something slicker, g to a speed-shop and get hardened intake socket bolts or hex bolts. Their hardness will be in the same range as Allan Head Socket screws. When torqueing, intakes, start in the center going clockwisse in 5 - 8 lb. incraments. I'm sure you would'nt have done this but was your intake re-machined to fit 23 degere heads or was the heads cut to 23 degrees?

Answer 4

You can use an extractor set - sears has one or harbor freight. It has a reverse thread metal drill bit - you try to get in the center of the bolt. Then it has a cone shaped hardened bit you use with your rachet and it also too is reverse threaded to bite into hole u just drilled. If the bolt you just broke moved in the last few months now that pressure is gone you may be surprised that it unscrews easily. I have done only 3 of these on cars and it does get easier with each try.

Answer 5

take it all back off.....drill a pilot hole into the broken bolt, get out a tap and dye set and start digging it out.

don't feel bad...buddy and I rebuilt his 79' Z28 about 7 yrs ago and as we were finishing up the engine after almost a year of weekends....my buddy drops a nut down thru the carburator and you can just hear it clunk cluck clunk all the way down. We spent another 6 months of weekends redoing all we just did.

Answer 6

do not desperate.
that happen even at the best and most professional of the mechanics.(common stuff,on a heated metals)
if You have enough bolt stud,buy a stud extractor in sears.

if You don't have enough stud then drill it and use an easy out

if You take to a mechanic that's what he gonna do.

Answer 7

Get a small left hand drill bit and a reversible drill. Slowly drill the bolt and the bit may back it right out.

Answer 8

it needs to be drilled out
best left to a qualified
motor mechanic
if u feelunsure about
drilling it out
in any case it has to be
done very carefully
or you might damage the
bolt hole thread.u will need
to buy a special drill bit
and operate the drill slowly
in reverse gear,to remove the
remainder of the bolt.unless
you purchase a reverse thread
bolt exctractor set(not cheap)in uk.

Answer 9

The only thing you can do is to drill it and get an 'easy out' to fit the hole you drilled..I'm pretty sure sears sells them. (or any hardware store)........tough luck, Buddy and good luck getting it out.

Answer 10

Take it to a shop.