This first bolt on my right cylinder head won't budge. I've been switching between an impact wrench and 20 inch breaker bars with a 40 inch steel pipe.

I broke two 6 point 5/8 inch sockets, bent and twisted a 3/8 inch extension, snapped the nub off another 3/8 inch extension before switching to impact sockets.

After switching to impact sockets, 5/8 inch 6 point socket and 1/2 inch extensions, I managed to round and strip the edges of the bolt and not make any progress.

I've tried craftsman #10 bolt extractor and that just managed to shave the edges even more.

I switched to an extractor from Harbor Freight. When I use the impact wrench it doesn't shave the edges like the craftsman extractor but the bolt won't budge. If I use the breaker bar and steel pipe, I'll get some slippage and strip the head bolt a little but the bolt won't budge.

I bought Erwin bolt extractors but they look just like the craftsman extractor.

I've used copious amounts of penetrating lubricants. I've tapped the bolt. I've tapped the sockets into place to make sure they are properly seated. With the impact wrench, I've alternated between tightening and loosening to try to shake it up and vibrate it loose. I've got a heater underneath the engine compartment to keep the engine at around 70F (It's 25-30F outside). I've got a heatgun.

I'm terrified of breaking the head off of this bolt.
Any suggestions? Pearls of wisdom? What can I do? How screwed am I if I end up snapping this head off etc?

 

You could drill the head off of the bolt leaving the stem exposed. Remove the remaining bolts and slide the head off the stem of the bolt. Then use vice grips to turn the stem out. Definatelty check that head for warping.

 

Try to hit the bolt with a small sledge hammer to knock it loose. Be very careful. make sure you hit the bolt flat across the top.

 

Did you all already remove all of the other bolts in the head? If so, there is likely a lot of pressure on that last bolt making it very hard to get out. Put the other bolts back then try.
Otherwise, If the bolt isn't too bad yet, I would clean the bolt head off as much as possible and put some grinding compound on there to try and hold the socket on better. Using a "wobble" type extension will also allow some forgiveness in trying to keep the socket flat and still on the bolt, which is hard to do when you have to put your whole body into it.

 

If you grind the head of the bolt off, and can remove the head, you can use a stud extractor like the one below:



This is a 1/2" drive and it grips super tight; I've had some luck with these. Here is a website: http://www.bettymills.com/shop/produ...FA-287B.6.html

I wish you luck. You will probably need the impact driver and some judicious heat.

 

Use the harbor freight extractor with a 36" or 42" breaker bar, that's the combination I used. If not then you may have to pay someone to burn it out with a torch

 

Thanks for the support and advice....

All the bolts are still there. This is the first bolt that I'm trying to remove.

I was getting a little frustrated, needed a break, and took the day off from any more bolt extraction attempts.

Does anyone have any advice/suggestions/warnings about how to go about using heat?

Besides there being two (three) different types of metal (aluminum and steel), with different expansion and contraction rates etc, there's the consideration of how the application of heat might affect three different (more?) components (bolt, head, block)....

Also, I noticed last night that the Rave workshop manual and the V8 overhaul manual show the orientation of the cylinder head in slightly different ways.

Looking at the workshop manual, I interpret the head bolt removal order to indicate that the location of the first bolt to remove is the lowest one, closest to the serpentine belt.

I interpret the Overhaul manual to indicate the first bolt to remove as being the lowest bolt, closest to the firewall (with the removal of all the other bolts in opposite order as the workshop manual).

Which is right or what's the correct order or doesn't it matter so long as you use one of the two orders/methods?

Is it possible that the reason I'm having so much difficulty with this first bolt, is because I'm mistakenly trying to remove the last bolt instead of the first bolt?

 

The whole point of the order of removing and installing the HG bolts is to not warp the heads. I recall you work from the outside in. I think I started from the front and the rear bolt was last (those are the hardest btw and what everyone has trouble with). Some people work in the opposite direction to get the most difficult bolts out first. You can also try to pound a slightly smaller impact socket on the head if is gets really bad. Either way it is important to make sure your socket is on the bolt all the way or you will round.

As far as getting it out the only thing that is going to do it is brute force. You can try aero kroil, tapping it with a hammer and a bit of heat but the bolt is cold welded in and the heads are probably warped a bit and those combine make bolts hard to get out. get a long pipe or a long breaker bar (at least 32"). It you round the head off completely you are going to need to find a good welder.

 

I think someone mentioned earlier here, if you mangle the flats on that bolt using other methods just drill through the top of the bolt and use progressively larger bits until the head falls off, use your 40 inch breaker/cheater on all the others then pull the cylinder head off and use a stud extractor/remover or visegrips or whatever on that remaining headless bolt in the block, I bet you would be surprised on how easy it comes out after the head is off.

 

I would be mighty careful with a torch, in-fact personally I wouldn't resort to it until I had pulled the rest of the bolts, did away with the head on the one in question, and pulled the head off. Even then on the aluminum block with steel sleeves in close proximity, I wouldn't. You will probably find as stated earlier that once the tension on the head of the bolt is relieved by drilling chopping etc. it will probably turn out with as extractor or a good pair of vise grips. Heating aluminum is difficult because one minute its there and hot, and the next its a blob on the floor...... If you really need heat, see if the local tool and equipment rental place or even pay a dent king guy to bring in an inductive heater, heat the bolt only (20-30 seconds on most good inductors should cherry it nicely) quench the bolt and try it, repeat as necessary. Much safer for your block and controlls what gets hot well. I have this one http://www.theinductor.com/index.php?m=41
Good Luck
Pat