[SEL] Head bolt is out

[Alan Bowen]

Congrats, Curt.
I know just how you feel.
Ain't it nice when you get that first hole is really centered then the next bit can clean the hole right to the threads???

I think I used four bits to drill out the two very rusted machine screws from a $5.00 sad iron a week ago.
The top plate was loose because the head had rusted off one of the flat head screws and the other screw was about half gone.  They were rusted so bad my only option was to drill.  I swung the top plate aside then ground the one down flat.  I drilled the other one right through the head.  
Both came out the same.  I drilled practically right to the threads without touching them.
Then I used a tap and all it did was clean out the threads.  When I was done I couldn't see any bright metal where I had cut threads. I was surprised it came out like that.

I did have to order a box of 1/4-20 X 3/4" slotted flathead screws.
They had Phillips head or brass slotted head.
I also had another one that needed screws. It had one Phillips head and one wrong size screw that was just sitting in the hole.

1/4" - 20 X 3/4" Slotted, Flathead Machine Screws for sale. $0.10 each plus postage. 8>)))

Alan Bowen
Williamsburg, Michigan

cgandree at mchsi.com wrote: After all the really great suggestions of how to remove my stuck head bolt I went with the weld the nut onto the remaining broken stud...........well it did NOT work.  You would of thought it would of worked at least in theory I did too but no go, just proceeded in breaking off more of what was left of the broken stud.  Soooo I ended up grinding the stud smooth to surface and drilling the damn thing out.  Got lucky and it was cleaned out right to the remaing threads in the block.  Ended up carefully picking the remainder out and retapped the hole.  The only thing I could figure was that after 55 years of that frozen bolt being partially submerged in the water coolent jacket it had developed so much rust and debrie on the lower half of the threaded bolt there was no way in hell it was going to come out even with excess heat from the welding process.
Now for final cleanup and the engine is ready for all the new gaskets, both head and manifold and it will be back on the road again.
A very big THANK YOU to all that helped.
Curt

       
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