Broken LS Exhaust Bolt Removal - Best Trick Ever!

I work in a GM shop . We do this all the time with one exception - instead of trying to build up the weld , we will weld a nut onto the broken bolt to be able to use a wrench on it , then slowly work it back and forth .

Pro tip: If the stud is above the surface (like the first one) and you choose to try to pull it with vice-grips, then put a flat washer (fender washer is best) on the stud to protect the mating surface.

First - use your vise gripes the correct way, it will offer you better leverage. Second - weld a nut to the end of both bolts (the sabe way you built up the second one) this will offer you an easier way to grip and extract.

For the stud broken above the surface, always use the largest vise grips available. When it moves, then move it backward, then forward, then backward, over and over. Don't do too much in one turn.

You should never move the bolt in only one direction. You look for the first tiny movement in one direction and then move the bolt back and forth as many times as it takes to free the bolt. A lot of penetrating oil while doing this helps.

On initial movement, attempt to rock the bolt back and forth. Even if you cant see it move, keep rocking back and forth. Doing this when removing the manifolds works too, before you break them off.

Nice! Side note when using pliers with a moveable jaw, it's best to have the movable jaw on the side you're turning toward. Ie. in your case the movable jaw would be on top to turn counterclockwise. This is so that the jaw wants to push in and bite, not try and slide off by dragging outward. Something my dad, a professional mechanic, taught me decades ago. Thanks for sharing, loved it. Best Wishes & Blessings. Keith Noneya

You're better off turning a seized bolt back and forth rather than just winding it out. It breaks up any corrosion, and reduces the force required. Once you know it's going to come out, use some penetrating oil too.

You were using the pliers backwards. Vise grips, channel locks, and pipe wrenches the large side should “follow” rotation. The teeth are designed to bite in that direction. They will slip if you have them on backwards.

I USUALLY JUST stare at the bolt until it backs itself out:)

Welding an old allen key on is a sweet tip too in some circumstances. Can get good leverage on that with a ring spanner or crescent wrench. Moves the wrenching safely away from the soft alloy surface. The comments section here is full of awesome alternatives and little touches, it's gold.

If the stud is above the surface, just use a turbo socket (8mm I believe). This works great and does no damage. Also, tapping the turbo socket on also shocks the threads a little and may help loosen it further. As for the "below the surface" stud, we just weld a nut on and use a wrench or a socket -

....forgot to say, if you weld a nut to that stud broken below the surface instead of just piling weld in the hole it's a lot easier. So hold the nut over the hole and then fill it with weld. You get good heat soak and can use a socket to pull it out. Have several nuts on hand in case the first doesn't work.

I always put a washer over the broken bolt and weld it to the end of the broken bolt, putting as much heat into the bolt as possible. then I weld a large nut over the washer, welding down through the hole in the nut. after letting it cool for a minute, put a socket or wrench on the nut and wiggle it back and forth a few times to free up the threads, then try to gently unscrew the bolt from the hole without it breaking. My record is 8 try's before a stubborn bolt came free and unthreaded from a cylinder head.

Pro tip: for the below surface cut, instead of building the weld all the way up as you did, only build till the surface and weld a nut on top of the stock. This allows a stronger build with advantage of using a wrench to remove it.

I just love these instruction videos that show you the wrong way to get lucky.

Can't criticise the technique, because it worked! I've done heaps of broken exhaust studs in alli heads, my go-to method is a left hand drill bit. Bolt the manifold back on with all remaining bolts, then find a bit that only just fits through the hole and put on a bit of pressure, this will mark the centre of the stud. Then you can remove the manifold and progressively use bigger and bigger left hand bits with the drill in reverse until one of the bits bites into the stud hard enough to start turning it out (Which happens 90% of the time) or until you get to the correct size to re-tap the hole. This was my preferred method after breaking several easy outs and having to get them out too ;) Not that there's anything wrong with the welder method, just sharing info that may or may not be useful.....

Good tip , I used to be a pipe fitter on railroad and I removed more broken studs by welding a nut to the broken base metal than you can believe !! I was working with cast iron castings with steel bolts broken off deeply inside the bore at times. I had blue colored welding electrodes Called stud-pull ! They were designed to not bite into the cast iron as easily as they did to the steel bolt. If you make little plug welds like little b b 's and connect them together until the b b 's are out close to flush ,you place a nut over top the broken stud and plug weld the nut to the little b b ' s tacks you made ! Patience is all it takes . The key is the heat breaking the corrosion between base metal and stud . Since retirement ,I have adapted the technique using flux core wire welder and welding nuts to broken studs . I have had some really good luck using the flux core also !

Great video. Thank you. I think what a lot of people don't realize is that most these LS bolts break off from heat expansion by themselves. Therefore they may not be stuck that bad in the head. I have been surprised at how easy some of these bolts come out if there is something protruding out of the head that you can grab onto. And on the recessed ones. I would always try a left handed drill bit before breaking out the welder. I have seen a few back out while drilling.

I love that feeling you get when you save something like this, it just takes knowledge, patience, and balls of steel. Oh and a welder that helps too. Great video, got my thumb up.