Banjo bolt removal?

[Chero77]

I would like to remove the air injection rails from my exhaust manifolds. However, I am afraid one or more of the banjo bolts will break. If a banjo bolt broke, how would you get it out of the manifold?

[Bob Barry]

In addition to the ordinary advice of soaking them with a good penetrating oil like PB-Blaster in the weeks before removal, the application of heat (a torch) and the use of an impact-gun seem to be the best way to avoid twisting them off. It is likely that one will break, though; in that case, drilling out the bolt as much as possible before removing it and perhaps restoring the threads is probably the best bet.

[Brown Bear]

If a bolt does break out, and part of the bolt is left sticking out, there is a neat little device that I saw at sears the other day that may help. It looks like the inserts in a tap and die set, you take the appropriate sized "device", beat it over the stud with a hammer, and then twist it off with a wrench. Don't know how well it'll work, but it's worth a shot. If it breaks in side the block, you can drill it out with a bit that just fits into the threads and have fun drilling it out (you might want to take a chair and a couple-o-beers as it might take a while. They also make bolt extractors that you can buy at most autoparts stores.

A way that I was taught to remove bolts, esp. manifold bolts, by my step-father (so take it for what it's worth ;) ) so as not to break them off, is after you break the initial resistance, take it two steps forward, and one step back. In other words, turn the bolt 1/2 turn out, then turn it 1/4 turn back in. Do this until resistance is at a minimum and you should be ok. Takes patience, but less time than drilling and tapping out holes in very tough metal.

[nograin]

On the passenger side you will be best off accessing the rear ones from underneath. Take the wheel off and put it on a jack stand for a little more room for you. Not much room to get a n impact gun in there, but you can use impact type motion on the bolts.

I used the PB blaster for weeks as others had suggested. I found that a PB blasted bolt does not break free suddenly, like a one that had been suoaked in penatrating oil or was dry. About 4 weeks ago I posted the part number for the bolts. They may distort on the way out. (New washers came with the air tube manifold that I got.)

I tapped on the bolts directly with a hammer duting the process. You can also tapp on the wrench handle lightly (or hard) as well, 6 point will be better than a 12, but I did not have a problem with rounding off the head.

[Dan G]

I replaced the passenger side rail about a year ago. Amazingly, I did not use (or have to use for that matter) any penetrating oil!

I also would recommend AGAINST using an impact gun. If a bolt is really stuck, often you generate so much heat that the yield strength is met and the bolt just twists apart. I've done this on wheel studs which are easy to replace, I would not want to do this on those manifold bolts.

Mine came out with hand tools only (I have air tools) and without too much struggling, ie. no cheater bars, etc.

Give it a shot after using the penetrating oil and it might just come apart far easier than you expect!

[Crazy_Jeepman]

I usualy spray them down real good with PB Blaster. Then a nice couple solid hits with a heavy hammer Spray some more let sit. Get Six point socket 1/2 drive. (use only a six point socket) Step up to the fender look at it, recall every swear word you know, repeat them, so you can remember them readily when you need them quickly. I actualy have never broke a bolt nor have had any trouble getting them out, but do know they can cause a lot of trouble. ;)

[Baker]

I just twisted the heads off and filled the holes in the bolts with JB Weld. smile.gif

[Chero77]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Baker:
I just twisted the heads off and filled the holes in the bolts with JB Weld. smile.gif<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Now that's a quick and easy solution, just out of curiosity how long did this repair last? I would have thought JB Weld wouldn't stand up to manifold heat for long.

I am thinking of just cutting the air tubes off flush with the bolts and having someone weld up the holes.

[ December 09, 2001: Message edited by: Dave _S ]