How to remove head studs

[Talkwrench]

Take your time.
soak the studs for some time leading up to the job.
heat the stud , then let it cool for a minute or so, keep squirting stuff on like Inox through the process. get the stud remover on BUT think about the angles your working on as they are offset as you can see, so THINK about where the force is working as you can bust them easy.. what I did was load up the breaker bar and hold it, don't just keep going, back it off after 15 seconds , do it again load it up, use a lot of 'feel" you'll feel them just start to turn , then steady , steady, still think about angle of the breaker bar if they're tight. I only broke one when I did mine and it surprised me, just went..
If your engine is in bad condition and not touched for many years then good luck .

 

[Bubsyouruncle]

Back in 1956 I managed to break off three or four studs right at deck level. Then, like an idiot, though the studs broke off, I figured easy-outs would do the job.

Live and learn.

Now I had broken studs and one with a broken easy-out in it.

I carefully drilled out the ones that I could still drill. I don't remember the size but it was just to the root diameter of the stud threads, leaving the threads behind in the block. I was then able to pick out the remaining metal of the stud. Took a long time.

The one with the easy-out . . . The place I was working at had an old-time welding expert. I explained my problem. He had me bring in the block. He then washed out the stud and easy-out using his oxy-acetylene torch. Said he could have also done the ones that I had drilled out. Something about the steel being easier to burn away than cast iron. The threads in the block were un-harmed by this process!

 

[ABento]

I also had studs break at the top of the head, I managed to center punch the stud and started drilling, finally drilled it out to the head hole and got the head off then chipped the rest out of the block.

 

[Carsten]

Thank you so much for the good advose, what kind of wax to use ? thx

 

[RalphM]

I just use a stick of Gulf wax. Comes in a box of four I think. Any craft store where they have supplies for candles. It’s used for canning as well.

I just checked, Wal Mart has it also.

 

[Ronnie]

Thank you so much for the good advose, what kind of wax to use ? thx

A candle is all you need,works every time. Don't try to remove until it is cool to the touch. A tig is the easiest way to weld.

R

 

[corvette8n]

Anyone have a recommendation on the brand of a good stud remover?

 

[JSeery]

I've used several and there is a big difference in how well they work. However I can't remember which was the better one, a mechine shop loaned it to me!

 

[Shu47]

Like many other's had stated. Heat is the real trick to breaking up the rusty bond between the stud and the block. No matter what you use to turn the stud make sure heat was involved first.

 

[RalphM]

These are great, but only go up to 3/8” in the set I have.

 

[russcc]

My 2 cents worth among all the million dollar ideas; patience, stud puller, heat. Heat, cool, try tightening 1st, then try to loosen, more heat, more cool, more patience. Got all 24 out intact from a very rusty 59T motor. Saved having to drill some out and loose some thread in the process.

 

[cas3]

ralphm, those just look like a deep socket, whats inside that does the grabbin? the ones that have three fingers like a drill chuck are the best i believe because you can go both directions

 

[RalphM]

These have four sets of teeth, and yes go either direction. I have used them at work on many a stubborn turbocharger stud and they work very well. Of course when one breaks off near flush, or flush then it is drilling, or welding on a nut!

I did a turbo on an old L-10 Cummins out in the middle of nowhere recently. These took out three of the studs. Fourth snapped off with about 1/4” above flange. No welders in sight, onlyan OxyAcetelene torch with cutting tip. I welded on a nut with the torch, and Viola! It came out.

Heat is good!

 

[Floyd]

This is for story purposes only. I have heard from some ole timers that they have seen guys blow out broken head studs with a cutting torch, leaving the block and threads intact. This takes skill that few of us will ever have. Please don't try this at home.

 

[Fordestes]

I use the same method Floyd does, I have used especially on garbage trucks where there is a ton of rusty corroded bolts into steel and cast iron. Until you get the hang of this method , just a friendly what happened to me thing, I was doing the heat and impact but I thought I was smart and got a wet towel when the welding was done I quenched the bolt , that worked ok till I accidentally dropped some of the cold water onto the casting, from there on it was crack city, Kinda hard to explain to the Boss how it happened.

 

[Mike51Merc]

1. Heat with propane torch (not too hot), spray with penetrant.
2. Try to move either/both directions with breaker bar, but not too hard or too much distance.
3. repeat #1
4. repeat #2

Some of these studs enter the water jacket and the threads down there are probably crusted with rust even worse than the threads in the deck. A good penetrant (like PB Blaster) will actually dissolve the rust if you can get it in there and let it sit for a while.

Sometimes you'll get a stud/bolt to initially break free and then it will bind the more you try to move it. In this case it is especially important to spray it and send it back in and back out again repeatedly. You gotta dissolve the rust with the penetrant.

 

[Jason M.]

I used a Snap On Tools 1/2" drive collet style stud removal socket, a gentle heating with a propane torch and a couple shots of PB Blasters with lots of patience and had no problems with my studs. I purchased replacement studs and nuts from Roy Nacewicz which I'm very happy with.

 

[cmbrucew]

Anyone have a recommendation on the brand of a good stud remover?

Bridgeport mill and a good eye. Not a joke.
Bruce

 

[Yoyodyne]

I used a Snap On Tools 1/2" drive collet style stud removal socket,

Very nice tool if you want to recover the stud or are only removing a few.
When I'm removing all the studs, I take the shortcut and just go ahead and unscrew or break them with a small pipe wrench then weld a nut on the broken stud.

 

[apba12m]

if the stud or bolt breaks off at the surface I tig weld a washer to the bolt/stud then weld a nut to the washer and they come out all the time.