Remove head studs

3W Hank

Well-known member
I had my Merc -41 block in the hot bath and I has removed studs in another 59 block after hot tank and I could then remove them ( hard hand work ) but in this California block theyiwas totally stuck.
I asked some on good chem and it was ex ’bolt blaster’ but hard to import chem to Sweden so I found a injector remover that should cure anything stucked up but how could it go when in thread rusted to one pice with bolt/block in 80 years.
-I had to usd heat and got the studs red above deck, but block hot ofcourse hot and effected by heat.
I has no experiance what this so can do to a deck and cylinder in material hardness.
Anyway I got it stand for a day and sprayed a chem a old guy made here locally, ’super lube’and yes hard work still but I could now rather easy remove 3 of them, so just pray now that non break off.

How is your experiance on this ?

Payed 1 grand for the block, import to Europe, hot tank now this so next is install one sleeve as it was sonic tested and pressuare checked.
After that I need pressuare check again myself.

Its a old weld and a new seat in that cylinder.
Look Ok and was told no issues there but… What happends when heat is on ?
It will had new caps, linebore, hone to clear rest to 1/8” ( + extra ) over then special Ross pistons so one hope it will be Ok.
I really like this Merc block as the history and I guess hard to find today. Plus it was Very nice ported way back ( seller had it for 35 years ) told it was machined in north LA.
But allot of work and money.
 

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I got one of these, I broke a few head bolts using other methods, but got one side of my block done without breaking any using this tool. Shop around you may be able to find it cheaper. I use this in conjunction with a Snap-on bolt remover I bought used from eBay. I should have said stud remover.
 

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Yep. Heat is the only thing that does it at this point. If they so tight that they aren't coming out, no chemical known to man is going to creep in there. Use a torch, or my preferred method, induction heater tool, to get the base of the stud dull cherry red. Let them cool and then try to remove.

Sometimes tightening first, just slightly, helps it to back out when you apply opposite force. The idea is breaks the bond.

This job takes a bit of feel for it. Once you do a few, you'll know what I mean. Don't go in with brute force. Gentle pull slowly increasing force. You'll feel and sometimes hear if it's going to go or not. If not, reheat. One block, I had to do two heat cycles to get them out.
 
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I have Snap-On stud puller that works really well for pulling flathead studs. You buy the puller and then you buy the collet with the thread you need and clamp it down on the stud. Then gently let it hammer with an impact; ithey will usually come right out. It worked well on this block except I broke two of the studs. I tried welding a nut without a washer and the nut broke off so then I welded a big thick washer to the stud and then a nut to the washer (grind off the plating to get a better weld, let it cool off and they came right out. I used to do this to remove broken exhaust manifold bolts on engines at work, I never had broken bolt that I couldn't get out doing this and the weld will not stick to the cast iron.
 

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just a thought, but...

i wouldn't be surprised if the heat involved in the welding had as much to do with getting the stud out as the extra leverage involved. :)
 
Thanks on ideas.

One side is off.
Old Sweden is hot now ( 23C... ) so I had to take a brake.
Heat did the effect.
Hardeller puller just would brake a stud ( my guess )
I did notice a trick, some of the stud was still stuck, so I started 'brake the barrier' by going down, then I heard a 'click', then I pulled upp.
I think I get all out and not brake a stud, as hate get it on the mill and maybe end up with a Heli-Coil.

A question.
Where to get studs ?
I has 2" thick heads and I has nuts old Henry cadium.
I can use ARP but dont like the hex on top.
Can a old kit be found ( NOS ) ?

Then, how to get no water up via thread ( chemical ) as I heard that can be a issue, or is that never a issue ?
 

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just a thought, but...

i wouldn't be surprised if the heat involved in the welding had as much to do with getting the stud out as the extra leverage involved. :)

The heat helps a lot. I would have written that down to, but I was tired. I haven't gone to bed yet??? I have been screwed up since I had the stroke. I'm really tired but can't go to sleep. Might as well pull weeds and water, anything except work on my old cars. I like to look at them, but I hate to work on them. I think being a mechanic for a living burned me out on working on cars.
 
Studs us out..
Ideas on studs and sealer ?

I has 2" thick heads so has ex ARP several FH stud kits ?
see 49-53 and 'Offenhasuser' kit 38-49.

I has 3 longer ARP studs for generator mount.
Best was to find a NOS set.
 

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Yes I get into all kinds of issues or questions.
So good to get info and help on the way.
Maybe next year I has the car mocked upp so one can see how its turns out.
I has allof of old ’timebomp’ parts all need work so its time consuming and I do it the old way.

I see now working on this block how much bigger the ports are than a std 59 and I see forged part in the middle exhaust ports.
I has not seen that before.
 

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On studs.
I did note 1 stud us longer per side, I guess it was holding the sperator in the exhaust.
The kit ARP sell for 2” heads has they 1 longer stud ( or ?
 

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On studs.
I did note 1 stud us longer per side, I guess it was holding the sperator in the exhaust.
The kit ARP sell for 2” heads has they 1 longer stud ( or ?

I would not use that exhaust divider. All those cast iron ones do is create a clog in the port. If you look for John Lawson's book, he made a custom divider out of stainless steel and it was as thin as a knife and went way up into the port.

I haven't looked at his book recently, but I don't believe it made that much of a difference.
 
I have bought some of the studs from Fred at Southside Obsolete. My stock 85 hp 1937 engine uses three different lengths as I remember.
 
So this parts was sold back then as a speed trick for 'better' flow ?

I think I has some pictures from a very fast FH engine racing at Bonneville on this devider device idea and I never figure out what it was, or how it was installed, I don't remember it was that thin but that 8BA made real serious power some 30 years ago.
I try find some of that pictures.

Found this ;
https://www.speedwaymotors.com/1936-53-Flathead-Ford-V8-Exhaust-Baffles,3261.html
 
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Zeke3.
I meet Fred at LARS last year and bought some stuff but he newer reply my request on other parts I has ask on.
He might has some if any.
Ideas to reach him ?
 
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