Frick, removing t-stat bolts?

[beach]

Its like one thing after another, cannot get these fuggers to budge on the V8. Even after letting penetrating oil sit.

 

[Turdle]

In my experience a few light taps with a hammer on the wrench will knock them loose safer than a steady force which may snap the bolt. Good luck. Whenever a steel bolt gets seized into an aluminum thread it is a PITA

 

[beach]

yup tried that

 

[beach]

@#$@#%$^% , just tried again. Crap part is they have it in a location thats hard to get good leverage. I've tried different ratchet and wrench combos, some of the thicker ones that could give good leverage, theres just no room for them at that angle.

 

[JoeMahma]

@#$@#%$^% , just tried again. Crap part is they have it in a location thats hard to get good leverage. I've tried different ratchet and wrench combos, some of the thicker ones that could give good leverage, theres just no room for them at that angle.

I wouldn't try heat to get these loose BUT sometimes it helps to heat the bolts that you want the pb blaster to penetrate first (not so hot it vaporizes the blaster) and quickly spray the blaster as close to the threads as you can. The cooling of the metal tends to suck the blaster in. Careful how much heat on that aluminum. Let it sit and penetrate and cool before you try loosening it again. As far as trying to loosen them with heat, I just worry here about pulling out threads like you would a hot spark plug.

 

[Cobraguy]

I'll tell you another trick that works extremely well if you can get heat on them...

First, once you get them hot, see if you can get them to move. Otherwise, instead of PB, take a candle and touch it to the hot bolt. It should wick the wax into the threads.

 

[beach]

Well that didn't work either , crap. This sucks. edit - should say I tried letting it sit again and impacting. I didn't try heat, don't have a torch or really know anyone I with one I could use.

 

[beach]

Well, finally got the top one to budge. Jeezus. Found a combo that work, I knew I needed a larger/thick ratchet that could handle the pressure, problem is I have so many had a hard time finding one that would allow enough room without removing other crap from the engine. Used a thick craftsman thats over a foot long and solid. With a half inch extension into a half inch socket. Now I just gotta figure out how to reach the lower bolt as I don't think this combo will fit, but we'll see.

 

[beach]

Mother @#$#@, bolt broke off in the housing.

Anyone know how long these bolts are, I can't find the exact size of them. Need to know how much is stuck in.

 

[beach]

Looks like I'll have to have it flat bedded to the shop. Lets see how much this pos $8 part (tstat) is gonna cost me now.

 

[Harb]

A little late now but I have found the best penatrating oil around is aerokroil. Just my .02

 

[corkey]

take a drill that is smaller then the bolt and drill it out but not all the way to the bottom, just make sure you are in the middle of the bolt,, start with a really small bit, use a puch to get the indent in the middle to start
than increase the size of the drill bit a bit at a time till you are just under the size of the bolt threads,, make sure you put penetrating oil on it when it is hot,, the oil might break the hold that the intake has on it,, and then you may be able to put a screwdriver into the hole and twist it out,

 

[beach]

take a drill that is smaller then the bolt and drill it out but not all the way to the bottom, just make sure you are in the middle of the bolt,, start with a really small bit, use a puch to get the indent in the middle to start
than increase the size of the drill bit a bit at a time till you are just under the size of the bolt threads,, make sure you put penetrating oil on it when it is hot,, the oil might break the hold that the intake has on it,, and then you may be able to put a screwdriver into the hole and twist it out,

Thought about it but I just have no more patience. There's so little room on the V8, that to get a drill at that angle I'd have to start removing everything again. Unless theres a mini drill I'm not aware of lol?

I can't even tell how long these bolts are supposed to be, theres no sizes when ordering. The piece of the bolt including the head, is just under an inch. How long are these bolts supposed to be?

 

[Turdle]

I understand the frustration ( sugar coated word)
And, I don't want to compound it, rather help.
A machine shop will need to remove the lower intake manifold to get the bolt out reliably. Instead of paying tha extremely high labor for this-why not just replace it yourself?

 

[chriswells78]

I understand the frustration ( sugar coated word)
And, I don't want to compound it, rather help.
A machine shop will need to remove the lower intake manifold to get the bolt out reliably. Instead of paying tha extremely high labor for this-why not just replace it yourself?

Yeah, I would definately remove the lower intake instead of having it towed. All new intake gaskets can be had for less than $30, far less than a tow bill. Once it is off, it should be easier to heat. with the bolt being steel and the intake being aluminum, heat should work well to get it out. It will be easier to heat with it off the vehicle too.

 

[Maniak]

We snapped a t-stat housing bolt on our 4.0 ohv a couple years ago.. To get it out we used the drill method (actually drilled it out and used a heli-coil since we didn't get it out cleanly)..

To get it to fit we did pull he radiator/fan shroud out and used a 90 degree drill (got it from harbor freight for $30 ish) and a short (cut down) drill bit.

Harbor Freight (and other places) sell a 90 degree adapter that you can put on your drill to make it a 90 degree drill.. If a 90 degree drill won't fit, the adapter may since it is even smaller..

90 degree drill Adapter thing.. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92188
drill we used.. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92956

~Mark

 

[beach]

Didn't have it towed yet, but have AAA, figure might as well use it lol. Friend of ours shop, so going to see about how much it will cost, if its a good price I'll just let them do it. I've never had to drill out in a situation like this, and don't have a torch for heat, plus worried I'll screw up the manifold, not sure I want to take that risk. Does anyone know the exact length of the bolts? Thats what I can't find, as I'm curious how much is left stuck in there.

 

[96eb96]

We snapped a t-stat housing bolt on our 4.0 ohv a couple years ago.. To get it out we used the drill method (actually drilled it out and used a heli-coil since we didn't get it out cleanly)..

To get it to fit we did pull he radiator/fan shroud out and used a 90 degree drill (got it from harbor freight for $30 ish) and a short (cut down) drill bit.

Harbor Freight (and other places) sell a 90 degree adapter that you can put on your drill to make it a 90 degree drill.. If a 90 degree drill won't fit, the adapter may since it is even smaller..

90 degree drill Adapter thing.. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92188
drill we used.. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92956

~Mark

Those drills are great tools. Moral of this story..when you replace any bolt use anti-seize.! Of course it won't help the decade old bolts from the factory .

I bought a large tube for $5, I use it on everything except wheel studs. Its great for rotor - hub too.

 

[bluestream1]

Try Loctite "Freeze and Release". Spray it on for 5-10 seconds; it cools the bolt to -45, it shinks it and breaks the corrosion seal. Costs about $10-15 Product code LB-15002-1

 

[Cobraguy]

Try Loctite "Freeze and Release". Spray it on for 5-10 seconds; it cools the bolt to -45, it shinks it and breaks the corrosion seal. Costs about $10-15 Product code LB-15002-1

I have never heard of this product. Man, I need to get out more. But I can see how that might work in some applications. I think I'll get some and try it next time. Thanks for the information.