Headache!

[Guest Angel Boy]

I have got a new (to me anyway) 2.0 litre sat in my garage but due to work I haven't been able to touch it for a couple of weeks however today was the day I set about stripping it down.

 

All was going swimmingly until I started removing the head all but one bolt wouldn't free up (number three in the haynes manaul). In fact it was that tight that I ended up stripping the splines off the head from the Torx bolt

 

Not a problem I thought I'll drill the head off the bolt, remove the head and then attack it. So of I went to drill a pilot hole for the bigger drill then *snap* the pilot drill broke. Not only did it snap once it snapped twice. Leaving about a 5mm length jammed in the hole I had just drilled. :angry:

 

So my problem is I can't remove the head as the bolt is still solid holding the thing in place. I can't drill the bolt as it has part of a drill bit stuck in it which is stopping me from drilling further (trust me I have tried).

 

Has anyone any suggestions, please? I am well hacked off as I have taken time off work to try and get this sorted or at least get a start

 

If anyone an come up with a solution I will get them a pint or two.

 

Many thanks,

Andy

[Joel]

Is there space on the cylinder head bolt to drill another hole to the side of the pilot hole?

[Guest Great Scott!!]

I have had this problem several times at work and the solution i found was investing in a dremel with a small grindstone and grinding the head of the bolt completly away,it is very time consuming but works.

 

The problem is the bolt is hard and your drill bit stuck in there is also hard but grinding with a decent stone should do the trick then once the head is off you can get a stud extractor on the shaft of the bolt and remove it, if its still stubborn then a gentle tap on the end off the bolt and a bit of heat should sort it.

 

Don't know what i'd do without my dremel very handy

[ibrooks]

I had this problem with a 1.6 that I was stripping to send the block back to Vulcan in exchange for my nice new 2.1. I ended up cutting deep slots in the side of the head which cut through the bolts. Obviously the head was then scrap but it saved the block intact.

 

Less drastic.

 

Cut a slot across the top of the bolt. Now use a hammer and an old screw driver or a blunt cold chisel in one side to turn the thing. Hopefully the shock should start it as most of the force holding it is friction. After a turn or so it will probably only be finger tight. Think about where you cut the slot so that if the screwdriver slips it won't damage anything else.

 

Iain

[Longboarder]

Probably a good plan to put all the other head bolts back in and torque them up so the one nackered bolt is under less strain. Then you might be able to use a cold chisel to cut a screwdriver slot in it and use an impact driver.

Nigel

[Guest Angel Boy]

To bring you upto date the headache has now gone

 

I tried the various cold chisel methods but with no success. In the end I went to B&Q Warehouse and got me a Dremel. They had a two speed one on special offer of £18 so I got that and a couple of extra grinding wheels. Spent about four hours and several grinding wheels on Saturday grinding the head of the bolt down. Jobs a good one. The head is now off and with a pair of pliers I removed the shaft of the bolt.

 

Many thanks to all those whom replied

 

Andy

[Guest Great Scott!!]

lol 4 hours!!

 

told you it was time consuming, glad you got it sorted in the end

 

just think of all the uses you'll get out of it tho...be the best £18 you ever spent take it from me

[Big Jim]

When you build it back together, get a good quality head gasket, one wqith lots of red seal tracks in it. expect to pay around £10 - £13 for one. DON'T skimp and use a cheap one! On the other hand, use a cheap inlet manifold gasket, as they tend to have morte "paper" to them. Don't use any form of sealant on the head gasket, just make sure that all the bolt holes are dry, and the faces are bone dry.

[Guest Peejay]

Wot No Grease Jim

[Big Jim]

And no silly-cone either! :angry: