HOW TO: Poor boy's oh i fudged up that exhaust header bolt.

[andersonee4]

The original was lost in the crash.

So i broke of the header bolt. Drilling on center is damn near impossible without a Smithy. Those extractor bits dont work worth a crap, so i had to come up with a better way.

First drill out all of the steel. In my case 7/16th
http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z372/andersonee4/100_4806.jpg

Then tap with taper tap followed by bottoming tap. I made a bottoming tap by grinding off the first 3/8ths or so of an old tap
http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z372/andersonee4/100_4811.jpg

then thread some ALUMINUM rod.
http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z372/andersonee4/100_4805.jpg

Copious amounts of red loc-tite. very copiously...... very very much
http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z372/andersonee4/100_4809.jpg

Then set your new threaded bolt into head with vise grips, 1/4 turn past hand tite. No need to torque the hell out of it. if you can spot it with aluminum weld.
http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z372/andersonee4/100_4813.jpg

cut the excess off.
http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z372/andersonee4/100_4815.jpg

Sand it smooth and center punch it
http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z372/andersonee4/IMG-20120303-00024.jpg

Drill and tap for the right bolt
http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z372/andersonee4/IMG-20120303-00025.jpg

The whole time, be very liberal with cutting oil. I just use rear end oil... or whatever oil i have around.


To prevent this...... don't try to remove the damn bolt cause its a pinch rusty.

[350x'inNY]

Hey....a little preventative maintainence.... I snapped my bottom off in the Big Red. I went to replace it and had a old 350X head laying around. I placed the head in front of a heater, and the studs came out like butter. Using that same concept, I was going to change the exhaust on my 350X, so I started the motor and warmed it up first. One nut came off, and the other 3 studs came out. By heating the head up by running, the aluminum expanded in the head and nost so much on the studs..... I much rather have the whole stud come off than to break one off in the head. Also, the HONDA Oem studs have some type of shaving on the endin the motor. Make sure you put that end in the motor.

[andersonee4]

Hey....a little preventative maintainence.... I snapped my bottom off in the Big Red. I went to replace it and had a old 350X head laying around. I placed the head in front of a heater, and the studs came out like butter. Using that same concept, I was going to change the exhaust on my 350X, so I started the motor and warmed it up first. One nut came off, and the other 3 studs came out. By heating the head up by running, the aluminum expanded in the head and nost so much on the studs..... I much rather have the whole stud come off than to break one off in the head. Also, the HONDA Oem studs have some type of shaving on the endin the motor. Make sure you put that end in the motor.

I tried extensive heat when i first tried to remove them. dont know why i even tried actually. After it broke i tried welding a nut to it, which clearly heated it up and it just broke it off deeper in. I used OEM studs and to be honest i cant remember which end i put in, but i used blue loctite on those.

[midsouthtrikes]

Thanks for the "How to" very good info to share!