Minnesota Focus Owners Club

Over torqued a head bolt and snapped it off in the block.

Idea's on how to get it out?

easy out

i prefer the screw lookin ones but w.e. u want, u just drill into the broken bolt and then u use these things to grab it, only 3-5 bucks at any hardware store, i just got done dealing with a broken engine mount stud when i was tightening down the last nut...fun stuff

I highly recommend buying a Cobalt drill bit for drilling into the bolt. These cut hardened steel like butter.

Did it snap at the block or the head? if it snapped off at the head then remove the head and use some vicegrips. if it snapped at the block and you already took the head off take a welder and weld the stud up until you can get a vicegrip on it without getting the block. the welding of the stud will heat it up enough for it to just turn right out. No matter what, if the head is still on, take it off and get a new head gasket. make sure to tape over any oil and coolant passages to prevent anything from getting into the oil and cooling system. You can get it out by drilling, but get a left hand drill bit set and start small and work up in size. if you go that route and break a extractor of in the bolt, you are in for a world of crap to get it out.

FocusMech.73155 wrote:Did it snap at the block or the head? if it snapped off at the head then remove the head and use some vicegrips. if it snapped at the block and you already took the head off take a welder and weld the stud up until you can get a vicegrip on it without getting the block. the welding of the stud will heat it up enough for it to just turn right out. No matter what, if the head is still on, take it off and get a new head gasket. make sure to tape over any oil and coolant passages to prevent anything from getting into the oil and cooling system. You can get it out by drilling, but get a left hand drill bit set and start small and work up in size. if you go that route and break a extractor of in the bolt, you are in for a world of crap to get it out.

wow really welding? i mean i know ur a mechanic and everything..but i had nooo problems with using a 3.50 cent easy out and a drill bit for metal...and a drill that can go in reverse..dont all of them? just seems crazy to be pullin out a welder, it took me all of 5 min or less with the easy out. and my shit was broke moore than flush with the engine haha

Sometimes a welder is a must for the stuck bolts..

Patalrob wrote:Sometimes a welder is a must for the stuck bolts..

luckily i havent gotten to that point with any stuck bolt, at that point i think i would just bring it in to a professional i have used air acetylene torches and what not for brazing pipes but i dont think i could get enough courage to do it to a bolt on my head

It's easy to slip up with a drill and easy out to make matters even worse. They do work if you do it just right though (centered hole, don't break any bits in the process). Vice grips is the least likely to make matters worse as long as you can reach it

blcksvt2003 wrote:wow really welding? i mean i know ur a mechanic and everything..but i had nooo problems with using a 3.50 cent easy out and a drill bit for metal...and a drill that can go in reverse..dont all of them? just seems crazy to be pullin out a welder, it took me all of 5 min or less with the easy out. and my shit was broke moore than flush with the engine haha

Depends on the situation, I've seen plenty that would be a nightmare with an easy out.

Focusmechs idea sounds absuolutely brilliant to me. Might be a last resort but it's a great idea.



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I find it safer than drilling. With exhaust studs and cylinder heads and blocks......you don't know how far the bolt goes in and there may be cooling and oil passages at the bottom of the hole. A wire feed wire has a much smaller tip than a drill bit and you are adding material, not taking it away. just be carefull how hot you get it and if the bolt is in iron/steel, don't weld the bolt to it.

<schooled! good to know for sure

FocusMech.73155 wrote:I find it safer than drilling. With exhaust studs and cylinder heads and blocks......you don't know how far the bolt goes in and there may be cooling and oil passages at the bottom of the hole. A wire feed wire has a much smaller tip than a drill bit and you are adding material, not taking it away. just be carefull how hot you get it and if the bolt is in iron/steel, don't weld the bolt to it.

how do you overtorque a head bolt?

spots25 wrote:how do you overtorque a head bolt?

Torque to yeald. mixing up 60 degrees and 90 degrees, or 160 degrees and 180 degrees. Whey you properly torque the head bolts down they strech. Thats why you don't reuse them. All of Ford's torque specs for their cylinder heads is "reach a certain torque then go another 90 then go another 90". I have seen it happen, but it is rare

I mis-read the torque specs. It's broken off under the surface of the head, but not all the way in the block. My problem is that the car is in my garage here and it's 1 out. Not much ambition to work in this.

Space heater or sunflower.