Here's a problem re: Z28 header install

[Scream And Fly]

1993 Z28 (LT1)

Talk about no clearance. Before I started removing the manifold on the driver's side, I noticed that the last bolt on the manifold is broken. The heads are aluminum, and that broken stud must be extracted.

There might be 3-4 inches of clearance in there. A 90-degree drill won't fit to drill it out. A mig welder could damage the head, but is that my only option? The idea there is to weld a bolt to the broken stud and turn it out.

Of course, I do not want to remove the head (which I might have to do).

Greg

[Scream And Fly]

It sure is shoe-horned in there, isn't it?

[captcarb]

If it were mine, I would take the head to a machine shop. They will probably use a bridgeport to get it out accurately.

Jim

[Scream And Fly]

Jim,

I was thinking that removing the head might be the only real option. If that's the case, I'm getting the heads rebuilt (might as well), going with the LT4 "Hot Cam", springs, and 1.6 RR's. The Hot Cam is mild, which is what I want. I'll still need to take the car on long trips, so a C303 is out.

I'll have to wait until I get to Florida though. I can just use the Caddy while I take my time with the Z28.

Greg

[captcarb]

It's not the only option, but it is probably the best option to prevent damaging the head and having to remove it anyway.

If you plan to tow with it I would not add any cam that puts the max torque at an rpm above where you tow (out of overdrive).

The guy that rebuilt my transmission had a suburban with a whipple supercharger on it. It was a really great tow vehidle and had so much torque that it was actually easy on the trans because it did not have to shift much.

Jim

[ken medendorp]

And I wouldn't Weld on your car because the current might wreck your computor for the EFI & ign.

[baja200merk]

caddy!! wut caddy!!:eek:

[Raceman]

Is the bolt broken off short enough that you can get the rest of em out and pull the manifold off over the broken one? If so, and there's anything left sticking out wouldn't you be able to get the alum. hot enough with a map gas torch to turn it out with vicegrips?

That's the trouble with y'all Yankees................ you didn't grow up havin' to work on junk all the time, so you ain't got no riggin' experience.:p

[Scream And Fly]

I wish - we checked, and it's broken off flush against the head.:(

Greg

[tripledude]

Don't ya just love those jobs that start out kinda simple and turn into a nightmare. Been there many times.:mad:

[Scream And Fly]

Oh believe me, I knew this was going to be a nightmare from the start. Installing headers in a 4th-gen F-body is ALWAYS a nightmare.

Greg

[Bruster]

I hate workin' on new cars. It used to be you could put a set of headers on, and slip in a set of 4.56's in a Saturday and burn a tank of gas that night. I just enjoy the new cars as they are.


Oh, back to your problem..... might be able to get a right angle drill in there with a 1/8-3/16" drill bit. Follow with a right angle high speed angle die grinder with some carbide burrs and cut the bolt in 1/2, across the diameter. The carbide burrs will cut the bolt easily. This method works fine, if you have the stuff available....

[Superdave]

just pull the engine? :eek: Then you can dress it up :D Aluminum oil pan, chrome covers and accesories, stalled torque converter ;)
Oh, you can get all the alternator, power steering and a/c brackets chromed :D Better yet, just get a billet aluminum pulley and bracket setup. :D :D
Dave

[Scream And Fly]

Haha, not this car - this is my daily driver. It's the only thing I own that is this dirty. :D :D

Greg

[tripledude]

Just cut off the stud and don't worry about it. Damned things will probably be leakin' in a couple of weeks anyway.:eek: Actually, I think you're stuck. You're gonna have to pull the head and as long as you have to pull one, you might as well pull both and freshen 'em up. Fortunately, you have a backup vehicle. It REALLY sucks when you're working on it on Sunday, have it all torn apart, discover that Gomer at the parts store gave you the wrong stuff, etc. You know THAT drill.

[Rickracer]

I did a bunch of broken, rusty bolts like that on a 1974 F600 330CI motor a few months ago, like 4 on each side. I was wishing it was an aluminum head. Hold a 3/8" nut even and centered with the broken stud and weld it to the stud through the hole in the nut, wait till it cools, and it should come right out. You may need to repeat this drill a couple of times. I often use that trick even when the bolt is accessible for drilling because it works very well, especially if there's any stud sticking out the thread the nut onto. :cool:

[Scream And Fly]

Rick, I can arrange to have it there.:D

Greg

[Rickracer]

:cool:

[captcarb]

Compare the LT1 and LS1 performance.

Jim

[Scream And Fly]

I haven't really driven the LS1 much (it has 26 miles on it), but from what I can tell from mine and other people's cars, the LS1 doesn't have the low end torque of the LT1, but it has much more up top.

Greg

[ken medendorp]

Originally posted by Rickracer
I did a bunch of broken, rusty bolts like that on a 1974 F600 330CI motor a few months ago, like 4 on each side. I was wishing it was an aluminum head. Hold a 3/8" nut even and centered with the broken stud and weld it to the stud through the hole in the nut, wait till it cools, and it should come right out. You may need to repeat this drill a couple of times. I often use that trick even when the bolt is accessible for drilling because it works very well, especially if there's any stud sticking out the thread the nut onto. :cool:

Don't you have to worry about wrecking the computor when you weld on the car?I know on our cnc mills if we have to weld a job up we always pull the job off the mill because it will mess up the computor.Maybe at least un hook the wiring to it.

[Scream And Fly]

Ken, I've thought about that so I would disconnect the ECM. But what about cars in the muffler shop? They get welded on all the time.

Greg

[transomstand]

Welding is no problem, just disconnect the battery, we weld cars in our shop everyday.

[captcarb]

After you get the headers on, lets put a whipple on it. You won't need the LS1 anymore and you will be performance and money ahead. Sound like a plan?? You could even put the LS1 style ignition on, get a raptor trans and it really will be bulletproof.

Jim

[GP-1]

Originally posted by Scream And Fly
1993 Z28 (LT1)

Talk about no clearance. Before I started removing the manifold on the driver's side, I noticed that the last bolt on the manifold is broken. The heads are aluminum, and that broken stud must be extracted.

There might be 3-4 inches of clearance in there. A 90-degree drill won't fit to drill it out. A mig welder could damage the head, but is that my only option? The idea there is to weld a bolt to the broken stud and turn it out.

Of course, I do not want to remove the head (which I might have to do).

Greg



I can't believe you decided to do this at all.. I looked at mine and decied that those stock maniolds looked like pretty good performance pieces after all...

Good luck..

[sho305]

Come on Raceman, they are way ahead of that up here...you ought to see what all that winter salt does to cars.:rolleyes: When I was at a bodyshop I would snap the fender bolts off three year old cars all the time. GMs seemed to have better fasteners btw, the pre '97 ford trucks sucked.

[baja200merk]

wats wrong with 1997 fords?:eek:

[heath brinkley]

the same thing that's wrong with all ford's





THERE FORD'S

[heath brinkley]

BTW, Greg, I feel your pain. I put a set of equal length tube headers in a 1st gen. Chevy II, with the shock towers and all, like your Z.... *$^&% *#@%# blasted #&*(( %$%$# headers 5$%$# ^%^$$ pain in the ^%# &**&^ *&%& sell this &&*^()&(& car.:D :D :D

have fun I did.

[Scream And Fly]

You know what they say - no pain, no gain! And I want those 25-30 horses those manifolds are holding hostage!:D

Greg

[Rickracer]

...but they also make a tool that you can clip on the battery that will absorb any spikes, and protect the computer. We use them all the time, doing exhaust, repairing frames, building trailer hitches and traction bars, adding aftermarket equipment, etc.. The main thing is to attach the ground close to where you are welding, you get a more stable arc, and there is less chance of spiking any components inside the vehicle. :cool:

[sho305]

Hmm, I don't even bother with the computer. Just ground right next to my welding and I have had no problems, though I don't do it very often.

Pre '97 Ford trucks...they used tiny bolts on everything that broke real easy, and rusted real fast. The clips are even worse and snap off if you sneeze at them. Then you have to get to the clip and screw around with vice grips to get it off, or use the hot wrench if you can. When you twist bolts off with one hand on a 1/4" ratchet, that is too weak. They might as well use sheet metal screws instead. The emissions stuff all fell off them too....and I like Fords. I did a nice '92 lately where I put a whole new frontend on it; when done it had mostly GM bolts and clips in it I had saved;) They were ok if you didn't take them apart I guess.