Bustin' bolts loose

[keefallan]

Guys, Who has had success with busting the big steering head bolts loose on their outboards? I can honestly say, my track record is not too good with that. I am specifically asking about those on the crossflow steering head, but its got to be similar with other brands. I need to get (2) 140 midsections apart. i want to convert one to a v6 mid, and the other will house a brand new v4 I am working on soon. Either way, If I grt the steering head off, I can salvage the mid, 1/4-20's and helicoils in a worst case scenario. I know about heat. And I also have kroil(amazing stuff).

What do you guys do? Tricks? tips?

[perfmarine1]

Not sure what big steering head bolt you are talking about. Can you post pic or explain better? big steering head bolt is a bit confusing.

[delawarerick]

Subscribed I am busting bolts I use kroil I use heat and I still break em you should see what I had to do for a bolt that broke on a water jacket on 2 cylinder evinrude. Thanks to Dave he bridged two other bolts and made a piece to do this. I could not get the bottom cowl to drop it was stuck so no way to drill and tap. So I wait to see the replies. Salt is my enemy.

[keefallan]

its the steering head bolts. The upper 2 bolts (like 1/2" diameter) that connect to the upper motor mount. The steering arm is the other end of that right? So I have just coined the name steering head............dont hate me...LOL!!.

[nitro_rat]

Heat, impact (hit the head of the bolt with BFH, use a punch if necessary to aim the blow), penetrating oil. Kroil, PB Blaster, there's another one called S'ok (green can with a clover) that's hard to find but good too. Sometimes tightening a little before loosening helps. I've done some creative repairs to drilled and otherwise stripped holes with Marine Tex Gray. I should buy stock in Marine Tex, wouldn't recommend it for steering repairs though...

[Whaaaaat]

Everything stated above. Sometimes I find that heating the head and any exposed parts of the offending bolt as hot as you can get it then walking away until it's cold, works better than trying to heat the material around the bolt and remove while hot.

[keefallan]

How hot have you guys gotten the offending bugger? Anyone made it red hot....or more? Will holding acetylene on the surrounding aluminum(in a powerhead example) cause the aluminum to expand enough to break it loose? I do have a small acetylene setup. I learned a long time ago that propane is a joke for nut bustin'.

Thanks for the input so far gentlemen!!

[keefallan]

If I get my acetylene tank filled today, I will try some things on my junk(thats what it is now if you know what I mean)and post my results. I am definitely gonna add the "punch" to my techniques. I do usually smack the head with a hammer.

I have a 1979 140 motor and a 1988-89 110 motor. I obtained them for 75 bucks. Both have seized powerheads. I think I can salvage the 110 motor. But the other 140.........been sitting outside for a loooong time. I did get a starboard head out of it though. I wish it was a port head though...oh well.

[perfmarine1]

its the steering head bolts. The upper 2 bolts (like 1/2" diameter) that connect to the upper motor mount. The steering arm is the other end of that right? So I have just coined the name steering head............dont hate me...LOL!!.

Those two bolts go into the upper motor mount if I am not mistaken and can be next to impossible to get out on a saltwater motor but never had a problem on a freshwater motor

[MattGreen]

Guys, Who has had success with busting the big steering head bolts loose on their outboards? I can honestly say, my track record is not too good with that. I am specifically asking about those on the crossflow steering head, but its got to be similar with other brands. I need to get (2) 140 midsections apart. i want to convert one to a v6 mid, and the other will house a brand new v4 I am working on soon. Either way, If I grt the steering head off, I can salvage the mid, 1/4-20's and helicoils in a worst case scenario. I know about heat. And I also have kroil(amazing stuff).

What do you guys do? Tricks? tips?

You are on the right track using any oxy-acetylene torch in this situation. Be prepared to sacrifice the mount in the process. Been down this road before.

Matt

[keefallan]

Those two bolts go into the upper motor mount if I am not mistaken and can be next to impossible to get out on a saltwater motor but never had a problem on a freshwater motor

Exactly!!! I was hoping to see if anyone had success with them. I am not in full salt.........but brackish is bad enuff!!! Once I was able to cut thru the steering arm(at the seam) with a cutoff wheel and it was perfectly square. I did lose the mount and the adapter, but I saved the mid and the steering section.

[moparbarn]

Wintergreen oil! Works better than anything you will buy at the parts house, go to the pharmacy. I know it sounds crazy, but it has gotten prolly 75% of the stuff loose that nothing else would. Don't use heat with it, it will burn & carbon up. An old school marine mechanic showed me this many, many mango seasons ago.