So I took advantage of a clear day here in Portland (finally!), to remove the manifolds off my block so that I could replace the gasket. All the tips from another post below proved to be helpful. I was glad that the solvent spray I used seemed to have done its work over multiple days of sitting. All the nuts came off after the first slight "crack" sound to break them loose. When I finally came to the very last nut at the back of the engine however, my first turn was much easier than all the prior ones and I was dissapointed to feel the actual stud turning and then slip right out of its hole quite easily.

So... not having experience with such things, am I screwed here? The stud seems to have broken pretty deep, but there seems to be just the start of threads on the end of it. Is there any solution here? I'm praying I don't have to pull the whole block and have the end of the studd drilled out or something?

I revisted me engine head (B18 with FI head) today to spray som WD40 into the broken bolt hole. I also bought some diamond tiped bits (to make a start indent in center) and four sizes of left-handed drill bits. When I was in there, I was dissapointed to notice however that the oil-dipstick for the auto-trans curves up right in the way of that rear-most bolt hole. That's going to make getting a drill in there not very fun, or impossible maybe.

I'm starting to think that taking the whole head off might make it easier to get the stud out. I'm so new to this I don't know what all is involved. I assume I have to drain the block of coolant (and oil?) before doing this? What other kinds of possible headaches would I be in for with doing that!?

I know I'm going to ruffle some feathers with this idea, but I'm getting so exasperated with the whole problem that I'm tempted to just try puting a spot of JB-Weld on the broken stud end and putting it back in the head-hole and hoping for a strong bond. That car is kind of a rat-rod, so I'm just not into spending more and more on tools and new gaskets and such every time I try to remove or replace something. I'm starting to feel like I'm sinking into quicksand on this.

I don't know, what do you think?

Hum... an auto tranny. Uncommon, and much-maligned.
Consider this, if you stud bolt broke a head bolt could break too... Yeah, it's very unlikely, but pulling the head (IMHO) is a last-resort kind of solution. Avoid going to that extreme

Anyway, did you pick up some bolt extractors? long, kinda narrow high carbon steel things with a reversed bit on the tip? As I understand if you insert it into the hole and hammer it into the end of the busted stud, it will bite into the end of the broken stud and give you the leverage you need to crank it out. You then attach a socket wrench or similar tool and back it out of the hole. They make some hammer driver tools that do just this.

Even if your dipstick is in the way, you must have some access as the manifold used to sit there. A good botl extractor will be pretty short and won't need you to drill a hole first.

Very important. Do not waste your time with WD40. Don't get me wrong, it is great stuff, but in this case you should use P'Blaster (yellow can, blue cap). It's available a lot of places. Soak it really good and then wait a bit. Failing that get out a propane torch (like you use to sweat copper plumbing) and use some heat, followed by fast cooling with water. The stud should free up very fast that way.
--
1967 P220 Amazon, 1972 145S, 1976 245 DL, 1983 245 DL, 1986 745 GLE, 1990 745 GL, 1995 945....
You mean to tell me that Volvo makes cars that are *NOT* Wagons?!?
1971 P1800E... Not a wagon, but it's just a donor car for the Amazon..

Hmmm, well, somebody else down below recommended trying a reverse handed drill bit with a reversible drill. I was going to try that, but your method sounds preferable because the car is parked away from my place (an apertment) and I don't have a cordless drill. I do have four to five inches of space between the dipstick tube where I could see getting the device you seem to be describing in and hammering it in.

I dig the auto so far. Haven't had a chance to get it up to speed, but for a 39 year old vehical it seems to be working just fine. I'll bet it's never been serviced or rebuilt at all.

I have PB-Blaster as well, but I kind of thought it was equivalent to WD-40. I sprayed the WD in there and plugged the hole with some tissue to keep the stuff from evaporating away faster in open air. That's my theory at least. I'll spray some PB in there now and wait until I can track down the tool you describe. Maybe I'll even get lucky and my friendly race-enthousiast neighbor will even have the tool to borrow.

Did you break a stud or did you just unscrew the stud with the nut still attached to it? I'm always unscrewing the studs from the intake/exhaust manifold. You state that the stud is "broken pretty deep", how much of the inner thread came out?

Paul

Unfortunately, it broke just where the threads start, so the end of the stud that came out only has the very start of a thread on it...

Does one have to drain the engine of coolant and oil to take the head off? I'm thinking it may be pretty hard to punch and drill the end of the stud while it's in that orientation on the engine. Seems like it could be quite a bit easier to take the head off to work on it on a bench.

I'm thinking I might as well also, since a PO had put this FI head on the B18 block. I can't sort out from all the reciepts that came with the vehical if the block was bored out either, so it would be nice to maybe measure the interior diameter of the cylinders to know what I'm dealing with. It could explain some of it's idle and load characteristics when driven.

Thanks.

I wouldn't remove the head, yet. Although it may look difficult to drill the stud, once you get a center punched point to begin drilling (THIS IS WHERE I"D SPEND THE MOST FOCUSED ENERGY - get those "cheaters" out), lining up your drill shouldn't be too bad. If you can remove another stud, if one didn't come out initially, you'll see exactly what you're dealing with in terms of depths, length of stud, threads etc. You might also get the appropriate tap (..size, please George or Phil), and clean out the holes in the head.

You pull the head, you're in for a head gasket and maybe water pump 'O' rings. blah, blah, blah.

If you find that your exhaust leak issues are solved and you still feel the need to pull the head, it'll be a lot easier getting to where you are right now (you'll have done it once), and all those rusty studs and threads will be nicely cleaned and coated with never seize.

When I have to drill out a broken bolt, I use a left-handed drill bit, and start with the smallest bit and work my way up to the bigger sizes. Usually, the bolt will unscrew before I drill with the second bit.

Paul

Sorry I'm such a newbie to this stuff ... what are "cheaters"...?

Thanks. Hadn't heard that term...

While a PITA, this is not that big a deal. I've had this happen (in fact my B18 had the exact same stud break). Soak it in your favourite penetrating oil and then get an easy-out bolt extractor (Sears, Snap-On, automotive supply etc.). Centre punch the stud and drill a hole into the stud, then insert the easy-out and voila - good as new. There will be a little loss of religion, but I've always had good luck with extracting broken studs/bolts. If you are still having some trouble (penetrating oil not doing the trick), warm the area (not the stud) with a propane torch (warm, not heat) and give it another try.

If this doesn't work, you'll have to pull the head and take it in for repair...but I'm sure you'll be able to get it out.

Good Luck.
Craig

Thanks Craig,

That's somewhat of a relief.

Assuming I can get the stud end out myself, how can I go about putting a new one in? Does that require special tools?

No special tools. Take two 5/16-18 nuts, thread them on the outside end of the stud, and then turn them against one another so they jam. Turn the stud into the hear using a wrench on the othermost nut -- no great amount of torque needed nor desired. Then unjam the nuts and remove them.

Phil,

Either I'm not understanding your explanation very well, or perhaps I didn't explain the situation well enough. The stud broke off >inside< the block such that there is nothing (no end-threads) still hanging out of the block. It's just a hole now, but I THINK there is still stud metal in there.

I don't actually know how these studs are put and held in originally. Can you or anybody explain? Are there threads inside the head metal hole that the stud screws into?

You asked how to install a new stud, and that doesn't take any special tools -- just two nuts and two 1/2" wrenches. Getting the broken end out is the hard part.

Yes, the holes in the head are threaded.

Ahhh, I see. Thanks Phil.