Wrenching on my 2003 Durango 4.7L, and I'm replacing exhaust manifold gaskets.
The driver's side manifold came off easy with ZERO bolts breaking off. I was able to replace the gasket on that side easily. The passenger side is a different story. It's being a royal pain in the butt. I've been able to extract all but TWO bolts that have broken off flush with the engine. They're just not coming out. Not even some heat from a oxy-acy torch could get them to cooperate. My only option to removing them is to drill the entire bolt out, and I'd rather not do that.
The broken bolts are on the same port, one above the other, kinda. One is at 1 o'clock and the other is at 7 o'clock. The third port from the front of the engine.
I've been thinking about doing something I absolutely do not like to do, and that's to cut a pretty sharp corner here. People are going to sneer at my idea, because it's not a very good one, but in the words of Mr. Heemeyer, sometimes reasonable men must do unreasonable things. Or something like that.
Of course I have new gaskets and new hardware..
What if I grab some really high temp sealant and apply some to both sides of the gasket when reinstalling the manifold, and just leaving the broken bolts where they are, as it appears they're pretty happy with not moving...
Sure, all of the other studs and bolts would be in place to clamp down the manifold, except for in the one area where the two broken ones are.
Thoughts from the shadetree and pro-wrenchers, please?
The driver's side manifold came off easy with ZERO bolts breaking off. I was able to replace the gasket on that side easily. The passenger side is a different story. It's being a royal pain in the butt. I've been able to extract all but TWO bolts that have broken off flush with the engine. They're just not coming out. Not even some heat from a oxy-acy torch could get them to cooperate. My only option to removing them is to drill the entire bolt out, and I'd rather not do that.
The broken bolts are on the same port, one above the other, kinda. One is at 1 o'clock and the other is at 7 o'clock. The third port from the front of the engine.
I've been thinking about doing something I absolutely do not like to do, and that's to cut a pretty sharp corner here. People are going to sneer at my idea, because it's not a very good one, but in the words of Mr. Heemeyer, sometimes reasonable men must do unreasonable things. Or something like that.
Of course I have new gaskets and new hardware..
What if I grab some really high temp sealant and apply some to both sides of the gasket when reinstalling the manifold, and just leaving the broken bolts where they are, as it appears they're pretty happy with not moving...
Sure, all of the other studs and bolts would be in place to clamp down the manifold, except for in the one area where the two broken ones are.
Thoughts from the shadetree and pro-wrenchers, please?