Well the other day my 10 min. thermostat swap is now turning into a 7 day project. I guess the last time I changed my thermostat, I didnt blow out the water that had gone into the bolt holes for the thermostat housing so they rusted to the manifold.

On wednesday, when I try to remove that bolt it friggin twists off! So first off, we try to heat the stud up with a torch and then spray it with wd-40 and try to turn it out with vise grips, but that did nothing. So now the only option is to drill it out, but to do that the plentum has to be removed because the bolt is directly underneath it. So after alot of drilling (I guess the bolt hardened from being close to melted by the torch) we finally get the stud out. Today, my plan was to put everything back together, but in order to get the plentum back on, I removed the runners on one side. Next thing you know the whole day is wasted from me trying to get the 15 year old gasket off the manifold, and it still isnt all off! So tommrow im gonna take the fuel rails off to get the spots that I missed on the manifold. If I was on flat rate, I would be screwed

 

Plenum not plentum

 

Two little lessons here

1. When you do have a broken bolt and enough is left exposed, before grabbing it, hit it real hard with a hammer, that will "shock" the bolt, and generally break it free that it will come right out.

2. If 1 doesnt work, and you have a little time, take a small amount of brake fluid and pour it on the broken bolt, this is the best penatrating oil you have ever seen, just dont use on or around a painted surface. Then do step 1 again and the bolt will come out.

 

Yup, tried it.

 

....and by the way, this is all happening at school and I only have 3 hrs. of shop time a day to work on it. Today I took the fuel rail off to get every last piece of gasket on the manifold and also got the fuel rail back on with all new injector seals. Hopefully tommrow everything will be back together.:blah:

 

is it not summer break. Im a good half way through mine

 

I didnt take a summer break so that I can graduate earlier. But I did finish it today, but I lost the clips that hold the throttle cable and the cruise control cable on. I will try the local chevy dealer and see if they have any. At the moment my throttle is held on by a paper clip

 

The best penetrating oil known to man is Aerokroil! This stuff has helped me break countless stiff bolts. I would highly recommend it to anyone.

 

This is why we have that stuff called ANTISEIZE !



T.

 

I put antiseize on. And next time ask before you assume

 

What ever!