EGR removal '87 TPI 350, hex bolt stripped! Help
 

EGR just went out and now I have to remove the TPI just to get to it! Heck of a job. Anway, the hex head bolts are a pain and I stripped one of them out. I have tried everything I know to do to get that bolt out and nothing works. Can you give me some ideas what to do!

thanks...

just get a hex socket size t40 and it will take em right out pulling all of that off is a 10 min job

I will try that but it is stripped pretty bad.. Any other ideas..

Use an easy-out.

heat it up red hot with a torch and hit the top with a hammer to loosen it.

Don't take what I'm about to say in the wrong manner....

You have turned a simple 15 minute job into a couple hour job by attempting something you know nothing about and botching it.

Next time ask on the boards before you jump in with both feet. Things will go that much smoother.

usually turning a bolt isn't over the head of most people... he just unfortunately stripped it and now he's got to deal with it. The problem is, most of these suggestions won't work because you can't get right on top of the bolt due to the EGR valve being in the way. He got himself into quite a jam. If it happened to me, I think I'd grind the head off the bolt, get the EGR valve out of there, then deal with getting the stud out of the hole.

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And while I'm at it, I think the folks at Accel deserve a swift kick in the nuts. My stock manifold used special bolts with a large thread pitch, but a small 10mm head so that you could fit a wrench under the EGR valve. Accel decides to use a different thread pitch, so I can't use my stock bolts. The bolts they supplied (allen head) are too short. http://web.camaross.com/bb/mad.gif

So.. I have to go buy bolts. I can't fit an allen socket on there because the EGR valve is in the way, and I can't tighten it to my liking with an allen wrench. So.. I buy hex head bolts, except with the huge thread pitch Accel chose, I need a 1/2" head. The 1/2" wrench BARELY fits in there. I had to turn the bolt 1/16th turn at a time. http://web.camaross.com/bb/rolleyes.gif I can't wait to try taking that off in 2 years after things are all boogered up.

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Well, I know exactly what I am doing and if I need any research done, I do it before the job. You spoke out of line because you do not know me or my work ethic. The egr job was no big deal to do, may be 30 mins or so.

My problem was I had a bolt that I stripped out. One of the 8 hex bolts on the TPI. After I got it out, I figured out it was out of my control. The head of the bolt was stuck or seized to the TPI so it would not turn no matter what I did or would of tried.

So, next time think a little and remember that you do not know everyone's situation.

Thank-you for your advise! I tried a tap and dye first, but the dye broke off (read the previous note by me, above). So I had to grind the head off, well as much as I could, and use a chisel and knock the rest of the head off. After that, the stud turned with my fingers! 20 mins or so later, the car was purring like a kitten! I guess it is pretty common for a bolt or so to seize up after 15 years and the first removal! : ) But, now it is all better, my brother has his car, and did not have to pay a mechanic tons of money...

Thanks again everyone....

good job man ,you saved your brother some money,now he can spend it on making the car better.if it was your first time taking the t.p.i apart ,don't worry about how long it takes worry about paying attention to how things came apart.first time i did it ,took me 20 minutes to figure out there was damn bolt under the tpi on the inside for the runner(lol)after your first time taking it apart it will be a 10 minute job.those torx bits can be a pain in the ass if they are worn.my fist time i took it apart the handy little plastic inserts on the gaskets broke off.i couldn't figure out how to get em out.i saw my fishing rod sitting there ,and used a fishiing hook bent straight,works great.it's all fun and games till you do the motor mounts

Sorry man, I guess I was a d!ck that day. Musta had road rage or something.... http://web.camaross.com/bb/confused.gif

No problem. I understand those days! Take it easy...

I feel your pain, those damn Torx bolts like to strip out, even w/ the proper bit. I replaced all my TPI bolts w/ stainless Allen head bolts. They look better and are a breeze to remove.

When I did my last motor swap, the damn Torx bolts used to bolt the Powersteering bracket to teh block stripped out and I had to pull the motor w/ the brack still attached, so I just used a 3/8" dril bit and drilled the head off (at least w/ Torx bits, they are already center punched http://web.camaross.com/bb/wink.gif) and then the actual bolt came right out...

Glad you got it http://web.camaross.com/bb/biggrin.gif

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