first off, i have used the search function and seem to be going in circles and have already tried a few methods and i hope this is in the right forum bc i couldnt decide if it belonged in here, in lt1/lt4 engine tech, or in exhaust forum...anyway...

the passenger side install of my new pacesetter lt's is done and i was almost completely finished the drivers side when i realized that a part of the old bolts from the stock manifolds had broken off inside the head it was the 5th bolt back on the drivers side towards the firewall...of course it couldnt be the last one so i could leave it in there and just use the other hole...how am i supposed to get this bolt out?! i have tried getting a drill with a 90 deg. extension in there but the drill bit will not pierce the bolt, and i have a poor angle because the steering knuckle is in the way...any other ideas???? this is irritating me and has been like this for about a week now...id like to make progress soon and get the car back on the road...

 

To do it properly without damaging anything further, you'll probably just have to pull the head.

 

I agree. Sucks for you, but you'll spend less time sucking it up, pulling the head, and getting it done than d!cking around with trying to fix the problem in the car.

Alternately, I've heard dropping the K-member is pretty simple. Maybe you can do that to get access and foregoe head yankage.

 

If you have another bolt hole you can use on the end of the head, that will allow you to bolt the header up, just shear the bolt off with Dremel and a cutoff wheel and go on. You can fix the bolt later, when you pull the heads off sometime in the future.

[edit] I just re-read and it looks like it's not the last bolt, so I guess your stuck.

 

They are called 'easy outs', Craftsman makes some. You will have to pull the head as you need to get a pilot hole going, the removers work very well.

 

Have you called around to see if there is someone in your area who does "bolt extraction"?

 

i tried gettin the pilot hole going as it sits in the car but i cant get a good enough angle to start it...the drill bit just slides and i dont want to damage the head so i stopped trying that...and no i havent called around for bolt extraction in my area..what kind of shop would do that work??
also, if i decide to pull the head, what kind of work is involved in that and what new parts, if any, would i need other than a new head gasket??

 

Head gasket, Intake gasket, Exhaust gasket, you should also drain the coolant and oil. And I'm not sure if the headbolts are stretch type on lt1s but you might need new headbolts as well, while its off i'd get it checked for straightness and if its warped remachine it (shouldnt be warped though but its best to check)

 

I'll give you a bad advice. How deep inside head it broke? If you have enough threads to put a shortened bolt here, I would do it and forget about it till heads-time. I've seen hand-tight header bolt (no locking, backed after several heat-cycles) without any leaks. It depends, how strong header flanges are and gasket quality.
To make it right... you need to pull head, sorry.

 

How much of the bolt is showing? is it broke off approx even with the machined surface or above or below?

 

[QUOTE=khojo16;4459930] i have tried getting a drill with a 90 deg. extension in there but the drill bit will not pierce the bolt, and i have a poor angle because the steering knuckle is in the way...QUOTE]

Try taking the steering connector (for lack of a better term) out. It will most likely be a pain, but should give yo some room. Then get a set of screw extractors (available from Sears) or get a good sharp HSS (high speed steel)bit - use a center punch to get a good starting point for the extractor or bit. Once you get either the hole drilled for the easy out or screw extractor in there, you can use a propane torch and a bee's wax candle to break the corrosion between the bolt and the head. Heat the extractor which will heat the bolt - it should not take very much and then put the candle on the bolt and let the wax soak-in. When it cools down, you should be able to back the bolt out.

 

Another possible solution depending on what you have access to and how much of the bolt it sticking out is to weld another bolt head to the piece that is sticking out and try to remove it that way, but I doubt there is enough room to do that.

This is not the recommended way, just a suggestion.

 

biggest problem is that the bolt is inside the head by about 1/4 inch...
so i am really getting frustrated with this now and absolutely do NOT want to pull the head...i need to figure out every possible way to get this out without pullin the head out

 

Drop the engine out the bottom so you will have room to work on it.

 

"easy outs" work great for removing broken bolts like that. I would try using an easy out before you do anything else... you can find them at sears http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...cemldffidflk.0 or http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...seBVCookie=Yes