Seized Header Bolts

[Nate91kat]

I've got a 91 600 with a full Yoshimura exhaust. I'm trying to take the exhaust off to install a shift kit and paint the pipes. The bike was parked outside for a bout 3 years before I bought it 2 years ago. The header bolts won't move. I tried some liquid wrench, let it sit overnight, tried some more, still they won't budge.

Anyone have a suggestion? What can I do to get the bolts off?

Thanks

[SweetLou]

Get a portable torch, and heat up the bolts (Or if the bike runs, let it run for a while to get the bolts nice and hot)

Then try it. I have had to get bolts red hot before to get them off.

Another tool you could try would be a air hammer, but it would be a tight reach trying to get the bolts out with the front end on. You would also need access to a air compresor.

Corey and I just pulled out my old engine, and put in the new one. That air hammer works wonders, let me tell you.

[arsenic]

yeah Lou hit the nail on the head with that. Heat is your best bet with seized bolts. Take a MAPP gas torch, heat the bolts up real good and they will com right out, maybe wack it with a hammer a few times too just to loosen it up.

[UFO8MyCow]

Corey and I just pulled out my old engine, and put in the new one. That air hammer works wonders, let me tell you.

Are you going to tell them what you did with it?

[SweetLou]

Ok, since Corey want to bring it up.

I decided to see if it hurt if you used the air hammer on yourself. SO I put it on my thigh, and pulled the trigger.


Yes.



It Hurts.



A Lot.












Really bad too.





Don't try it at home.




It has been 4 days, and it is still sore where it hit. But hey, it sure does remove stuck bolts easy!

[The CyberPoet]

Impact driver with a 8mm allen key head, or a set of vice-grips on the outside of the bolt. The heat trick is definitely +1. Once you get the bolts out, check them for condition -- if the heads are eaten up, replace them. Either way, coat them with antiseize paste before reinstalling to help prevent this from rehappening. I found stainless steel replacements at my local ace hardware this past week -- cleaned him out, so he has to order more, but if anyone else wants some, PM me.

As for the headers, seriously consider getting them powdercoated with jetcoat or equivilent. If they are rusted up, it will save you a lot of aggrevation (since sand-blasting is part of the process), and if you price-shop, you should be able to find a powdercoater to do it for $130 or cheaper in your own area. If you don't got that route, find some rust converter before attempting to paint them -- there are products that will convert the rust to magnetite, a metal that won't rust further and is perfectly paintable.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[arsenic]

Impact driver with a 8mm allen key head, or a set of vice-grips on the outside of the bolt. The heat trick is definitely +1. Once you get the bolts out, check them for condition -- if the heads are eaten up, replace them. Either way, coat them with antiseize paste before reinstalling to help prevent this from rehappening. I found stainless steel replacements at my local ace hardware this past week -- cleaned him out, so he has to order more, but if anyone else wants some, PM me.

As for the headers, seriously consider getting them powdercoated with jetcoat or equivilent. If they are rusted up, it will save you a lot of aggrevation (since sand-blasting is part of the process), and if you price-shop, you should be able to find a powdercoater to do it for $130 or cheaper in your own area. If you don't got that route, find some rust converter before attempting to paint them -- there are products that will convert the rust to magnetite, a metal that won't rust further and is perfectly paintable.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

+1 on the impact, and the anit seize. By rust converter do you mean POR-15? Used that on my tank and it is awesome. I'm sure that would work on the pipes as well. +1 on the powdercoat. Personally I'd get them ceremic coated it's not cheap, but it cuts way down on the heat transfering through the pipes, and is bulletproof strong.

[md86]

If you don't got that route, find some rust converter before attempting to paint them -- there are products that will convert the rust to magnetite, a metal that won't rust further and is perfectly paintable.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

I'd like to know more about that ! And I used an impact driver on mine to break 'em free .

[The CyberPoet]

As for the headers, seriously consider getting them powdercoated with jetcoat or equivilent....

+1 on the impact, and the anit seize. By rust converter do you mean POR-15? Used that on my tank and it is awesome. I'm sure that would work on the pipes as well. +1 on the powdercoat. Personally I'd get them ceremic coated it's not cheap, but it cuts way down on the heat transfering through the pipes, and is bulletproof strong.

I don't know if POR-15 has the rust-converter or not; you'd have to call them and ask or scan their website. I suspect they do, but am not sure.

On the other hand, there are products out there for the car and boat industries that do this conversion... scrape off the loose metal, brush on the converter and let it work. The result is a black metal called magnetite that won't rust, is as strong as steel and can be painted. Guys with rusted out floor-boards in old cars use this stuff to salvage what's there when feasible. Do a google search for rust converter or rust converter + magnetite.

Finally, on the powdercoat end, JetCoat is a tradename for the powdercoat product I was talking about; many powdercoaters can do it (if they have ovens that go hot enough), and it is aluminum oxide and ceramic, and is the only powdercoat product suitable for exhaust headers. It's the same as the "ceramic" treatment that Arsenic is talking about. Standard powdercoating (plastics) will not work on exhaust headers because of the temps. I wasn't worried you'd get confused because the powdercoater would be sure to point it out to you...

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[SweetLou]

Also, if using anti-seize, use a high temp one. It is copper in color (Has copper in it). Just to help with the high heat of the header bolts.

[Yellow]

A small thread-hijack - what would you use when replacing exhaust gaskets; do you buy the OEM? I'm a bit cheap, and find $3.55 each a bit steep for what it is...

[Nate91kat]

Ran my engine last night for about 25 minutes, the bolts finally came out.
Thanks for your help guys.
I've got some high temp anti-seize I'll put on as well as some new exhaust gaskets.
Thanks again to all who replied.

[arsenic]

Yep heat will do it everytime. Now the real question, how many burns do you have on your hands and forearms today?

[Nate91kat]

Yep heat will do it everytime. Now the real question, how many burns do you have on your hands and forearms today?

I thought about that, I grabbed some old oven mitts from the kitchen before i started messing with the bolts-0 burns.

[arsenic]

good man, way to think ahead. I usually just grab stuff and burn the sh*# out of myself.