67 Year Old Head Bolts

[Crosbyman]

I use my hammers. It’s all the other tools I’ve collected over the years.

Have a hard time passing up quality tools at a bargain whether I’ll ever use them or not.

A boxed set of Starrett precision machinist squares from a guy down the road for $3.

A full set of Snap on, 1/2 and 3/8” drive torx bits at a local thrift shop for $6

A 12” x 12” granite surface plate for $20 at a flea market.

Unfortunately. I could go on and on…lol

just make certain your estate is willed to someone who will appreciate your quality tools otherwise they will become bargains at a local thrift store again. !

 

[tphoyt]

That’s more than likely what will happen to mine. My kids didn’t follow the handyman path.
Maybe my son will keep some stuff but I doubt it. I’m sure he will get top dollar though he’s a great businessman.

 

[rolmops]

I use my hammers. It’s all the other tools I’ve collected over the years.

Have a hard time passing up quality tools at a bargain whether I’ll ever use them or not.

A boxed set of Starrett precision machinist squares from a guy down the road for $3.

A full set of Snap on, 1/2 and 3/8” drive torx bits at a local thrift shop for $6

A 12” x 12” granite surface plate for $20 at a flea market.

Unfortunately. I could go on and on…lol

some guys have all the luck

 

[racerone]

Did the bolts come out ?

 

[saltchuckmatt]

Yes, Racerone is going to get us back on track.

Nice to know!

 

[LaqueRatt]

Got the replacement head cleaned up and ready to install. Gasket showed up a few hours ago. Found a NOS OMC gasket that retails for $42, on ebay for $13! Today smacked the bolt heads a few times with a drift pin and a ball peen and then soaked them with PBB. I can't imagine much if any making it down to the actual threads though.

Going to try to get the head off tomorrow. I'd apply some heat if thought it would do any good. Those threads are pretty well protected under the gasket it seems. Heating up the entire power head with a torch seems a bit futile. Wouldn't the alum just act like a big heat sink and bleed the heat away right quickly? I only have a medium size torch set. Not a big one like a real shop has.

 

[tphoyt]

I wouldn’t over think this until you have to.
They may just come out as they should. If not then start ramping things up as needed.

 

[Crosbyman]

sorry for not backtracking.. if compressiion is OK I would not mess with the bolts... if you want to "see" inside get a cheap endoscope on amazon.

 

[Mc Tool]

Got the replacement head cleaned up and ready to install. Gasket showed up a few hours ago. Found a NOS OMC gasket that retails for $42, on ebay for $13! Today smacked the bolt heads a few times with a drift pin and a ball peen and then soaked them with PBB. I can't imagine much if any making it down to the actual threads though.

Going to try to get the head off tomorrow. I'd apply some heat if thought it would do any good. Those threads are pretty well protected under the gasket it seems. Heating up the entire power head with a torch seems a bit futile. Wouldn't the alum just act like a big heat sink and bleed the heat away right quickly? I only have a medium size torch set. Not a big one like a real shop has.

Even heating and cooling a few times can help the pbb to wick its way in . Heating the side of the block where the bolts go in helps too .
Patience is a real bonus here, sometimes you have to persuade on a bolt for a few days of overnight soaks and heat cycles and hammers to get it to see things your way .

 

[racerone]

Is that plug thread stripped out ?

 

[LaqueRatt]

Yes, the plug hole is stripped. While adjusting the carb it died and wouldn't start. I pulled the plugs and the one came out along with the threads from the head. Argh! I don't even know how that could happen. My attempt to put in a threaded sleeve didn't work, so now I'm stuck replacing the head.

It's going pretty much like I figured it would. 3 of 10 bolts snapped even using PBB, wax, heat, and banging on them first. I forgot to pray though. Maybe that's where I screwed up.

Was able to get the two snapped upper bolts out, but the lower one that is pretty much impossible to drill won't come out. The stub was too short for vice grips (of course!) so I cut a slot in it and did my best to wiggle it out with a screwdriver after heating it as hot as I could. Now half of what is left broke off. What do now? I've heard you can weld a nut on, but never actually tried it. Guess that's about my only option now except for pulling the power head or maybe.......drilling a damned hole through the housing so I can get a drill with a long bit in there?

I know nobody will like this idea, but what if I just left that one bolt off? Any chance it would still seal?

 

[LaqueRatt]

One more thing. Maybe this is a contributing factor in why the bolts are seized up. The parting line between the head and motor has a lot of paint coming off. Does this indicate it got really hot maybe? Or just a sign of age? Seems odd to me.