Broken Exhaust Bolt In Head

[Jeffreyjack]

This really burns my britches. The two nicest days of the year and I am without a ride.
Simple job. Take off old, full of holes, rusted exhaust and put on new bright shiny clean one. Left side come off no problem. Right side..oh look, I never noticed that there was a bolt missing here...and then....oomph....this one broke off, too! Damn!
Ok...drill out the center of one. Get a nice little hardened steel bolt retracter...turn it counter clock wise.....Damn! That broke off too!
What now?
I mean really. What now?
I have about a half a cm to work with on one bolt and nothing sticking out on the one with the hardened steel piece inside.
I could really use anyone's advise and help here.


Thanks,
JJ

[BuzZz]

The sad fact is, you will probably be etter off removing the head and having the busted bolt removed and repaired, either by you or a machine shop. You have limited room, a ruined, hardned extractor in there.... going any farther with it in place will most likely F-it up more.

Sorry..... but that's just my

[mswarrior]

My brother ran into the same problem and found that the head he found on ebay was cheaper then repairing the one he had with snapped bolts. aggree with Buzzz, you might screw it more yourself or take it off and get someone else to do it. Worse case is that it gets machined to a bigger bolt.

[Jeffreyjack]

Ok...looking on ebay sounds like a good idea or maybe a scrapyard.

Now, I was just wondering. If one bolt was already missing and I didn't know it...and I used the bike all last summer ....Can't one bolt hold the pipe in place? Just until I get a replacement?

ie...can I use it as it is?

I figure I already know the answer I just want to hear someone else say it.

Thanks.

JJ

[mswarrior]

LOL, go for it. I just hope you get a good seal.

[poppygene]

LOL, go for it. I just hope you get a good seal.

Me too! It's a quick way to burn a valve, JJ. Sorry you're having troubles, but hey, you got lotsa bikes... surely one of them runs! Hope so... springtime is here!

[Norman]

you might try to remove the broken off extractor by placing a nut on the broken extractor and either gas welding it through the nuts threads or using a wire feed welder and doing the same thing it can be tough to do but I've had luck with this way of removeing broken off bolts and bolts with broken off extractors. Last resort is to take the head off go to a machine shop and have the shop put it in a mill and mill or drill it out.
Good luck Norman

[2 Wheel Virgin]

I'm with Norman. I deal with broken bolts and taps a lot at work. We typically will TIG weld a bead on top of the bolts slowly making a pile that looks like a little snowman. Then between the heat and a good bite with some vise grips they will typically screw out.... exploded taps are a different story. I would maybe check with a local welding shop. Good luck.