ok so I started taking the head off today, so I could look at it. I start taking the head studs off, and I get to the last one.

The owner before me had started working on them, and apparently he tried to get this one head stud off and stripped it...

Now its one of the two studs thats in the back by the firewall so its a PITA to get to in the first place.. but does anyone have any idea how to get this *#(@ thing off?

Me and my dad are gonna try some things, but I wanted to know if other people have had problems with this and what they've done.

 

Is the block stripped?

 

no, the head bolt is. its still in the head and the block. I can't get it out, because where the allen key goes is stripped.

 

can you get at it w/ vicegrips?

 

the area back there is soooooooooooooooo small, there's almost no room even for my fingers to get around the bolt.. so I doubt it...

 

Vicegrips will not be able to even turn the head bolt. I say the best thing is to pull the motor out and hammer a socket onto the bolt and take it out.

 

see thats the thing. I do NOT want to take the engine out either. I do not have the time for that. and we tried to do a socket thing.. but that too is impossible. there is barely any space between the bolt and the sides of the inside of the head, so putting something over it is impossible unless I shave parts of the inside of the head.. which i won't do.

 

Weld a socket to it.....good luck

 

I had the same issue a few years back. I went to the hardware store and purchased a large metal drill bit and drilled through the head of the bolt. once the head of the bolt was completely destroyed, the bolt just screwed right out of the engine block, took me 10 minutes tops.

If you choose this method make sure to get the head hot tanked before reassmebly or you may get metal shaving in your engine.

 

ugh how annoying. the guy above me has a great method. that would be your best bet. good luck

 

Also, when drilling take your time and be careful not to drill through the cylinder head hole that the bolt slides into.

 

Drilling it as mentioned is a great idea and maybe the only one that will actually work with the engine in the car still. I know this sounds lame, but another option may be to clean the bolt head really well with brake clean. Then mix up some jb weld, fill the bolt head with it, then stick the hex socket into the wet jb weld. Let it cure for the recommended time, and then try to break the bolt loose.

 

i wouldnt drill them just yet. OP is it possible to get another allen key in there maybe the next size up or a fractional size? i encountered the same problem, hammer a larger size allen in and it came right out. granted mine was on an engine stand but same concept

 

That's a good idea too. Maybe even cross into standard sizes also to see if one is just slightly larger.

 

Yep, great ideas here...

I would hammer a bigger tool and see if it bites then drill...