# at wits end for turbo bolts :*(



## Krissrock (Sep 10, 2005)

:facepalm:

I'm replacing the headers and downpipe...

downpipe is off...I'm attempted to remove the turbo now and i'm having no luck with the bolts. 

I've soaked in NutBuster for days, 

I've attempted to the E14 Socket from the research I've found on here, it doesn't seat very well at all :thumbdown:

I've attemped with an impact wrench :banghead:

I'm attempted to heat up part of the turbo where the bolts is threaded in with a propane torch..and using various bits such as these 


















All of these just slip off, and are starting to round off the turbo bolt :thumbdown:

Now, I have these, but I don't want to use them as the ****ers costed $30











I don't feel comfortable attempting to remove the head. Does anyone have an idea of what else I could do beside push this down the street to a garage?


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## Doooglasss (Aug 28, 2009)

Drill the heads off. Reference playedTT's thread for a photo of me doing it. 

You're going to need good drill bits (read: not Home Depot/harbor freight) and some good cutting oil. 

The E14 socket should have taken them off, unfortunately apparently it doesn't always work...


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## warranty225cpe (Dec 3, 2008)

I've found that heat is the best thing to brake bolts like that loose. I'd hit it with a torch then try it again.


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## Dowski12 (Nov 2, 2011)

I cut the heads off and just replaced the turbo...haha...to each his own


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## deepblueT (Jan 26, 2008)

do you have any old 12 point sockets that you can hammer on a little bit smaller socket and try that? i have had my own run-ins with turbo bolts on my old DSM's they eventually just break and leave you with a seazed bolt in the flange of the turbo. at least the turbo is off though


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## 20v master (May 7, 2009)

DougLoBue said:


> Drill the heads off.



Yup.


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## Krissrock (Sep 10, 2005)

DougLoBue said:


> Drill the heads off. Reference playedTT's thread for a photo of me doing it.
> 
> You're going to need good drill bits (read: not Home Depot/harbor freight) and some good cutting oil.
> 
> The E14 socket should have taken them off, unfortunately apparently it doesn't always work...


I'll look for it. I don't where else i'd get bits from. Lowes has some good bits, just not Dewalt and Kobalt



warranty225cpe said:


> I've found that heat is the best thing to brake bolts like that loose. I'd hit it with a torch then try it again.


I don't think the propane is getting it hot enough... apparently I need acetylene...but that's a big investment. I was hoping to not have to completely remove the turbo and redo the coolant/oil lines...but I doubt i'll be able to get the rest of the bolts out the turbo while laying on my engine bay


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## 20v master (May 7, 2009)

Krissrock said:


> I don't think the propane is getting it hot enough...apparently I need acetylene


Correct, the blue wrench.


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## [email protected] (May 14, 2009)

Krissrock said:


> I'll look for it. I don't where else i'd get bits from. Lowes has some good bits, just not Dewalt and Kobalt
> 
> 
> 
> I don't think the propane is getting it hot enough... apparently I need acetylene...but that's a big investment. I was hoping to not have to completely remove the turbo and redo the coolant/oil lines...but I doubt i'll be able to get the rest of the bolts out the turbo while laying on my engine bay



You can rent some tanks for not too much money. But you are going to need to get those bolts to 300deg or one or two times, then spray with Kroil, then heat again, let cool to about 150 deg and they should come loose. 

Pictures of the condition of the bolts?


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## Krissrock (Sep 10, 2005)

[email protected] said:


> You can rent some tanks for not too much money. But you are going to need to get those bolts to 300deg or one or two times, then spray with Kroil, then heat again, let cool to about 150 deg and they should come loose.
> 
> Pictures of the condition of the bolts?


not rounded at all yet...the e14 socket just doesn't seat deep enough. The heads on these bolts are pretty low/shallow. 










I've already bought two drill bits to drill 'em out


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## D2O (May 12, 2012)

I used a impact driver to get mine off, such as this with an impact E14. As for using heat if you have a propane tank it is likely worth a try. Acetylene will get it hot enough to soften and anneal everything. With the propane you are just trying to get the holes to thermally expand while not heating the bolts to reduce the friction.


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## Krissrock (Sep 10, 2005)

awww snap. I already have that too. I didn't even think to try that...

I already started drillin...but there's still plenty of head left on it for me to give that a whack. 

i'll heat it up again and then bang on it with that. 

thanks


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## toy4two2 (Feb 6, 2012)

I've had good luck with CRC Freeze Off. I would do two passes with it, first time just let it sit for 20 minutes for the first session, then come back and refreeze and then try to remove it. I have Metrinch spanners and sockets that also help. 

Combine a freeze then heat cycle with the torch I would be surprised if they don't come off.

Drilling out really isn't that bad and always works.


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## lite1979 (Sep 9, 2005)

PB Blaster, heat, a hammer and a chisel got my stubborn one out. It took a while, though.

Have you tried mapp gas?


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## darrenbyrnes (Jan 4, 2005)

lite1979 said:


> Have you tried mapp gas?


I was about suggest a MAPP gas torch. That **** melts glass...

:beer::beer::beer:


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## [email protected] (May 14, 2009)

I would use those "turbo sockets" pound them on. Then heat the manifold till its pretty hot (200 deg) should expand the area around the bolt that you pounded the turbo socket onto by .0005". Then sneak up on it with the impact to get it out. 

If all else fails, you might want to pull the manifold and turbo out in once piece and then deal with it outside the car.


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## Krissrock (Sep 10, 2005)

that map gas **** looks pretty scary. I don't like to play with fire  I was nervous enough using the propane torch for the first time..i'll see if I can find it though. 

I'm gonna look for the crc freeze too...

I've widdled down the furthest top bolt, so i'm gonna have to continue to cut it off, but the other two bolts will be much hard to heat, so I will mostly still have to get them unscrewed. 

thanks for all the input so far.


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## speed51133! (Aug 5, 2002)

i just used those sears sockets and a breaker bar.


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## lite1979 (Sep 9, 2005)

Don't be scared of mapp gas. Just use gloves. PB Blaster helps, too. If it makes you feel any better, when I did mine, I had to take the manifold off the head and put it in a vice to get the darn bolts off. It sucked.


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## speed51133! (Aug 5, 2002)

map gas sucks. its just a small step above propane.

propane will not do crap, dont even bother with it.

may as well take a grinder to the bolt heads.


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## warranty225cpe (Dec 3, 2008)

Theres a deep penetrant called "GT Buster" that is supposed to make PB blaster look like crazy glue. Not sure if it can be sourced locally, but Ive used it and its pretty serious stuff.


http://fierychill.com/gemtech-gt-buster-arm-buster-penetrating-lube


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## Krissrock (Sep 10, 2005)

I picked up the CRC Freeze Off today... a grinder wheel, and a dremel cutting wheel! 

i'm gonna get at least one bolt off tonight if it kills me!!


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## Krissrock (Sep 10, 2005)

lite1979 said:


> when I did mine, I had to take the manifold off the head and put it in a vice to get the darn bolts off. It sucked.


isn't the turbo blocking some of the header bolts on the drivers side? 



speed51133! said:


> i just used those sears sockets and a breaker bar.


those sears/craftsman socket ground away like they were made of plastic...I was very disappointed cause they actually gripped the bolt very well


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## lite1979 (Sep 9, 2005)

Krissrock said:


> isn't the turbo blocking some of the header bolts on the drivers side?


Bolts? It's just nuts holding the manifold on, iirc. I was actually surprised at how easy taking the manifold was after having wrestled with those torx bolts for so long.

Take the 12pt Sears socket back and they'll probably give you a new one. I did this when my buddy ground down my E14, and they replaced it no questions asked. If we hadn't rounded the head so badly after grinding it, I probably could have gotten away with a breaker/cheater bar and just the E14 socket, but you live and learn. 

Do you have any large pipes that you can put over your breaker bar for more torque? Your bolt heads are all in good shape still; I'd try the right reverse torx socket and a breaker bar/hammer/cheater bar


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## Krissrock (Sep 10, 2005)

e14 (inverse torx) just doesn't seat well enough...I can't keep enough downward pressure on it to keep it seated while turning the breaker bar...

I was successful in getting the top bolt loose. I used a dremel cutting wheel and began to cut under the head...after all that work, when I was trying pry it out, it just started turn with the head still on...

I attempted to use the CRC freeze on the next bolt, then use the impact gun with e14...it only took a few pumps before it started to spin and round the head. I then tried it with the breaker bar, and it just wouldn't stay put. so no i'm grinding down that one since I can't fit a cutting wheel in between the runners of the mani

I got one though!


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