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Old 09-25-2020, 04:35 PM
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ignaro ignaro is offline
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Default Dammit.

Y'know, this old bolt is kinda tough going into the new intake.... SNAP!

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Old 09-25-2020, 04:43 PM
grandam1979 grandam1979 is offline
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It looks like the intake is still far away from the front cover did you already have the other bolts tight? The threads on that bolt look very bad hopefully it wasn’t like that before you installed it?

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Old 09-25-2020, 05:02 PM
Joe's Garage Joe's Garage is offline
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Default OUCH !!

Been there and done that, many, many moons ago.

You only make that mistake once..........

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Old 09-25-2020, 05:56 PM
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Get the punch and drill out.. Every Pontiac gear head should have about 10 of these under there belt.. lol..


Oh ya next time run a tap in every threaded hole and grease them..

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Old 09-25-2020, 05:57 PM
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You must have a helluva grip between your thumb and shooting finger.

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Old 09-25-2020, 06:28 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by grandam1979 View Post
It looks like the intake is still far away from the front cover did you already have the other bolts tight? The threads on that bolt look very bad hopefully it wasn’t like that before you installed it?
I admit they were bad. Some had been flattened somehow, I ran them through an old tap to clean them up. The beginning of the bolt went in fine, then it snapped around 20 ft-lbs, i'd guess. I should've stopped when things got tight.

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Old 09-25-2020, 06:51 PM
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1)Never install one without coating it with Never Seize.

2) Chase the manifold threads with a 1/4 inch bottom tap, and run a die over the bolt threads before installation.

3) Make sure the bolt won't bottom out in the hole due to rust and dirt, or being too long. Test the threads on it before installing it.


I lay the intake on the gaskets just start the bolts. I tighten the by pass bolt until the rear of the manifold just barely lifts up, stop, it's tight enough. Then torque the manifold bolts.
I've installed Pontiac manifolds dozens of times, if you follow those tips you shouldn't have problems snapping the 1/4 inch bypass bolts off. It's not a picnic trying to remove the broken off piece, and still save the intake manifold threads.

Hopefully my post will help someone avoid the unpleasant task of removing the broken bolt.

The other alternative is to use another undamaged crossover, and split the damaged water crossover from your intake.

Good luck...........

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Old 09-25-2020, 07:21 PM
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When I have broken bolts like that I just break out the mig welder and weld a bolt to it. Haven’t had one yet that won’t just crank right back out. Just did a stripped out brake caliper bolt recently.

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Old 09-25-2020, 08:33 PM
KEN CROCIE KEN CROCIE is offline
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I like left handed drill bits. more reliable than easy outs.

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Old 09-25-2020, 08:48 PM
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The silver lining is that you can carry the manifold over to the workbench where you can have good light and a good position to work on it. The real bummer is snapping off a timing cover bolt in the block and getting it out by hanging from your toes in the engine compartment.

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Old 09-25-2020, 08:53 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ignaro View Post
I admit they were bad. Some had been flattened somehow, I ran them through an old tap to clean them up. The beginning of the bolt went in fine, then it snapped around 20 ft-lbs, i'd guess. I should've stopped when things got tight.
20ft/lbs? I didn't look it up - but I'd guess it is less than that. ??12-15ft/lbs? maybe.

And yeah, start the intake bolts to heads first - but wait until this bolt is done before you tighten those. Plenty of blue sealant too.

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Old 09-26-2020, 05:10 AM
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That long thin one is a spongy bastard, can be hard to get a feel for how tight it is.

What all those guys above said.

Will probably come out pretty easy, might be able to just take a center punch and urge it counter clockwise enough to thread it out.

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Old 09-26-2020, 09:27 AM
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Yep Antiseize!

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Old 09-26-2020, 10:22 AM
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Yeah that sucks! I'm probably the only idiot that did it twice though. LOL. Getting a bolt out of aluminum is tougher than steel in my experience. I once got three Muncie shifter bolts out that were snapped, I could believe how soft the metal was. It requires patience!!

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Old 09-26-2020, 12:33 PM
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Haven't used a bolt in that location in decades. Instead I cut a piece of stainless steel threaded rod and use a stainless steel nut on the end of it.

Far less likely to break anything or pull the threads out of an aluminum water crossover..........

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Old 09-26-2020, 02:26 PM
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not a high torque bolt. should be able to tread in by hand and snug it, that's it.

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Old 09-26-2020, 03:07 PM
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You'll break the next one if you keep on tightening to 20 foot pounds. All you need to do is snug it down (10-12 ftlbs) and THEN tighten the other intake bolts.

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Old 09-26-2020, 03:26 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cliff R View Post
Haven't used a bolt in that location in decades. Instead I cut a piece of stainless steel threaded rod and use a stainless steel nut on the end of it.

Far less likely to break anything or pull the threads out of an aluminum water crossover..........
I agree Cliff, very good idea on any Pontiac intake. I think I'll try that on my next one.

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Old 09-26-2020, 07:14 PM
mgarblik mgarblik is offline
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The key to getting that broken stub out is to start out right. Take the intake off. Use a dremel tool or a 3" angle grinder and disc or a mill file and get that stub as flat as you possibly can. Then center punch it just as perfectly straight as possible. Then use a nice sharp 1/8" drill bit and go all the way through as straight as you can. Then a 3/16". I think that bolt is 5/16" not 1/4" as mentioned, but keep making it larger until you can use an extractor to take it out. It is the factory bolt, so it isn't bottomed out. It should come out pretty easily. If you have access to left hand bits, it may screw itself out once you get to 3/16" size or larger. I have to deal with broken fasteners like this at lease once a week. Some come in that way, some I cause. We all make mistakes.

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Old 09-26-2020, 07:20 PM
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Half-Inch Stud Half-Inch Stud is offline
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Broke that bolt about 35 years ago. Once. Since then it's Thread prep and "Favorite cut Water Crossovers"

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