Frozen Bolts

[gra511]

I was attempting to remove my starter ,I could only get one bolt out,the other 2 refused to co-operate. I sprayed WD 40, I had a 1/2 inch breaker bar with a 3foot pipe and still couldn't break the bolt loose. My impact would not turn it either. Is there anything else I can try?, Dail -A Prayer didn't help either!My truck is a 86 superliner,350. thank you.

[Firemack]

jgraham,

I had a similar problem with a 707 starter last year. I used a large drift pin and 2 pound sledge and hit the bolt on dead center to break the threads loose. It took a few minutes of hitting the bolt and trying the long breaker bar to finally get them loose. If you have 2 people then have one person put tension on the bolt with a wrench and the other hits the center of bolt head with the drift pin and hammer. Also try tightening direction first then backing them off. You can also try an impact tool with a hammer instead of just using the air gun.

I actually think some air gun jockey had torqued them up.

If that didn't work the next step was going to heat them with a torch, but then you need new bolts.

Good Luck,

Firemack

[Lmackattack]

try Tighten and then lousen a few times then hit it dead on with a hammer. see if it comes out....

[other dog]

Penetrating oil probably won't do much good in this case, but far as penetrating oil goes PB Blaster works better than anything i've ever used.

[Mike]

Penetrating oil probably won't do much good in this case, but far as penetrating oil goes PB Blaster works better than anything i've ever used.

I'll agree with Tom on the PB Blaster but you need to give it some time to soak awhile before you get happy with it. I just started using it recently and am having good results on difficult bolts. I to have been using WD 40 for a long time and the better is PB Blaster.

mike

[Lmackattack]

been using PB for about 10 years alot faster than wd40 IMHO. also helps clean things better LOL!!!

[HK Trucking]

I was attempting to remove my starter ,I could only get one bolt out,the other 2 refused to co-operate. I sprayed WD 40, I had a 1/2 inch breaker bar with a 3foot pipe and still couldn't break the bolt loose. My impact would not turn it either. Is there anything else I can try?, Dail -A Prayer didn't help either!My truck is a 86 superliner,350. thank you.

You've probably got the aluminum bellhousing and since the starter bolts obviously are steel, galvanic corrosion over the years has jammed them up tighter than shit! Had that happen before and the bolt waaaaayyyyyyy behind the starter is the most fun to deal with!

I just used a long extension with a breaker bar & cheater pipe to break that one loose.

You could try using a torch to warm up the area where the bolts are threaded into, but that won't work on the inside bolt as there is no access to it.

You might want to upgrade to a 3/4 drive breaker bar & extension with a 3/4 to 1/2 reducer to fit your socket.

The bolts could snap off if they're that tight, hopefully not.

Sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do!

.

[other dog]

You've probably got the aluminum bellhousing and since the starter bolts obviously are steel, galvanic corrosion over the years has jammed them up tighter than shit! Had that happen before and the bolt waaaaayyyyyyy behind the starter is the most fun to deal with!

I just used a long extension with a breaker bar & cheater pipe to break that one loose.

You could try using a torch to warm up the area where the bolts are threaded into, but that won't work on the inside bolt as there is no access to it.

You might want to upgrade to a 3/4 drive breaker bar & extension with a 3/4 to 1/2 reducer to fit your socket.

The bolts could snap off if they're that tight, hopefully not.

Sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do!

.

yep, steel and aluminum can be bad news. The mechanic that changed my alternator not long ago wrung one of the bolts off in the block. I'm a big fan of neverseize too.

[HK Trucking]

yep, steel and aluminum can be bad news. The mechanic that changed my alternator not long ago wrung one of the bolts off in the block. I'm a big fan of neverseize too.

Yup.

Never seize is my friend.

Trouble is, most of the stuff I try to take apart did not have never seize applied when it was previously assembled!

.

[Gambi80]

You just never-seize it for the next guy, right??

[HK Trucking]

You just never-seize it for the next guy, right??

Pretty much.

.

[Rob]

It's a bitch but an air hammer with a long shank hammer bit and a friend applying the twisting force with a socket and extension works pretty well. You need the impact frequency to help you along and hit the side of the socket while attempting to twist the bolt loose.

Rob

[gra511]

Thank You all for the suggestions,I am going to try the PB blaster first along with the hammer method .

When ever I start using breaker bars and pipes, I always use a thin wall socket, that way it breaks before the bolt is twisted off.

[Rob]

Thank You all for the suggestions,I am going to try the PB blaster first along with the hammer method .

When ever I start using breaker bars and pipes, I always use a thin wall socket, that way it breaks before the bolt is twisted off.

This is true however my knuckles and bones are more valuable than that twisted off bolt. If you can warm the area with a torch and while it is cooling down flood the area with Blaster, the capillary action of the cooldown with let the lubricant "creep", (not meaning me) into the areas to penetrate. Spray the lubricant until it quits burning off from the heat.

Rob

[Tony Ingram]

Get yourself some PB Blast from your local auto parts store. It's the Holy Grail for me when it comes to rusted or frozen bolts and nuts. You'll throw all of your WD 40 away once you use it.

[Kav]

Hi everybody, Years ago I had the same trouble - I could not get two of the bolts out of the starter. A couple of months before,I was turning and the truck was hit from behind so hard that it broke the fifth wheel king pin and tipped the trailer right over and back onto its wheels . Some time after this happened, two of the bolts that hold the clutch housing to the block broke off and were loose in the clutch housing and they completely wrecked the end of the thread on the starter bolts that protruded into the housing and mushroomed them over. I could only undo them about half a turn and they would go dead tight. I cut the heads off the starter bolts with the oxy to remove the starter, and then ground the bolts off up against the housing and screwed them inwards into the the clutch housing to remove them. The starter was damaged but repairable. Your story reminded me of this. Regards- Michael.