MGB: Snapped Stud, No Head, Not sure what to do...

Hey Guys,

This is the next update on my cylinder head removal, but unfortunately I just started things (at midnight tonight). I went to remove one of the nuts on the water elbow and with no pressure whatsoever (I promise...I've over-torqued things before and this was way less force than it should have taken) the nut spun around and snapped the stud. I've attached a somewhat fuzzy picture from my camera phone.

What are my options here? Do I have to drill it out? There is no stud remaining above the piece. Also, if you can...describe how to drill it out if necessary. I've never had to do that before and really don't want to mess things up even more.

Thanks!

Mike

To drill it out, you want to use a drill bit sized to fit a particular EZ Out, and the EZ Out has to be smaller than the size of the threaded portion of your hole. Use a punch so the drill doesn't wander. Although I have never done this before, if possible, find a reverse drill bit; one to cut counterclockwise instead of clockwise. That way, just the action of drilling is going to work on getting the stud out. Luck!
p.s. You might want to use a little heat and run some paraffin over the heated end so it goes down to coat the threads before removing.

Mike, if the "water elbow" you are talking about is near the front of the engine, it might be the thermostat housing. In which case you can simply remove the other nuts take the housing off and unscrew the studs. Someone just had that problem a few days ago. Maybe a search could find it.
Good luck.

I would attempt to get the thermostat housing off first. Then I would try to use some some vice grips and slowly back the remaining part of the stud out of the head.

As Chris said, some heat and wax may be useful as well, but I would attempt to remove it with a pair of vice grips first and resort to an easy out second. It's not fun if they break.

This is all assuming that the stud that broke off is at the thermostat housing, which it looks like it is in the picture. If I have the wrong locations, disregard what I said and listen to Chris above.

Mike - It looks like the water elbow is still attached to the head and the stud broke flush w/ the top of the elbow. Once you get the elbow off you'll have some length of stud left to grip w/ a vice grips or stud extractor.

Good Luck - Paul

If you are refering to the thermostat housing, soak with penetrating oil (PB Blaster), and see if you can slide the thermostat housing off of the stud. Then soak it some more with penetrating oil.
Chris Overman has recently had this experience. Suggestions about what to do are in the following thread.
http://www.mgexperience.net/phorum/read.php?1,924753,924779#msg-924779

Matt has the right idea, remove the other nuts, then remove the elbow and you should have plenty of exposed stud to grab with a pair of vicegrips. Perhaps a bit of PB blaster if it doesn't want to turn....let it soak overnight and try again.

Give it a clean up with a wire brush, set a nut on the stud and weld the nut on with a MIG. That stud will just turn right out when you put a socket to that nut.
Since the engine is cast iron you do not even need to be careful with the MIG.

The thermostat housing is aluminum, the studs and the head are iron so you get corrosion. It would be best to get stainless studs when putting it back together. PB blaster on the studs overnight to loosen everything and then try everything apart.

Whatever did folks do before PB Blaster? LOL

Newt

Newt, I been around that long. Hot wrench works, still does when the Blaster doesn't.

First of all, thank you.

Second of all, you can tell it was late by the fact that I was making up names for car parts. I have no idea where the term "Water Elbow" came from, and it is most definitely the thermostat housing. I will try all of the suggested above. Also, thanks to the link for the other post. My apologies for not searching first.

Thanks again for the bailout...

Mike

Heat and PB Blaster, you still have a good bit of studs that will be proud after the thermostat haousing is removed. Forget going back with studs on this part, it was never a good idea, go back with bolts, I never use studs on a thermostat housing housing.

OK, so I don't want to go and break anything else. The thermostat housing doesn't even want to budge at all, not even on the sides that are unbolted. Any ideas?

Irex511 Wrote:

Irex511 Wrote: