For any of you that have had the misfortune to snap a bolt on the downpipe end of the turbo elbow - what have you done to remove it? I've got 2 snapped on the nearside sticking out a few mm from the flange and 1 on the o/s thats snapped flush. Trying to drill them out is proving difficult to say the least as normal HSS drill bits dont do much - it took me about 20 minutes of drilling to get about 1mm into one of the bolts. What are my options? I thought about removing the elbow from the turbo but thought if a stud there it's an engine out job to correct and I dont have an engine crane. My brother reckons I need a cobalt steel drill bit and that should speed the drilling up because they're used to drill stainless? I have no idea where to go from here lol.

 

Any help appreciated.

Drilling it out to be honest it pretty much what its going to take I'm afraid. need to get your self a decent drill bit to tackle it, just take your time and you will do it eventually. then just use bolts and nuts to do them up with.

You will need a few dozen drill bits lol and have the speed setting on slow, metal eats your bits if you have the speed too high. So slow and a bit of pressure. Took me an hour or so to get one bolt drilled out from under the car, using a ramp, so going to be more of a pain on your back.

Get some quality bits, cheapo's will last 5 mins. ST

Quality drill bits, slow and a bit of pressure is the key. 4mm and work your way up in size. Took bloody ages getting one stud out on mine, using a ramp and 2 drills, they get hot lol

Is it normal HSS bits that you used then groover? Or do I need these cobalt steel bits? And should I have the drill on the low speed setting? It's not too bad on axle stands to be honest - the car is still pretty low so I was on my back with the drill on my chest could almost have fallen asleep lol - thats how long it was taking to make any progress at all.

Looking to replace my downpipes very soon, so keep the info flowing :-)

Cobolt bits are about as good as you can get - also keep cooling the bit in a little engine oil to help stop it overheating & going blunt

Cobolt bits are about as good as you can get - also keep cooling the bit in a little engine oil to help stop it overheating & going blunt

 

Hoping that my mates special "Freeway" penetrating oil (from the avaition industry) will help, but I'm sure I'll have at least 1 bolt shear off.

 

So will check these Cobolt drill bit just in case, thanks.

Im lucky enough to have this company just up the road:

 

http://www.parkertools.co.uk/Product/0653519/Jobber+%28Co.5%29+M35

 

Should be plenty of local companies able to supply the same :)

BTW - penetrating oil may be a little thin for cooling. Have a small pot of engine oil to keep dipping the drill bit in :)

I'm quite impressed with the black and decker pirahna drill bits, they've got a nibbler on the end to get started then cut through metal like a hot knife through butter.

 

I've owned mine for a year now and used them alot and they're still just as good

PaulC - you wouldn't believe how many local tool shops I've tried phoning today to find that none of them have these drill bits in singles they only have kits of them and some of them dont even stock the cobalt bits. I can't believe how cheap they are on that site you've linked to - gotta be worth ordering a couple of the sizes I'll need from there at that price.

PaulC - you wouldn't believe how many local tool shops I've tried phoning today to find that none of them have these drill bits in singles they only have kits of them and some of them dont even stock the cobalt bits. I can't believe how cheap they are on that site you've linked to - gotta be worth ordering a couple of the sizes I'll need from there at that price.

 

They are pretty good bud - downpipe studs go rock hard due to all the heating & cooling so decent bits are a must!

 

We use them a lot for fecked locking wheel bolts!!

I managed to drill out the snapped studs on my downpipes with what ever drill bits i had in the garage i did take a few hours and a lot of bits but persistance paid off. I jacked the car up put the axle stands under plugged in the old electric drill got the junior hacksaw layed under the car with no room to move. Hacksawed the studs flush, pin punched a centre hole then drilled a whole all the way through with a 4mm drill bit. (You may want to wear some saftey glasses as you do get a lot of hot shardes of metel fall down). Then went up in sizes to the size of the new nut and bolt. One thing that happend to me which I stress to try not to do is brake a drill bit whil'st drilling the thread out!! As it is a absolute nightmare to then drill out the broken bit!! so be carefull. Its a big relief when you drill them out and fit the new bolts! My neck was really stiff the next day but was well worth it.

I used some stuff called freeze your nuts off and welded a bolt on to the stud with in ten mins all out. I think this was luck more then anything.

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Power+Tool+Accessories/Cobalt+Drill+Bits/d80/sd1230

 

 

hope this helps too

Sorry to bring this back up - just coming to putting the car back together and was wondering if there's any recommended tips to try and stop this happening again? Special bolts etc. Doesn't seem to have anything to do with the bolts being on the exhaust with my car as 2 bolts on the exhaust heat sheild have snapped - 2 in the wings that hold the old air intake ducting on (not bothered about these though), 1 on the nose panel, and I snapped one of the studs that holds the front bumper on but somebody had already broken 2 of them before me - so when it goes back it's got one nut holding it on mainly lol.

Sorry to bring this back up - just coming to putting the car back together and was wondering if there's any recommended tips to try and stop this happening again? Special bolts etc. Doesn't seem to have anything to do with the bolts being on the exhaust with my car as 2 bolts on the exhaust heat sheild have snapped - 2 in the wings that hold the old air intake ducting on (not bothered about these though), 1 on the nose panel, and I snapped one of the studs that holds the front bumper on but somebody had already broken 2 of them before me - so when it goes back it's got one nut holding it on mainly lol.

 

Get yourself a set of drill bits and some taps. Drill the old bolts out and re-tap the threads. Snapped bolts is a very common problem when doing work on a twenty year old car. Just replace the bolts with new and put a little bit of copper slip on the threads and all will be well.

Yeah all sorted with tackling the old ones - was just wondering what was the best preventative measure for the downpipe flange more than anything - get genuine Nissan bolts and a bit of copper grease? Having said that - I have no idea if the threads are original sizes! Cause the bolts I took out/snapped off were all different sized heads at least!

Yeah all sorted with tackling the old ones - was just wondering what was the best preventative measure for the downpipe flange more than anything - get genuine Nissan bolts and a bit of copper grease? Having said that - I have no idea if the threads are original sizes! Cause the bolts I took out/snapped off were all different sized heads at least!

 

Yeah, new bolts and a bit of copper grease will sort it. iirc the down pipe studs are m12x1.25. The size of the bolt head doesn't matter mate, it's the width of the shaft and the pitch of the threads that are important.

 

thinking about it, the studs may be m8's. I can't remember now.

Edited February 2, 201114 yr by Steams

You will need a few dozen drill bits lol and have the speed setting on slow, metal eats your bits if you have the speed too high. So slow and a bit of pressure. Took me an hour or so to get one bolt drilled out from under the car, using a ramp, so going to be more of a pain on your back.

Get some quality bits, cheapo's will last 5 mins. ST

 

Well said! Slow and stop and cool with water (job and bit) if you can...

Well said! Slow and stop and cool with water (job and bit) if you can...

 

a bit of metal cutting compound is better.

i belive the bolts snap in the first place beause the japs use a finer thread, so when it inevitably corrodes its harder for the bolt to turn. I maybe wrong, but seems like a good theory. Ive had a fair few shogun's over the years and everytime i touch those silly things a bolt snaps! it's damn annoying. Only thing that works really well is oxy & acetylene to heat them up. Its an expensive setup if you dont work on cars every day though. Think its around 400 quid just for gauges, pipes and gun, without the gas.