Morris Commercial Head Stud Removal.

[Lynn Eades]

Terry, weld the nut down close to the block, so that you get the most heat, relative expansion, etc. after the weld has cooled a bit and while there is still some heat in it. that is a good time to put in some more penetrating oil.
(all said with not much specific experience!)
You will have more patience than me, but don't wait until it snows.

[Jacques Reed]

From what I have read and heard The welded nut method is by far the best way to remove broken studs from a block but just thought I would add this method to the box of tricks and for general interest.

I will be the first to admit this method is labour intensive but it did get two broken studs out of my Flathead Ford block in 2002 BDP (Before Digital Photography) without the use of oxy-acetylene or MIG.

I read about this technique in "Restored Cars Magazine" in the late nineties.
The article said to drill a hole in the stud and then using a junior hacksaw blade in a holder carefully cut two notches on either side inside the hole in the broken stub being careful not to go too deep to the internal threads. The stud can then usually be screwed out with an easy out or in my case they screwed out with a screwdriver after I tapped the sides of the stud with a pin punch.

My concern was how to drill a hole down a stud without wandering off center or drilling it at an angle and thereby damaging the threads in the block.
The solution was a $40 small drill press I picked up at a garage sale. I then cut down the post and reversed the drill head on it to get the chuck close to the block. I used studs to bolt the drill press base to the block then a careful centre punch followed by a centering bit before drillling got me straight down the centre of the stud.

I think I used a 3/16" diameter drill down the stud. I made a blade holder and ground a bit of the hacksaw blade away to fit the 3/16" diameter hole.

Long time ago but probably took just over half an hour to get the first one out. Second one went a bit faster.

Don't profess this to be a great method but it did work and unlike some bad tips in books about using easy outs to remove broken studs you won't wind up with a broken easy out stuck in the block!

Cheers,

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Jacques

Good little trick with the bench top drill press. These little drill presses are amazinglying easy to bolt down for tough drilling problems, giving much better results than hand drills. I've never successfully center drilled a broken off studs or bolt with hand driĺl. Will have too try your ground down saw blade trick.

When I was restoring my Pat 12 needed line drill a most of rivits, looked at buying a magnet based drill several hundred dollars instead went with one of these little drill presses under $40. Did some simple modification to make it even more versatile. Will dig out some photos and share them.

Cheers Phil

[Jacques Reed]

Hi Phil,

Look forward to seeing your setup too.

Slight correction to my previous post:
I think I probably drilled the broken stud with a 5/16" drill not a 3/16" drill as the Ford blocks are tapped 7/16-14 UNC. that would allow enough "meat" to prevent hitting the crest of the internal threads during drilling even if slightly off centre. It also kept the junior hacksaw blade more rigid from having to be ground too narrow for the hole.
Probably best to start with a smaller drill and see how it is positioned before going to either a 1/4" or 5/16" drill. Main thing is not to drill so much that there is only the remains of the stud left it the internal threads. Then you will have problems cleaning them out.
I did that once on another part with a broken stud and it was a disaster.

Cheers,

[Mike K]

I believe that a oxy cutting flame will not effect cast iron. Would it be possible to blow out the broken stud with a oxy/acc torch ?

Another method https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSOg7aQ44eg

[Lynn Eades]

Jacques, I put a head on(because the Ford studs are a close fit in the holes in the V8 head), made a sleeve for the stud hole, and bored a a pilot hole through the sleeve on the lathe. This was my method to get a hole through the centre of my broken studs. It worked well.

[T Creighton]

Originally Posted by Jacques Reed

; going to either a 1/4" or 5/16" drill. Main thing is not to drill so much that there is only the remains of the stud left it the internal threads. Then you will have problems cleaning them out.
I did that once on another part with a broken stud and it was a disaster.
Cheers,

Oh dear! I have done that with 4 holes on the second choice block so I guess I have a disaster on my hands if I have to use that one.
The welding a nut on process is working well although each nut needs to be re heated again at least twice in most cases.
I am using a TIG torch that can hold the metal to almost melting so get good heat penetration.
On the so called good block at present it is 1 broken, 1 halfway out, 10 out clean and 3 to go.
Thanks everyone for the good ideas.
Cheers Terry

[Jacques Reed]

Hi Terry,

All may not be lost on the "B" block. The part I stuffed up was the exhaust manifold stud hole but that is subjected to a lot more heat than the head so the threads were practically welded into it over the years. Had to Heli coil it finally.

You may be able to get a few of the thread remains out of the block with a dental pick if they are not as badly siezed as my manifold stud threads were. You then may be able to get a tap started squarely to finish off the clearing of what little threads still remain in the tapped block.

Hope all goes well.

Cheers,

[T Creighton]

In case anyone is wondering as to the outcome of all of this I got my engine back a few days ago (over a year later) as a completely rebuilt short block assy.
New pistons, rings, liners, valves , guides etc and with the crankshaft/flywheel/clutch assy balanced. The pistons and rods were statically balanced.
In spite of me spending hours cleaning out and re-tapping the head stud holes the re- conditioner drilled out and helicoild the whole lot.
Nothing like doing the job properly and surprisingly not too expensive.(for the helicoils that is, I won't mention the cost of the rest of it.)
Warm regards to all.
Terry