Briggs and Stratton Stuck Exhaust Bolt

[Shoesole]

I recently acquired a free Toro Timemaster 30 inch with a Briggs 121S17-0127-F1 and I'm attempting to get it running. It had a blown head gasket, and in taking off the cylinder head one of the muffler bolts snapped. I've tried everything to get it out and I'm just about out of ideas. Here's what I've tried.

An entire bottle of pb blaster (not literally but a ton)

Filing down flat edges on the stub and rocking vice grips back and forth on it. Just mushed the metal right off the bolt.

Drilling out the bolt and hammering a torx bit in the opening. I've seen folks do this with great success. My torx bit snapped off in the bolt.

Grinding head on a Dremel to grind out the torx bit inside the bolt. Just melted the bit.

Next idea would be to grind a slit in the bolt and flathead it out, or try and tackweld a flathead to the top of the bolt and rock it out.

1. Any ideas or suggestions?

2. Do I actually need two bolts on a muffler?

3. Are there replacement mufflers I could use?

Really trying to avoid the $100 to buy a new cylinder head but also don't want to spend $$$ only to have to turn around and buy the head anyway.

You will most likely be unable to drill out the bolt if you broke a Torx bit off inside the hole you drilled....Torx bits are as hard or harder than a drill bit. Good luck.

 

[Camilo13]

My suggestion requires an Mig Welder or a Acetylene torch. Take a nut big enough to slip over the broken bolt/stud and weld the nut to the stud. The heat will break the stud loose and the welded nut can be used to back it out. Done this enough on cast iron blocks but not sure how the aluminum will react to that much heat.

 

[Rick42wood]

Get an oxy-acetylene torch and heat it red hot and let it cool. I have seen bolts like that that can be removed by fingers after that being done.

 

[Hammermechanicman]

"Cherry red" steel is generally accepted to be somewhere around 1200*F and 1500*F. Aluminum melts around 1200*F. "Dull red" is still around 1000*F. Not sure how that will work out with a torch

 

[Richie F]

If there is a harden stud extractor or tap broke into the bolt you need a quality carbide grinder tip you can use in a Dermal type tool (rotary tool).
Harbor Freight has junk for this.
Taking your time, the broke parts can be removed without any lube by grinding it out.
Once that stuff is removed you can now ,using the same carbide, grind out the bolt till the wall of the bolt is very thin.
Now you can use a quality HSS drill bit to drill over size for a Heli coil.
Have taken many broke bolts and/or studs like this.
You have electrolysis between the steel bolt and the aluminum head.
Heat will work with steel on steel, not this.
Good luck.

 

[Tommy Mckeown]

Reading the last part of your post, I would first check if the head is warped, since it blew a head gasket. Second is find a friend who has a drill press (or buy one) and drill out the the bit and bolt with a cobalt bit.

 

[wh1979]

I recently acquired a free Toro Timemaster 30 inch with a Briggs 121S17-0127-F1 and I'm attempting to get it running. It had a blown head gasket, and in taking off the cylinder head one of the muffler bolts snapped. I've tried everything to get it out and I'm just about out of ideas. Here's what I've tried.

An entire bottle of pb blaster (not literally but a ton)

Filing down flat edges on the stub and rocking vice grips back and forth on it. Just mushed the metal right off the bolt.

Drilling out the bolt and hammering a torx bit in the opening. I've seen folks do this with great success. My torx bit snapped off in the bolt.

Grinding head on a Dremel to grind out the torx bit inside the bolt. Just melted the bit.

Next idea would be to grind a slit in the bolt and flathead it out, or try and tackweld a flathead to the top of the bolt and rock it out.

1. Any ideas or suggestions?

2. Do I actually need two bolts on a muffler?

3. Are there replacement mufflers I could use?

Really trying to avoid the $100 to buy a new cylinder head but also don't want to spend $$$ only to have to turn around and buy the head anyway.

If you have a torch try heating it up before removing.Sometimes heat will do the trick if all else fails.

 

[SamB]

GOOD advice! It's wise to use this anti-seize on anything you may ever want to take back apart,no matter what that may be.

 

[Gord Baker]

You have a big mess there. Try the sharp punch to break up the Torx bit. Washer and nut and MIG weld stud to washer and 1/2" nut. Heat the head in the area and give it a try. Check the head for flat, if warped find a donor head or get a new one.

 

[matt man]

I have welded a tit on the end of bolt. Have to be careful of aluminum, Heats up bolt too, Also peen the tit, and add some more weld, to get enough to get a pair of vise grips on it, a little back and forth.. Could put shield around bolt when welding it..