[phosphers]

About how much force is needed to loosen the headbolts? I was putting my full weight into it and the bolt wouldn´t move.

 

[PTMD]

Be very, very careful you don´t bust em off in the head.The bolt srtength is stamped on the head of the bolt using a good shop manual you should be able to decipher how much torque you can put on ´em.when confronted with a really tight head bolt there are several ways to deal with it.Probably the most successful is to spray it with penetrant and try and tighten it a little first then try to back it out.You could try heating it but, I don´t reccomend that because the strength of the bolt is comprimised and it could break.I usually have a good cheater bar close at hand because it´s easier to apply the torque slowly and evenly as opposed to just reefing on it.Good luck.

 

[birddog]

I also recommend the cheater bar approach. Stay away from impacts wrenches on head bolts, to easy to snap off the heads of the bolts.

 

[phosphers]

Shiiiiiiiiit. My dad managed to break a head bolt after he bitched at me for not working on the car!

Seems the bolts are rusted in place. Any ideas on how to continue or would it just be easier/cheaper to buy a new engine? And about how much does a totaly new engine run?

 

[PTMD]

Often you can rap the bolts on the head with a hammer and set up a vibration that will cause the rust to break free.If you find the broken bolt is too low to get a good grip on an easy out should do the trick but I suggest having someone who has done it before do it as it is real easy to mess up the threads in the block if you don´t know what you are doing.I will not allow anyone but me work on my cars because 1.) I want to know that everything is done correctly and 2.) I hate when someone trys to help and makes my problem worse.Did you try to tighten em a little?Bolts actually twist as you apply pressure and that´s why it works.Sometimes going loosen,tighten,loosen,tighten,works to break them loose.If not you may find your self drilling the heads of the bolt with a drill but like 1/64th"smaller then the diameter of the bolt shaft so you can twist off the bolt head and sliding the head off the block.Then heating the bolt and using a vice grip to loosen it,and if that doesn´t work you may have to cut the bolt down to where it only sticks out of the block like 1/4" then using an easy out drill it and collapse it to remove the remainder of the bolt.It will not be expensive just a little time consuming.Good luck and let me know how it goes.

_________________
PTMD(a.k.a.PUFF THE MAGIC DRAGON)89 PONY L(MICKEY) & 86 L(GEORGIE)HAS OWNED 9 81-96 ESCORTS & 1 EXP

[ Edited by PTMD On Date 08-01-2002 ]