How to remove seized bolts on aluminum?

[nnam]

Okay, all good advice above. Are you trying to do this while laying on your back?

If so, try to borrow a friends hoist so you have plenty of room to work. I've changed my 7.3L diesel oil cooler while laying on my back in a northern Michigan winter, more space should help....

yes, on my back, with 2 stands. I use a cardboard instead of creeper to have some room, but it is very tight down there. I got the remaining bolts out with a hammer to rap them, and with hammer driver.

 

[RJSakowski]

I feel your pain. I did my first automatic transmission rebuild on a driveway in mid winter Wisconsin. I'm glad those days are over. For the life of me, I can't understand why they did away with the drains on automatic transmissions..

 

[matthewsx]

yes, on my back, with 2 stands. I use a cardboard instead of creeper to have some room, but it is very tight down there. I got the remaining bolts out with a hammer to rap them, and with hammer driver.

You're on your way....

Asking for help is a good thing, even if it's something you already thought of it give time to come up with even better ideas.

John

 

[ErichKeane]

If you have a welder, you could weld a nut to the head of the bolt. This has the advantage of heating everything up while welding, so it can very well break the corrosion as well.

 

[Ulma Doctor]

I feel your pain. I did my first automatic transmission rebuild on a driveway in mid winter Wisconsin. I'm glad those days are over. For the life of me, I can't understand why they did away with the drains on automatic transmissions..

2 words:
Planned Failure

 

[RJSakowski]

https://www.amazon.com/80250-Automatic-Transmission-Universal-Drain/dp/B00029WR78

 

[mmcmdl]

How to remove rusted solid pipe fittings and unions that have been on a machine for 40 + years ? 2 four foot pipe wrenches . Half hour job turned into a 8 hour adventure today . One of a kind stainless spiral wrap hose with no flare fittings . What were they thinking back then ?

 

[Jim F]

Advise from a former Ford mechanic, who spent more hours than he would like to know doing Triton exhaust manifolds.
Heat, BG InForce penetrating oil, drill through the broken bolt/stud.
get penetrant into backside, heat, try an easy out, if it doesn't move, helicoil it.

 

[Martin W]

Sometimes just hearing other peoples trials and tribulations gives you enough confidence to get it done.
Martin

 

[mattthemuppet2]

Cycles of heat and cold work really well, there isn't much that can resist that.

Another option for getting the snapped bolts out is to use a carbide Burr on a Dremel to make a depression in the center of the bolt shank. That'll help keep the drill centered. I'm also a firm believer in starting with the smallest drill you think you can get away with and stepping up in size until you just hit the crests of the hole threads. Then you can usually pull the remainder of the bolt threads out with a pair of pliers. If you're really lucky you can get away without having to clean up the thread