snapped exhaust bolts

in removing the exhaust, i snapped one of the bolts that secure the circle clamp. The ones attached directly to the block. Are these bolts cast or permanently attached to the block? Or can they be removed? Any other suggestions on what to do? Thanks

If same as Z1 and KZ900, they are removable steel studs, probably long ago lock-tighted into the soft aluminum head. Please await better advice than I'm able to offer about removing the broken stud so you don't make matters worse (as I'm prone to do when charging in) and be careful and patient with this. Broken stud removal can be difficult and exasperating, even for an experienced pro employing all the known tricks with special tools, penetrants, heat and cold, etc. The main idea is not to foul up the female thread area in the soft aluminum head while extracting the broken stud. You're far from the first to encounter this problem. Maybe you'll be lucky and have enough protruding to just grab with vicegrips and twist out, but I wouldn't bet on it. Many twist off flush with the head which requires special drill bits and extracter tools, and sometimes these tools themselves break off inside. Regret being unable to offer more help to you. Some on this site are magicians in this sort of thing. Good luck.

No big deal freebyrd24 (BTW nice name, I'm a Skynyrd fan) it has happened to me before.

Get your hands on a small propane torch and heat the area. The aluminum on the head should expand a little more than the steel stud. Then try a sharp screw extractor on a variable speed drill, on slow. It should pull out pretty easy.

Cheers-Colin Firth-Ontario Canada
1977Kz650 Custom - 810 big bore with lottsa go fast goodies tucked away inside.

Wonder if reborns method would work on a 1974 3 holed kaw i broke a cylinder stud on ???? :whistle:

Sometimes these are the stuff nightmares are made of. Be careful with extractors. If you snap one off tou will go through hell getting that out of there for sure. If the bolt is sticking out craftsman sells a bolt extractor I have has some sucess with. If it's not sticking out far enough I would drill it out and not mess with easy outs or such. No fun either way you look at it. GLuck!

freebyrd24 wrote:

in removing the exhaust, i snapped one of the bolts that secure the circle clamp. The ones attached directly to the block. Are these bolts cast or permanently attached to the block? Or can they be removed? Any other suggestions on what to do? Thanks

the pointed square end of a chainsaw file makes a good easy out for those smaller studs.just drill a pilot hole and twist it out,heat helps sometimes.goodluck,happy wrenching!

I over tightened one once trying to make up for a used gasket, Snap.:ohmy: Thought it would be easy to fix. I snapped the easy out off and the nightmare began. Well 10 or so cobalt bits later(extractor steel is no BS) and the hole was about 9mm, oops. So in the end I took it to a welder friend of mine and he MIG welded it full, I then tapped a new hole. It sucked. I think if i did it again i wouldnt use and extractor, I would just carefully drill out the stud, and retap @ 7mm and use kz1000 studs. Anyhow good luck.

If any of it is sticking out at all you can weld a nut to it and it will come out easy , if none is sticking out , Drill it out But be able to get to it straight as it will want to slide off the side and drill into the softer aluminmn ,, Let the Cussing Begin !!!! ,, Taking the head off top drill out a broken stud is not fun ,, Luck on what ever you try ,,

ive got plenty of bolt left sticking out, so i got pretty lucky. im going to attack it this week sometime. I also found the studs, 2 bucks at z1. that saved me a headache.

oh and thanks reborn, ive seen skynyrd a few times, great band.

I built a 250R honda 2 stroker for a kid that works for me this spring,he brought the engine to me w/ 2 broken off exhaust studs,i found it alot easier to let moto tech get them out when they resleeved it for me.Sometimes that kinda work is best left to a machine shop with the proper tools.