Header bolt removal

[Rod G]

FWIW.  I was taught that with suspect, corroded bolts to torque them up a fly fart until they crack the bond then undo them.  I absolutely agree with pre-soaking for as long as can be allowed prior to removal. 

I agree that is one approach with which I agree - but I wouldn't like to try it on header bolts, as essentially you have stainless bolts into an alloy head - I'd be just wary of stripping the thread in the head myself.

If I was going to do it though, I would apply some heat around the bolt first to allow the alloy to expand a little, then if the bolt wouldn't move, try a socket on an impact driver to try breaking the "lock" that way.

All after a liberal soaking in Plus Gas (preferably) or WD40 for as long a period beforehand as possible!!!

Given that galvanic corrosion is well understood between stainless steel and alloys, that Suzuki, 1. failed to use a thread sealer of any type. 2. used SS in the first place.  A cynic would suspect they were building in the sale of new cylinder heads and the like!!

[Egg 'n' Bacon]

This scared the living sh1t outta me, so when I had to do it recently (76,000 miles, all weathers) I undid the bolts over the course of a week.
This allowed any heat generated to dissipate before the next turn of the rachet.  Plus loads of soaking with WD40 in meantimes.

[Mrg]

Hi all well I took of my header pipes today ,after a soak all week of spray and heat .... these pipes were on from the start of the bike ... and three bolts snapped off at the head Allen key heads. All the rest came out ok . A bit of a struggle but out now ...so now I've got three bolts left in 
With about a quarter inch left on them ,, so I've never drilled out or retaped any bolts at all ....
Old pips had to come off new set to go on 

[Del]

Hi bad news on the snapped bolt front - if it was me before I would cut and drill I would try to weld a nut onto the top of the broken stud - I found this worked a lot better - the heat from the weld really does free off the stud and its a lot easier than drilling them
Like you I had 3 snap off - I got 2 of them out fairly easily by the welding method only 1 was a PITA as I needed to drill and retap that one
but as been said cut off the old stud center punch to get it well centered and start with a small drill and work your way up

Good Luck fella

[Rufus]

Hi MRG
I sheared off 4 of my header bolts
I filed the broken bolts flat, centre punched and drilled the bolt out with a battery drill and lots of patience.
Apart from 1 they drilled out perfectly. If you use the right size drill you can drill the bolt core out leaving just the threads that will easily wind out.
Then I ran a tap through the threads.
It did take a week tho 
Good quality drill bits are essential

[Mrg]

thank guys ...      I don't have welding gear sorry to say else id go for that,     so I will have to go with the long drill ex and.... slowly slowly catch a monkey time   

[RickC]

Good luck getting the studs out. I'd try a bit of heat before drilling them and try using vice grips to turn them.

There are mobile stud extraction services which can be quite reasonable depending on your level of expertise.

Once they're out, I would put in some galvanized studs and some copper nuts https://www.belmetric.com/hex-with-flange-c-3_51_53/ncf8x10-copper-flange-nut-class-10-p-6419.html?zenid=u66brbcorh97sab54mev8dm3n2.

The studs on my exhaust had a little bit of galling when I took mine off, the studs and copper nuts work a lot better.

[Graeme Carolyn Cummings]

is it best to use the old header bolts or new ones

[Rod G]

Apart from 1 they drilled out perfectly. If you use the right size drill you can drill the bolt core out leaving just the threads that will easily wind out.
Then I ran a tap through the threads.
It did take a week tho 
Good quality drill bits are essential

FYI, you can purchase reverse drills the cut counter clockwise.  This may well remove the broken stud by itself.  Try them ext time.  

[seth]

is it best to use the old header bolts or new ones

I'd always replace with new bolts .

[Mrg]

Yes I had new bolts in and the old went in the bin  as said a good quality drill bit works well I got new drill bits to get mine out ,so much easier,and take your time as said to me before and it good advice 

And on the recap side that is a slow job to in a couple of turns then out oil to clean out and then start again I did it this way and mine went ok .and it was my first time doing all this ,

All this was advice from the masters on here cheers guys