Only Mechanic, Please help!

My SR20det Redtop has been down for 2 months now because of One stud! I am not that mechanically inclined and I have had a few mechanics look at it for me (friends). I have even talked to a few shops and they dont even want to touch it. Everyone kinda just looks at me funny and says, "Wow man that sucks, you are pretty much F****ed!"

Here is what happened:

After changing my turbo gasket I was putting the exhaust manifold back on and one of the studs snapped. After we drilled it out to replace the stud we were using the Easy-Out to get it out and that ended up snapping as well. (Really bad luck!)

Any suggestions on what to do... And also if I had this done professionally could anyone gestimate on a cost for taking the head out.

Thanks in advanced for any suggestions....

You probably don't have enough room to do this with the engine where it is, but it sounds like you will need to drill out the stud and install a heli-coil into the head. If you don't have to remove the engine, it isn't that uncommon a thing to do. I would ask a machine shop and not a garage. Machinists are more familiar with this type of work and might charge less than a garage. But I would guess that clearances won't allow the right tools in there. Also, the factory studs might be deeper than what a heli-coil would allow, so you might want to trim the new stud and clean up the threads before installation. I'm assuming the stud shanks are threaded and not press-fit into the heads.

I would suggest having a good machine shop check it out. You can damage the head if you get to wild trying to get the stud out. Try taking pictures of ti to the shop and they might be able to tell you from that if the head needs to come off. Good luck !!

I would not suggest using a helicoil for an exhaust stud. I would do like Dr. John suggested and take pictures and take it to a machine shop. If there is room, the machine shop may be able to drill, weld, and install a king-coil in it. A king-coil is like a helicoil, but solid and made of steel. This will hold the threads much better than a helicoil.

The only problem is there may not be room to do this operation with the head in the car. The head may need to be removed to get a good angle on it. See what the machine shop says about it. Removing the head is timely (or expensive, depending on your mechanical ability).

You mean a keensert (key-insert)? Less chance of backing out versus a helicoil, yes, but it will require a larger installation hole diameter. Welding shouldn't be necessary and should be avoided if possible.

DAEDALUS wrote:You mean a keensert (key-insert)? Less chance of backing out versus a helicoil, yes, but it will require a larger installation hole diameter. Welding shouldn't be necessary and should be avoided if possible.

Yes, I believe they are one in the same? no?

Anyway, I didn't realize that welding was not necessary to install one, but that is a good thing