Keep drilling, or get a new one?

[240TweakerNewbee]

It started out as just a routine exhaust leaking gasket change on the down pipe side of the dump pipe. Then a stud broke, so I went and bought another one thinking ill just vice grip the rest of the old one out, then it broke off flat. So I drilled a hole in the middle of the stud and bought an extractor, the extractor went in, I tourqued on it, and it broke the extractor. Now the extractor (which is the hardest substance known to man) is stuck in the middle of the stud, making it a “super stud”. I’ve broken 3 titanium drill bits so far and pretty much getting nowhere. So I ask the question, do I keep drilling or do I just buy a new dump pipe?

[Nick240sx]

hold up, we just had an exhaust pipe for a 72 camaro wit three studs stuck on it, wat we did was heated up the exact spot where the studs were until they became red hot and then slowly worked the studs out, worked beautifully, but u gotta becareful cause u can break them off again. and the new studs drilled in just fine.

[Raxephon]

Find someone with an oxy/acetylene torch and burn that eff'r out.Re-drill it smooth and re-thread the hole.

No biggy, just gotta be careful to burn through the broken stud and only a minimum amount of the actual flange.

[Florida240sx]

yup torching is your next and pretty much only option

[Zilverado]

Find someone with an oxy/acetylene torch and burn that eff'r out.Re-drill it smooth and re-thread the hole.

No biggy, just gotta be careful to burn through the broken stud and only a minimum amount of the actual flange.

BINGO!!! Exactly what I had to do with a brake calliper bracket on my Pathfinder last summer. You're right, those extractors are hard and you won't be drilling them out of there.

If you have access to a torch, do what anlasak and Florida240sx suggest. Heat up the hole until it's red hot and then blast the oxygen through it to create a new hole (just make sure you get all of the high strength extractor steel out). Then just drill and tap a new hole - - works sweet.

Fortunately, your working with an exhaust pipe flange here, so no worries about super tight tolerances - cause the "blue-tipped" wrench is not the most delicate of tools.