EGR Cooler Disaster

[r2784c]

Ok, I broke the cardinal rule and f'd with the EGR cooler (1980 FJ40). One of the two bolts mounting it to the block snapped, the other came out no problem. My only goal was to loosen the cooler enough to get enough play to allow the EGR pipe to seal to the manifold, then tighten the cooler back up. I did that, tightened the one remaining bolt to block and thought I was golden....until I started it up. Exhaust is now coming out of the snapped bolt hole. I did not think that the bolt was required to seal the EGR cooler??

I thought about putting a bolt in the hole and trying to weld it closed, but the cooler looks like cast iron and I don't think the weld will hold.

Any suggestions???

 

[lone gunman]

did it snap off flush with the block ? if you can grind it flat and get a center punch. punch a dimple in the center and get a reverse drill bit a size or so smaller then the broken bolt and put your drill in reverse and drill it out. when you get close to the bottom of the bolt hole the broken bolt should zip right out on the drill bit. and it doesnt hurt to use a good bit of PB blaster or simular penatrent. or the other option is to try and weld a bolt to the broken one and gently try and remove the broken one. iether way good luck with it!

 

[Pin_Head]

Weld a nut on to the broken remains and then crank it out.

 

[LXCRSR]

Agree with the welding a nut to the broken remains, but I would also soak that broken bolt in PB Blaster for a week before trying to back it out. Let the penetrating oil do its work and then removal should be pretty easy.

Also, when installing the new bolts, use liberal amounts of anti-seize.

 

[Poser]

Exhaust is now coming out of the snapped bolt hole. I did not think that the bolt was required to seal the EGR cooler??

Guess I do not remember there being a gasket of any sort on those fasteners or on the EGR cooler to the block, so I do not know how it could be letting exhaust gasses escape from it because the bolt is broken off, unless the unit is rotten/deteriorated on the inside to a bolt passage, and in which case, it would need to be replaced, as simply replacing a broken bolt will not prevent the exhaust gasses from leaking.

 

[Michael Hanson]

Weld another bolt ,soak overnight in pb then back it out. Mike

 

[Pin_Head]

You don't need to soak in in anything when welding a nut on the remains, since the heat and the shrinkage of the welded metal when it cools makes it come out easily.

 

[Brian in Oregon]

After welding, while it's hot, touch a candle to the bolt where it meets the block. Capillary action will flow molten wax into the threads. Molten wax is a great lubricant for stuck threads.

 

[Mark W]

Ditto on the cooler being bad. The bolt is not supposed to seal exhaust in.


Mark...

 

[r2784c]

Thanks for the advice. I agree with you Poser that the inside is most likely rusted out as there shouldn't be any exhaust gas leaking out the bolt hole. Some more history, when I first started this little project the bolt head was rounded. So I welded on a bolt to the top of the rounded bolt and used that to try to get the bolt out...of course it snapped, but I thought no big deal as I really didn't think the EGR cooler needed two bolts to secure it. It snapped off about half way down the bolt, so there is some remaining in the block and the EGR cooler. Because of this I can't get the cooler off of the block, partially because the EGR pipe can't drop down off the manifold studs because the EGR cooler is held to the block by the remaining portion of the bolt. I think there is also I high probability that the remaining bolt is rusted to the EGR cooler.

Tomorrow I was just planning on just taking a cutoff wheel to the EGR pipe to remove it from the manifold. I had already ordered a replacement from SOR. Once the pipe is in two pieces I will try to get the cooler off from the block. If I can't I was thinking of just removing this part of the emission system (blanking off the manifold and the EGR valve) altogether as it is a giant pain in the ass. If I do get the cooler off, I will try to get the remaining bolt out of the block. If it snaps off flush, no biggie...I will just use the one good bolt to hold a new EGR cooler on. Of course, I still have to source a used one of those and hope the flex pipe comes out of mine. If I get this far I still have no clue how I would tighten the nut from the EGR pipe onto the cooler as there is NO clearance to allow for a wrench.

I hate f'ing emissions.

Chad

 

[cruiserbrett]

unless the unit is rotten/deteriorated on the inside to a bolt passage

Seen that happen before, but mostly on the earlier ones that had an aluminum top.

 

[r2784c]

Just wanted to give an update. EGR cooler is now off. The reason exhaust was coming out of the bolt hole was because the cooler had disintegrated near the hole. Also got the remaining broken bolt out (just welded a nut to it). At this point, I decided to keep them off. Made a blank to cover the exhaust manifold EGR pipe port, and put a threaded pipe plug in the EGR valve inlet. I will most likely try to source replacement parts from fellow mudders. Anyway, thanks for the advice.

Chad

 

[erics]

I've got a pile of extra smog parts including coolers... PM me if you're interested.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/sale-parts/335724-smog-components.html

 

[73fj40lc]

Alot of cruiserheads brag on the later year 40's. I love my 73 for many reasons but one big reason, emessions and smog exempt.