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Stuck Bolts @ Engine / Transmission housing

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Nor'easter, Dec 2, 2021.

  1. Nor'easter

    Nor'easter Member

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    I've got three very badly stuck bolts holding my engine to transmission housing. Penetrating oil (as usual) hasn't made any difference, I've warmed things up with a torch... obviously can't go crazy here... have rapped 'em with a hammer... what's next? Others are loose.
     
    #1 Nor'easter, Dec 2, 2021
  2. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    What are the details? Is it a hard to access location? Is the socket not staying on the bolt, or is the breaker bar not long enough? Any signs of corrosion?
     
    #2 PriusCamper, Dec 2, 2021
  3. Nor'easter

    Nor'easter Member

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    Access is easy, corrosion is pretty bad (New England car). Two are on the bottom of the housing, one on the back that's a little harder to get to. No issues with the socket / head interface. Threads are seized horribly and these bolts are not as strong as one would like. The good news is that the one I broke won't be too tough to drill, but I'd sure like not to have to drill three of the bastards if it can be avoided. I'm using a 1/2" breaker bar and a 6 point impact socket.
     
    #3 Nor'easter, Dec 2, 2021
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  4. Aegean

    Aegean Active Member

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    An impact gun might get them lose if you have one and it fits in the space.
     
    #4 Aegean, Dec 2, 2021
  5. Nor'easter

    Nor'easter Member

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    If the bolts were strong enough to take that sort of force, they'd have been out 90 minutes ago :).
     
    #5 Nor'easter, Dec 2, 2021
  6. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    And that right there is the magic of the "seized fastener removal kits" sold by Lisle, Thexton, etc.

    They work with an air hammer, so they apply lots of fast blows straight down on the head of the bolt, but they do not apply excessive force to twist the bolt. You just use your own wrench by hand to keep a steady reasonable turning force on the tool, while it shakes the fastener loose without breaking it.
     
    #6 ChapmanF, Dec 2, 2021
  7. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    I try heat or cycling back and forth from hot to cold whatever I can do to get that sucker out You got to be careful going into aluminum

    SM-A715F ?
     
    #7 Tombukt2, Dec 2, 2021
  8. Nor'easter

    Nor'easter Member

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    Learn somethin' new every day (thanks!). I found the Lisle kit on Amazon. Cool idea. Won't solve my problem because it won't go where I need it to.

    My current inclination is to use a "tempilstick" indicator and a torch to heat things up. I don't have any useful experience with aluminum castings like this, so I just wasn't willing to hit it with enough heat (for obvious reasons). Is 650 F enough? Hell if I know for sure.

    edit: the liquid products may be easier to work with

    I have a pretty good high temp IR thermometer too... I have not tried on aluminum, but if I smut it up with the acetylene torch it should probably get a good reading...
     
    #8 Nor'easter, Dec 2, 2021
    Last edited: Dec 2, 2021
  9. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Seems like you just want to heat cycle the material make it expand and contract and expand and then on the last expansion as soon as it starts to cool try to back it out see what happens and then maybe the cool or quench some kroil or something like that

    SM-A715F ?
     
    #9 Tombukt2, Dec 2, 2021
  10. Georgina Rudkus

    Georgina Rudkus Senior Member

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    No need for a temp stick. Rub bar soap like Ivory in that areal At 500 degrees F., it will turn brown. That's the limit you want to heat aluminum before it softens.

    It's an old technique to de-temper and soften aluminum and to keep it from cracking from the old airplane barnstorming days.
     
    #10 Georgina Rudkus, Dec 2, 2021
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  11. Nor'easter

    Nor'easter Member

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    That's freakin' perfect.
     
    #11 Nor'easter, Dec 2, 2021
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