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Topic: Wrestling with some frozen nuts/bolts....

in Forum: C3 Engines


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Wrestling with some frozen nuts/bolts.... (1/10)
 5/9/16 4:40pm
bepah1
Former Member

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Brentwood, CA - USA

Vette(s):
1979 Corvette project car


Joined: 4/15/2016
Posts: 21

My 79 project car is giving me some fits on releasing nuts and bolts that have frozen or corroded in position after 40 plus years in place and a crappy overhaul/engine replacement done by the previous owner. Looking for advice and suggestions to the best means to remove, short of cutting. Should I WD40? breaker bar? impact? heat? any combination?
 
Many thanks in advance,
 
JC
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Re: Wrestling with some frozen nuts/bolts.... (2/10)
 5/10/16 10:48am
73shark
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Overland Park, KS - USA

Vette(s):
1973 Orange Metallic Coupe (orig owner), L82, 4 spd (WR), PS, (A/C & PW (I installed from wrecked 73)), leather, AM/FM Stereo, ran with '65 FI unit earlier & will again some day.


Joined: 7/9/2003
Posts: 864

Go online and order a can of Kroil.  It's the best I've found. Let it soak and reapply. Sometimes heating and applying helps also. It was the only thing I could find that let me remove the four bolts on the rear leaf spring on mine friend's '66 Corvette.  That and a 450 ft-lb impact wrench.  ;)  But didn't break the ears off the diff case.

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1973 L-82 4 spd

Re: Wrestling with some frozen nuts/bolts.... (3/10)
 5/10/16 12:48pm
Adams' AppleLifetime Member
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Duncanville, TX - USA

Vette(s):
#1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas


Joined: 11/8/2003
Posts: 20126

A good tip for stuck/frozen/rusted fasteners is to tighten them a little first. This will a lot of times help get them to loosen up easier.
GM/AC-Delco Spray rust penetrant #88862628 is the cat's meow in penetrating into tight threads, and convincing rusted/seized fasteners to give up the ghost. Works really well on fasteners anywhere in the exhaust system, and for loosening stuck heat riser valves and such.

 




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Re: Wrestling with some frozen nuts/bolts.... (4/10)
 5/10/16 1:56pm
bepah1
Former Member

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Brentwood, CA - USA

Vette(s):
1979 Corvette project car


Joined: 4/15/2016
Posts: 21

Many thanks for your suggestions....
Re: Wrestling with some frozen nuts/bolts.... (5/10)
 5/11/16 2:37am
daveo76
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Vancouver, WA - USA

Vette(s):
1976 Silver/Firethorn. L48, 4spd. Original 2 bolt, vortec heads, 9.4:1 CR, Speed Pro Cam: 224/224@0.050, 112 LSA, Eagle Steel Crank.


Joined: 8/25/2005
Posts: 857

PB Blaster has been good to me.  Let it soak in overnight and then spray a little more on when you want to give it a shot.  It'll stink up your garage though.  Joel's suggestion to tighten a little has helped me in the past, too.  
Big long breaker bars or pipes slipped over ratchets may work in some of the bigger applications like suspension bolts (been there)  but don't do that stuff on the smaller bolts - you'll just break off the head and then you'll have bigger problems to deal with.  I've broken too many dang bolts in my 15 years of C3 ownership.  I think patience is the key in this situation....  Good luck.


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1976 Silver/Firethorn.  L48, 4spd.  Original 2 bolt, vortec heads, 9.4:1 CR, Speed Pro Cam: 224/224@0.050, 112 LSA, Eagle Steel Crank.
Re: Wrestling with some frozen nuts/bolts.... (6/10)
 5/11/16 2:29pm
johnu
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Scottsdale, AZ - USA

Vette(s):
1981 Corvette Two-Tone Claret color, 4 spd, C7 Vert


Joined: 5/23/2007
Posts: 614

The best $150 I've spent is on this!  There was a few times it took many minutes of "clacking" to bust a nut loose.  Worst one was the steering wheel nut on a C7....go figure?
 


|UPDATED|5/11/2016 11:29:54 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|


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Re: Wrestling with some frozen nuts/bolts.... (7/10)
 5/12/16 12:11pm
bepah1
Former Member

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Brentwood, CA - USA

Vette(s):
1979 Corvette project car


Joined: 4/15/2016
Posts: 21

johnu said: The best $150 I've spent is on this!  There was a few times it took many minutes of "clacking" to bust a nut loose.  Worst one was the steering wheel nut on a C7....go figure?
 




Air or electric? I have an electric one.....

Re: Wrestling with some frozen nuts/bolts.... (8/10)
 5/12/16 12:41pm
johnu
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Scottsdale, AZ - USA

Vette(s):
1981 Corvette Two-Tone Claret color, 4 spd, C7 Vert


Joined: 5/23/2007
Posts: 614

bepah1 said:
johnu said: The best $150 I've spent is on this!  There was a few times it took many minutes of "clacking" to bust a nut loose.  Worst one was the steering wheel nut on a C7....go figure?
 




Air or electric? I have an electric one.....


Mine is also electric.



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      Only 32 years together
Re: Wrestling with some frozen nuts/bolts.... (9/10)
 5/13/16 1:10pm
jeffnotgross
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Greenfield Center, NY - USA

Vette(s):
68 roadster


Joined: 4/2/2012
Posts: 3

An alternative to a power torque wrench that's worked for me is a good rust penetrant and patience. Apply the penetrant, from both sides if possible, let it soak, maybe add more -- 2-3 times, even. Soak that baby with penetrant. Turn the nut or bolt to loosen it but avoid excessive force that can break the fastener. Add some penetrant. Turn it in the opposite direction. Apply some more penetrant. Repeat. Always baby steps, and adequate but minimal force. What you want to do here is open up some paths for the penetrant to... penetrate, deeper and deeper in between the internal and external threads. Don't be in a hurry. Continue repeating loosen/penetrant/tighten/penetrant until the nut comes off or the bolt comes out. It you don't want to take the time to do it slowly, think about how long it will take you to recover -- not to mention the aggravation -- if you hurry and twist the head off the bolt or the end off the stud.
If a nut's readily accessible but so rusted a six-point socket won't turn it, a Dremel tool with a thin cutting disk can be used to cut off the nut, being careful to minimize damage to the mating threads.

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Re: Wrestling with some frozen nuts/bolts.... (10/10)
 5/13/16 5:29pm
corvette440hpLifetime Member
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Joined: 7/2/2006
Posts: 8205

I also like heat till cherry red then quenching with PB blaster. It cools it down somewhat and lets the penitent to creep into the rusted areas. And yes always try to tighten at fist. Tapping with a hammer also will let penitent flow where you need it. Remember when it starts to loosen to spray it and re-tighten a bit as someone mentioned slow and easy does it. Make sure to also swear a lot............it don't really work but you need to do it anyhow......it's a "guy" thing!

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corvette440hp
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