Best Rusted Bolt Removal Method Without a Torch

[leomara]

I've just come into possession of a poor 1928 Chrysler sedan that has spent the last 23 year in the woods.  The top is gone and the doors fell off but there are some parts worth salvaging.  Every bolt is rusted solid.  What is the best tool to bust these off without damaging any of the sheet metal and without the use of a torch? 

[31Buick96S]

I would soak the bolts and nuts liberally with PB Blaster or your choice of penetrating oils for a couple of days. Then, depending on the size of the fasteners, I would use either a 1/4" battery powered impact or a 1/2" impact with an appropriate size 6 point impact socket. Be sure and wear personal protective gear, eye, ear etc. Good luck!

[Bloo]

The best penetrating oil I know of is Mopar heat riser solvent, now known as "Mopar Rust Penetrant", part number #4318039AD. Amazon has it. Keep re-applying and give it time to work, like maybe a week. The secret to getting rusted bolts loose is that rust is strong but brittle. Shock waves are your friend. @jdtaylor65@hotmail.com's advice of the impact tool is really good because it shocks the rust. Just don't overdo it unless you actually want to twist them off. A little finesse and they might unscrew.

 

In the old days a nut splitter was a necessary last resort tool if you didn't have a torch. Depending on how it goes you might need one of those too.

 

[viv w]

Leo, how about some pictures of this sedan and what model is it?

 If you are wanting to undo bolts with nuts that are holding sheet metal together, I found the best thing to do is to tighten the bolt until it breaks, much easier than trying to undo them.

[AURktman]

A flameless but heated option is an induction set.  You can heat, add penetrant, and repeat until it can come loose.  
 

Solary Magnetic Induction Heater Kit 1000W 110V For Automotive Flameless Heat Induction Heat 1KW Hand Tool https://a.co/d/1UGw3MK

Edited February 21, 2023 by AURktman (see edit history)

[60ch]

2 hours ago, AURktman said:

A flameless but heated option is an induction set.  You can heat, add penetrant, and repeat until it can come loose.  
 

Solary Magnetic Induction Heater Kit 1000W 110V For Automotive Flameless Heat Induction Heat 1KW Hand Tool https://a.co/d/1UGw3MK

Hello AURktman,  Have you ever used this tool to remove rusted cylinder head studs from a motor?

Thanks, Terry

[AURktman]

41 minutes ago, 60ch said:

Hello AURktman,  Have you ever used this tool to remove rusted cylinder head studs from a motor?

Thanks, Terry

I haven’t, but there are quite a few YouTube videos of that being done.  I have a pair of 48 59A flatheads that I need to remove the studs from and was planning on getting one when I start. I also have the stud puller as well.  
 

 

Edited February 21, 2023 by AURktman (see edit history)

[Rusty_OToole]

Clean off rust with a sandblaster and rusted bolts come apart easily. You can get a little hand held spot blaster that will clean the end of a bolt or a nut.

There are different designs, this one is typical. It has a bag to catch the sand and not throw it around the shop. Can also be used to sandblast spark plugs.

A wire brush in a drill can be almost as effective.

 

Edited February 21, 2023 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[ojh.]

I've had good luck heating the bolt and melt beeswax down into the threads, got to be able to get the bolt to face up.

I like the look of that induction heater gizmo, might have to get one.

[NailheadBob]

Look at Mini-Ductor Venom HP

the trick is to adjust coils to fit very close around fasteners

it will get smoking hot in 1

 to 2 minutes

 

use it once and you will love it

 

Bob

[Bhigdog]

The terms "best tool" and "without a torch",  if used together is an oxymoron..............Bob

[leomara]

So many good ideas.  I'll be striping a 1928 car of it's fenders, splash aprons and anything else worth salvaging.  There will be many bolts in frame crevasses not necessarily large bolts but in hard to reach places.  Thank you all for the help.

[Gary_Ash]

You may have to drill the heads off of some of the bolts. Use a left-handed drill bit as the heat and vibration may loosen the threaded shank of the bolt. 

[viv w]

I have seen these flameless heating coils advertised, but do they work well and how long do they last. 

 I considered buying one, but they are expensive and they do have one problem, they seem to be available only as 110 volt and where I live everything is 220 volt.

 I will stick with using a oxy torch to heat things up, or just tighten bolts on sheet metal until they break,

[dodge28]

Rusty has the right idea. THE LIQUID WRENCH. Walk with garden spray can fill with water and the Torch.

The others are snake oil 

[R Walling]

 When loosening a nut with an impact gun, you should always use a deep 6 point socket. 

 You would think that the heavier weight socket would take away the force of the gun, but the opposite is true.

 They even make heavy sockets just for this very use.

[Hans1]

I have repeated problems with water jacket bolts. The bolts protude into water cavity and have from 1/4 to 3/8 inch of heavy rust on the threads exposed to coolant.  Engines are from 1929, 94 years old.

 

Of the 16 bolts I typically have 8 broken bolts.  ( 16 on the last two engines )

 

When the water jacket covers are removed, the amount of rust after the years is excessive for uncrewing the headless bolt.  I have had to resort to carefully drilling, a torch and then re tap.

//////////////////

I have wondered how well the inductive heating works on cyl head studs with exposed ends in water jacket.  To see if it might be an option for my persistant problem.

 

 

[Oregon Desert model 45]

I have had situations where heavily rusted bolts require a huge effort  to unscrew, but relatively easy to split the nut with hammer and cold chisel. This works best when the bolts are through something solid like the frame,  and not as well when bolts are fastening some wiggly sheetmetal parts.  Of course this all depends on access to the nut and having sufficient room to swing a hammer.  Always wear personal protective equipment when performing this work.   Working underneath a rusty old car and having crud falling in my face is my least favorite part of working on old cars. 

[60ch]

8 hours ago, Hans1 said:

I have repeated problems with water jacket bolts. The bolts protude into water cavity and have from 1/4 to 3/8 inch of heavy rust on the threads exposed to coolant.  Engines are from 1929, 94 years old.

 

Of the 16 bolts I typically have 8 broken bolts.  ( 16 on the last two engines )

 

When the water jacket covers are removed, the amount of rust after the years is excessive for uncrewing the headless bolt.  I have had to resort to carefully drilling, a torch and then re tap.

//////////////////

I have wondered how well the inductive heating works on cyl head studs with exposed ends in water jacket.  To see if it might be an option for my persistant problem.

 

 

Cylinder head studs that penetrate the water jacket are the biggest issue for me also. I have not viewed a video yet that shows these home use induction heaters working on head studs in engine blocks.  I wonder if there is an industrial

grade unit that professional repair shops use.  

Terry

[arcticbuicks]

i have always used toilet bowl cleaner on really rusted parts........but not aluminum as it will dissolve or eat it....and acts fast,then i use good liquid wrench type lubricant before trying to remove

[chistech]

On 2/22/2023 at 2:09 PM, Hans1 said:

I have repeated problems with water jacket bolts. The bolts protude into water cavity and have from 1/4 to 3/8 inch of heavy rust on the threads exposed to coolant.  Engines are from 1929, 94 years old.

 

Of the 16 bolts I typically have 8 broken bolts.  ( 16 on the last two engines )

 

When the water jacket covers are removed, the amount of rust after the years is excessive for uncrewing the headless bolt.  I have had to resort to carefully drilling, a torch and then re tap.

//////////////////

I have wondered how well the inductive heating works on cyl head studs with exposed ends in water jacket.  To see if it might be an option for my persistant problem.

 

 

Stainless steel bolts fix that problem.

[Frank DuVal]

On 2/22/2023 at 10:26 PM, 60ch said:

I wonder if there is an industrial

grade unit that professional repair shops use.  

Venom Mini Ductor is the professional tool. $600 + .  It's been around for years. The cheap ones are the new kids on the block.

 

I do like the 50/50 mix of Acetone and ATF. Cheap to use large quantities. Soak soak soak that rusty bolt, to paraphrase a song.

[Shootey]

Do you brush it on the bolts? How long does it get left on?  Thanks

[Frank DuVal]

If you mean the 50/50 acetone/ATF, leave it on as long as possible. One can buy a squirt oil can (like from Harbor Freight) and spray the mix on after shaking it. I'm sure the same "as long as possible" goes for the Mopar heat riser solvent too. Reapply every day for a week or so is not too often.   But I live in the rusty east!