done for - Rant

[BenO]

I have come to the conclusion that I am done trying to accomplish much of anything on my car. It seems like anytime I go to do anything it is impossible due to rust. Today I tried to check one of my spark plugs since they haven't been looked at in a while. The wire was impossible to take off and I ended up breaking the plastic connector after almost an hour. I couldn't get to the one next to it because the air box bolts were complete rust and wouldn't break free even with large amounts of PB blaster.

Now that wouldn't be bad if that was the only thing. I have been forever trying to take off my rear sway bar to put on a larger outback bar. I have used at least half a can of PB on it, spraying a decent amount every day, and yet it still will not budge. To make things worse, the bolt has now rounded off.

Unless there is some ancient unknown secret to wrecking this rust I am not doing anything to my car besides changing the oil and possibly some other select things.

[chuckthefuk]

Rant rant rant.. thats all everyone does.

0) You bought an old car. And by old I mean a North American car from the 90's.

1) Did you use air-tools? or just hand tools?
--> Hand tools wont work at all unless you use a breaker bar and even then you can snap the bolt. Same goes with air tools you can snap the bolts just as easy but sometimes the initial shock breaks them free

2) Have you tried any of the screw/bolt out kits? Every company makes a set they remove any messed up bolt.
--> http://www.jonfleck.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/craftsman-bolt-out-set.jpg

3) Have you tried the old secret. reverse -> stop -> forward -> stop -> reverse -> stop -> forward -> reverse This helps work in the threads since usually there seized tight.

4) Hitting the bolt with a hammer to break loose any rust that's clinging on for dear life?

Don't get upset I'v broken enough things on my car you just learn it as you go.

-Chuck

[BenO]

ah but ranting is fun

1) I used both hand and electric tools but not air since we don't have any
2) the only kind I have used are the ones that drill through the middle of them but I will look in to those
3) indeed I have
4) many many times

[Reason]

Rant rant rant.. thats all everyone does.

0) You bought an old car. And by old I mean a North American car from the 90's.

3) Have you tried the old secret. reverse -> stop -> forward -> stop -> reverse -> stop -> forward -> reverse This helps work in the threads since usually there seized tight.

4) Hitting the bolt with a hammer to break loose any rust that's clinging on for dear life?

Don't get upset I'v broken enough things on my car you just learn it as you go.

-Chuck

This is all true, I have to do this due to all the rust. I try to replace with new bolts or bolts in bar better shape, and if I can't I clean the bolts up and I use anti seize on everything I take off, minus my exhaust because I'm always taking it apart.

[httrdd]

Yes antiseize is a plus. Anything I remove anymore has that on it. Try heating the bolts with a torch. That got my exhaust bolts apart.

[chuckthefuk]

ah but ranting is fun

2) the only kind I have used are the ones that drill through the middle of them but I will look in to those

The ones your talking about are the real "bolt extractors" The ones I posted are the new-age quick way :-D

-Chuck

[Sarra]

You haven't lived until you bust an oil line. Nothing more fun than that.

[95USsubaru]

the spark plugs are fun when ppl decide to put in bosch and then drive for welll over the alloted time to replace them. then when you buy the car the actual rubber is seized to the plug. the rust when working under the car is awesome on windy days lol and lets not forget subaru's fun break line set up. and then when shit just stop's working. seized AC.... awesome. lol but trust me, dont loose hope in fixing your car just cause ya had a few things not go ur way. +1 on replacing rusted bolts if you ever get the chance. but yea, dont loose faith, if anything, it gives you more of a reason to do w.e u want to it haha

[TGX4776]

Yeah there is a problem with my ac and I am not looking forward to getting stuff off the engine.

[BenO]

the spark plugs are fun when ppl decide to put in bosch and then drive for welll over the alloted time to replace them. then when you buy the car the actual rubber is seized to the plug. that is exactly what happened. but NGK instead of bosch and also the plastic disattached (made that word up) from the boot plug. I guess once I have some time I will slowly work at all this and hope that things eventually work out.

Time for some sneak attacks on some rust :smt027

[TGX4776]

I think you wanted detached?

[BenO]

that would be the one! mind went completely dead there. I even tried deattached...

[ouch1011]

^^^ lol

I am endlessly grateful that I live in an area where rust is rare (since they gravel the roads here rather than salting, plus it doesn't snow much on this side of the cascades) but we do still see it from the coastal cars. It sucks, no doubt, but the tips that have been mentioned in here are certainly good. The only other thing that hasn't been mentioned is to only use 6 point sockets and wrenches. A lot of cheaper stuff is 12 point...it doesn't grip as much of the bolt so makes it easier to round the bolt off. If you use a 12 pt socket on an air tool, forget it, it'll round off even a good bolt in a heart beat. Heat works too, but try to heat up the area around the bolt rather than the bolt itself. If you heat the bolt itself, that makes it softer and more likely to twist or break.

[95USsubaru]

the spark plugs are fun when ppl decide to put in bosch and then drive for welll over the alloted time to replace them. then when you buy the car the actual rubber is seized to the plug. that is exactly what happened. but NGK instead of bosch and also the plastic disattached (made that word up) from the boot plug. I guess once I have some time I will slowly work at all this and hope that things eventually work out.

Time for some sneak attacks on some rust :smt027

no way?! thats what happened to me. i had to make a little tool out of a metal clothes hanger. since the spark plug is covering the hole u dont need to worry about anything going into ur engine. then ya wana make something like an L where the long part is ur handle and the short goes in to separate the rubber shit from the actual spark plug then ya pull it out with the tool and take put the spark plug. done and done. and if u wana have fun, rip the damn air box out, say f*** it and throw in a CAI lol

[jey]

Tips I've learned over the years:
- Be patient - let the PB Blaster soak. Overnight, even 24 hours makes a huge difference.
- Only use 6 point sockets. If you round off a bolt, hammer on a 12-point socket of the next size smaller - this technique has extracted every rounded bolt I've come across.
- If you don't have an impact wrench, you can simulate the effect. Take a hammer and bang on the wrench (preferrably a Craftsman so when you break it (when, not if) you can get a new one). Raw torque (big big breaker bars) may get the job done but will sometimes round off the bolt.