Removing rounded exhaust manifold bolts
 

So I'm in the process of turbocharging my car, and in removing the 5 nuts I had holding my exhaust manifold on, I managed to strip 4 of them. Fuck. Weird, considering I've done this job oh so many times before. I have a feeling I overtorqued them last time I put the mani back on. But what's done is done, time to look for a solution.

So, solution advice? Worst comes to worst, I'll take the head off and extract the studs with the nuts still on them, but I REALLY don't want to do that. I've heard something about an extractor kit that didn't involve drilling or something? That would be nice. Fortunately (REALLY FORTUNATELY) the 4 nuts I stripped also happen to be the 4 that are the most accessible.

Soo.... Any solutions?

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00952166000P

The more you turn, the more it tries to grab.

Only tool that has ever consistently removed fucked up hardware for me. Nothing else is even worth a second glance. If this doesn't work, you're going to need a welder to repair your mistake.

Get a stud extractor kit. It works awesome. Soak the studs in some sort of moovit, liquid wrench, etc.
http://images.solidcactus.com/autobarn/xxxw-ast203.jpg

Thanks, that's exactly what I was looking for.

Hammer the socket onto the bolt if possible. That works for me.

Cool trick my dad taught us: Use a breaker bar and a wrench. The closed side of the wrench goes over the handle and you use your palm like you're breaking boards in karate. :giggle: