BEFORE Jaguar forums: "I believe its safe to say my engine is ruined"


AFTER Jaguar forums: "it came out like butter"

 

LOL - great to know we're not alone

@Joe - thanks for the follow-up and well done.

 

Congratulations on a successful result. Are you using new head bolts?

 

 

Sorry for the dramatic tone of my original post but the sound and feel of the bolt snapping off deep in the block was gut-churning. Mind you that prior to this the most i've done re auto repair was a few water pumps and periferals but never a complete head gasket R/R. If not for the advice and help from the forum I would have never attempted or completed the job. Thanks all!


Can't wait to be on the road again!

 

I realize this is a rather old thread, but my experience might help someone with the same problem.
Rather than using a bolt extractor or EZ-Out type of tool (I have had zero success with these in the past) I chose to use a set of left-handed drill bits (Warrior brand at Harbor Freight, about $8 for a set). The 3/16" bit had enough shank to reach the depth needed (approximately what you've shown in the photos) so I started with it. The hole I needed to operate on was the #2 on the left bank, and although the access was not terrible, the suspension tower was close enough that I couldn't fit the body of the drill in for a direct run; I bought a DrillPro 90 degree adaptor (Lowe's, about $20) to solve that problem.
I was concerned about beating up the threads inside the hole, so bought two 3/8" x 1/4" steel spacers (Lowe's, about $1 each) to line the hole.
While I was figuring this out I soaked the bolt hole with several changes of penetrating oil over a period of two days, occasionally using an old door hinge pin with a hammer to shock the bolt end loose . Before starting the operation, I hit the stuck bolt surface with a 1/4" centerpunch to help secure the end of the drill bit.
The 3/16" bit worked well (applied a few seconds at a time, on and off) and I used a small telescoping magnet to pull out the debris during the process. I finally felt the bolt end starting to come up, When that happened I switched up to the next size bit, and the bolt end zipped right out. I checked the threads by running in a new bolt (after cleaning the hole out thoroughly, using a disposable shop towel, silicone lubricant and a narrow bottle-brush). All good.
Hope this helps someone.

 

Well done....

 

Well done indeed. Congrats on saving the day, neighbor. I live near Kings Island so we may not be far apart. If you ever change your shocks or top mount I have just the ticket. I'd be glad to help. TM