xr250 broken header pipe bolt

[peanuts]

Gday,

While removing my header pipes on my 01 XR250 I very cleverly broke one of the bolts the fastening nuts screw onto. You know, the ones that stick out of the engine block? It broke off right at the bottom of the thread so there is about a half inch of unthreaded bolt sticking out of the block. I want to get it out.

I need to know if the bolt is smooth the whole way into the block or if it is threaded. I assume if it is threaded it is a reverse thread. If anyone can tell me what it is in there it would be much appreciated.

Unfortunately it is Sunday in Australia and I don't know a single honda shop in the country that is open on sundays and my workshop manual has zero info on it. I'll call my local honda workshop on monday morning but if anyone knows right now, that would be awesome.

Cheers guys.

 

[76GMC1500]

They're usually studs, right hand thread on both ends. If pliers don't work, The best repair would be a thread repair insert. Grind it off flush. Center punch it DIRECTLY in the center, start with a smaller drill, and drill through the EXACTLY center. The most difficult part of this job is getting the hole centered properly. Then, buy a Helicoil, Permacoil, or the like and drill the hole to the size recommended by the repair kit. Install the Helicoil and replace the old stud with a new one from Honda. Use anti-seize generously this time and you'll be less likely to break it off. Remember to use a hair less torque with the anti-seize.

 

[Ol'89r]

Gday,
It broke off right at the bottom of the thread so there is about a half inch of unthreaded bolt sticking out of the block.QUOTE]


peanuts.

First, take a hammer and rap the stud a few times on the end. This will shock the stud and possibly loosen it. Then, slip a nut over the end of the stud and weld it to the stud. Take a wrench on the nut and unscrew the stud. If it won't come out, heat the head around the stud with a torch. It is a standard right-handed thread. If it unscrews from the head, the threads in the head should be ok.

 

[uh_oh]

its threaded is there still part of it sticking out? if so take a pair of vice grips and pull it out, you can replace it with a regular bolt.
good luck :nod:

 

[Ol'89r]

its threaded is there still part of it sticking out? if so take a pair of vice grips and pull it out, you can replace it with a regular bolt.
good luck :nod:

Vice grips usually wont do any good on an exhaust stud. They normally need to have a nut welded on solid and heat to remove them. Why would he want to replace the stud with a regular bolt? :coocoo: The factory uses a stud for that application for a reason.

It's best to use OEM hardware for your bike.

 

[uh_oh]

Vice grips usually wont do any good on an exhaust stud. They normally need to have a nut welded on solid and heat to remove them. Why would he want to replace the stud with a regular bolt? :coocoo: The factory uses a stud for that application for a reason.

It's best to use OEM hardware for your bike.

I did the same thing on mine, it worked perfectly.
and what would that reason be?

 

[Patman]

I did the same thing on mine, it worked perfectly.
and what would that reason be?

So because it worked for you it is the official fix? :laugh: Let's look at the big picture here. Honda employs some pretty smart people to come up with their designs and so they should be significantly more qualified to select a fastener appplication than somebody with a pair of vice grips and some luck. I'll take a stab and suggest the reason they use a stud instead of a bolt might have more than one answer. First different materials so there is a good chance the steel fastener will corrode in the aluminum head, yeah just exactly like what happened to both of you. Now let's look at the other possible reason. Aluminum is softer than steel and so the threads are more prone to getting all screwed up (technical term) not to mention worn and loose so the torque value would not be correct if you remove and install the header a few times.

Reason three would have me pointing out that 89'er has for sure forgot more than you and I put together know about bikes.

 

[76GMC1500]

They use studs because a steel nut on a steel stud is less likely to seize up than a steel bolt in an aluminum head. Normaly, it's no big deal if the stud seizes in the head because you can still get the nut on and off and there is rarely any reason to need to actually remove the stud.

 

[uh_oh]

So because it worked for you it is the official fix? :laugh: Let's look at the big picture here. Honda employs some pretty smart people to come up with their designs and so they should be significantly more qualified to select a fastener appplication than somebody with a pair of vice grips and some luck. I'll take a stab and suggest the reason they use a stud instead of a bolt might have more than one answer. First different materials so there is a good chance the steel fastener will corrode in the aluminum head, yeah just exactly like what happened to both of you. Now let's look at the other possible reason. Aluminum is softer than steel and so the threads are more prone to getting all screwed up (technical term) not to mention worn and loose so the torque value would not be correct if you remove and install the header a few times.

Reason three would have me pointing out that 89'er has for sure forgot more than you and I put together know about bikes.

Im not trying to be disrespectful to him, im just saying I replaced it with a bolt after I broke mine and I havent had any ill side effects caused by it.

 

[Patman]

No harm no foul, just pointing out that it seemed you were presenting your solution as the defacto way of fixing it and 89'er has A LOT to offer in the way of real solid advice from a professionals standpoint. In a jam I would use a bolt as well but replace it ASAP.

 

[Ol'89r]

and what would that reason be?

That reason would be, the design of the pipe where it meets the exhaust port and the flange.

The pipe has a flange on the end that squeezes a soft copper ring against the exhaust port. That flange is held on by another flange that goes around the end of the pipe. The flange on the pipe does not meet the head surface so, there is a little gap between the flange and the head. This produces a small amount of movement between the pipe and the head.

A stud is designed to screw into the head and bottom out solidly. Then a flange nut or locking nut holds the pipe flange on. This allows the pipe to move a little bit without coming loose at the port. If you were to use a regular bolt instead of the proper stud, it would eventually wallow out the aluminum threads in the head and become loose.

Reason # 2.

If I were to be looking to buy a used bike and I saw one that had non OEM hardware on it, I would pass. That would tell me that the owner didn't know enough or care enough about the bike to use the proper hardware.

If you were able to use vice-grips to remove your stud, you were lucky. Most of them are very tight or galled from the heat and require heat and shocking to remove.

Thanks for the back-up Patty. :cool: Now go put some pants on. ;)

 

[uh_oh]

I think i just found another dark secret behind my xr, there was no copper thing.

 

[XR250rdr]

They smash flat and are often hard to see. The first time I removed the headers on my XR I wasn't sure if there was one there or not either.