1974 Daimler Double-Six VDP (higher axle stands)

in case you haven't seen it before this is how easy it is to remove the studs from a block where they aren't corroded.

sorry for the awkward position, poor quality and classical music but you can see how once you break the 'torque' they wind out easy as pie - and it is 12 full turns

Yes. I'm still amzed there has finally been some movement

I was actually re-reading my posts from almost exactly 3 years ago, when I started taking the heads off, and it's strange how my comments at the time are still relevant.

I see that one stud actually moved a few turns before breaking whilst one broke straight away. These were on the RH bank and it's the one that turned a few turns 3 years ago that moved most the other night - and then didn't move at all last night.

The one which snapped straight away has moved the most now.

Not the most rivetting information but interesting to me and still confusing as it's not the threads which are stuck so the grip on the unthreaded part of the stud (about 3cm) must be enormous if it is enough to cause the studs to shear.

If I can get these last 5 out by Feb 18 will be exactly 3 years I've been wrestling with them. If I can even get one out tonight will be great as I wan't to see what has been holding them. Is there a name for the corrosion between steel and alloy? lol. Is there a chemical that eats it?

try an immersion in "Evapo-Rust".....from ebay. its a ph neutral chelating agent so safe with alloys.

It's not like this round every stud. Only 5 are deep-set. That's why I'm having the issues. I don't know why the casting was higher in these areas. They could have used shorter studs and not tapped as deeply but mb thought it was better to keep all the studs same length

Sounds like progress is being made. Are you adding penetrating oil while things are hot? The (slight) extra gap and reduced viscosity from the heat improves the chances of the oil going where it should.

That’s actual penetrating oil, not WD40, which isn’t.

Nick

keep the solution warm whilst the block is in the bath, assuming alloy and steel expand at different rates, any rust will breakdown in the gaps. the gaps will slowly stay open.

I had to remove the air-con hose fittings from a 2008 Renault Trafic van today - should have been a simple case of just undoing the 8mm bolt and pulling/twisting them out, but I had to use a blowlamp on both and one came out OK, the other one partially snapped off in the old A/C condensor fitting. All due to corrosion, binding the pipe end into the fitting, yet all the parts were similar looking alloy.

Well, much to my surprise, I got 2 of the nightmare studs out

I'd had another useless day after 4 or 5 hours sleep and kept putting off going to the barn to wrestle with the problem but for some reason about 8.30pm I mustered up the mojo to get my butt out the door. Putting on the work clothes always helps as you fell odd sitting back down in them lol.

Anyway I set the box up and left it well alone while I tidied up and continued searching for 2 items that I cannot find anywhere!! (brake-bleed tube for the gaffer's long-running XJR1300 saga and hinge-cutter for kitchen cabinet as Old Mary has pulled one of her doors clean orf).

Needless to say I found neither but by that time the box was smoking away. I had no intentions of doing the routine twice so I unplugged it and stuck the probe in and it went up to at least 120C. Whipped the box off and left the probe on the casting while I got busy and the casting was up to 110C

Unfortunately I have no pics of this as my camera was saying 'battery empty' but this may be due to the cold.

Long story short I got both the LH and RH studs facing each other out. These would be the ones nearest bulkhead. The other 2 on the RH bank moved a little but as I was determined to get at least one out completely I kept working on the ones that moved the most. Good news was the one that didn't move at all last night (RH middle) moved a good bit.

I found that when there were about 5 or 6 revolutions left to go I could put the super-long breaker-bar to the side and take them out with the T-bar. Was unbelievable to see them come out after all this time.

Tomorrow I'll do the same: let the box get up to a good temp then work on the last 2 on RH bank. Am sure they'll yield. Then I can turn to the short one on LHS. Will be a real bummer if that snaps. Talk about falling at last hurdle


So getting the 2 freed studs home for analysis there was almost no corrosion on them. A little white powder on the threads of the RH one and nothing on the LH one (it picked up some gunk on way out).

My camera also decided to start working after I'd got them out and you can see from the pics how dry the holes are inside which means none of the ATF or WD40 was getting anywhere near the interface. When the first stud came out the thick collar on it (just above thread) looked like it was polished from rotating in the bore. I'll need to measure now that they're out but I reckon the studs are buried 2" into the casting



2 studs freed! problem-zone may be the collar above thread. polished appearance suggests it's touching the bore



this is where the rear RH one lived



rear LH one was here. arrowed is tooth from my failed holesaw effort



these last 2 from RH bank hopefully out at next visit



and then will deal with the one which folded after gas-torch put on it



as usual threads clean as a whistle. this RH stud showing a little white but not much



LH holesaw stud. arrowed is my estimate of how deep it goes into casting



cleaned up (and next to pen for scale) they don't look as scary




Anyway. I've been stressing badly about not having any work this month (and most of December) but at least now something positive has come out of it. I guess I could have achieved this whilst working at same time but it's perhaps telling that this is first time in years I've not worked daily and suddenly the studs are coming out.

Great result, after 3 years you are going to want to mount them as a trophy!


Idea of drilling a small hole down the side of the broken one sounds a good idea, put the new one in with some sealer and all will be fine.