turbo removal hints?

[Jettage1]

So I'm removing the K14 for a rebuild...  Does anyone have any special hints on removing the 4 12-point bolts?  I've gotten one of the easy ones out already, but thought I'd ask before I create a nightmare for myself with the others...:shock:

Thanks!

[Op-Ivy]

I take it the engine isn't off the car. If you can raise the car up, go in from the back underneath. Be patient! You really don't want to strip those bad boys!

[Jettage1]

Nope, engine in car, and I'd like it to stay that way... :roll:

I am working from underneath with my 1/2" drive breaker bar and a 3/8" 12mm 12 point.  This forces me to use an adapter which introduces (1) slop and (2) additional length.  I'm going to buy a 1/2" 12mm 12 point & see if that gives the little extra I need...

Still, anyone's "magic bullets" welcome!

[dieselweasel]

I haven't had the pleasure of removing the turbo in chassis yet.  If I were, I would likely use a 1/2" impact gun with a swivel.  If you don't have air, I don't know what to tell ya other than be patient...

[theman53]

I might soak the bolts down with Free-All or PB Blaster as any help from that area might be appriciated. You shouldn't need heat but if you do watch the flamable stuff in the raintray and elsewhere.

[the caveman]

Get a long punch and hit hard with a hammer. It'll help break the tension. Then use the breaker bar, just don't twist. Get the bar and extentsion [?] straight and snap them loose.

[arb]

Get a long punch and hit hard with a hammer. It'll help break the tension. Then use the breaker bar, just don't twist. Get the bar and extentsion [?] straight and snap them loose.

IF they don't snap loose, heat them and try again.

[ein bora]

Having just gone through this in order to install a pyrometer into the manifold I too had issues with stubborn nuts and bolts. My first attempt was to soak the bolts with some penetrating fluid and this did work on some bolts but not all. My next attempt was to heat the bolts up with a propane touch (as I no longer have a set of oxy and acetylene tanks) and melt some wax on the bolts, this causes a wick affect which draws the hot wax into the thread and I guess helps lubricate it. This also worked on some bolts but again not all. My next attempt was something I used when I did have my oxy tanks and worked each and every time, but with only having propane I didn't think I could get the bolts hot enough to make this work but it did. Heat the bolts/nut's up as hot as you can get them and then spray water on them immediately until they are cool. This shrinks the bolt rapidly - breaking them free
As mentioned working from underneath helps a lot. On re-assembly I cleaned up every nut and bolt and coated everything with anti-seize before re-installing them. Although it's a tight area to have to be working in, it worked for me - good luck.

[the caveman]

Having just gone through this in order to install a pyrometer into the manifold I too had issues with stubborn nuts and bolts. My first attempt was to soak the bolts with some penetrating fluid and this did work on some bolts but not all. My next attempt was to heat the bolts up with a propane touch (as I no longer have a set of oxy and acetylene tanks) and melt some wax on the bolts, this causes a wick affect which draws the hot wax into the thread and I guess helps lubricate it. This also worked on some bolts but again not all. My next attempt was something I used when I did have my oxy tanks and worked each and every time, but with only having propane I didn't think I could get the bolts hot enough to make this work but it did. Heat the bolts/nut's up as hot as you can get them and then spray water on them immediately until they are cool. This shrinks the bolt rapidly - breaking them free
As mentioned working from underneath helps a lot. On re-assembly I cleaned up every nut and bolt and coated everything with anti-seize before re-installing them. Although it's a tight area to have to be working in, it worked for me - good luck.

The heating and quick cooling works very well for some things, but usually exhaust nuts. The crazy Tiawanese mechanic i worked with for 20 years showed me that trick when we were changing a lot of A2 cabrio and GTI exhaust manifolds. Nice thing about it is that it helps to clean the threads at the same time. Won't work as well unless you can get the surrounding metal red hot, and the faster you can cool it till it can be touched [be careful!] the better. Works great in winter when you can cool it with snow or ice.