[Green Machine]

So I went to do the headgasket on the escudo today and one of the 8mm allen key head studs decided it wanted to round itself off.

Does anyone have any tricks or other sockets I can use to get this undone? was the last one which was typical.. Normally id just try hammer a smaller socket on but being an allen key im not sure.

This is my first suzuki headgasket but seems abit strange they use allen key end headstuds..

Thanks

[Scrawny]

Allen key head bolts are quite common. I've had to chisel a rounded head bolt out before. Was buried in the worst possible place in the head and took a few hours of pounding

[Green Machine]

Would my best bet be to just drill the head off the bolt then get head off then try get it off with vice grips or well a nut onto it then and remove it?

S

[jdk81]

Green Machine wrote:

Would my best bet be to just drill the head off the bolt then get head off then try get it off with vice grips or well a nut onto it then and remove it?

S

Ive drilled a few allen head head bolts out.
Once the tensions is off them, and when the head is off the bolts are finger tight.

[Rossco]

Having recently done this on more than one bolt I agree with jdk. If you have a left hand drill bit it will pull the stud right out after you drill the head off, alternatively drill the head off and knock an easy out into it. Easy as to get out.

[Green Machine]

JDK was correct. Went and purchased a new cobolt drill bit and it ate through it real fast then once the head was off it was loose as. Cheers

[headwerkn]

This happened to me when removing the head off my Vitara last month. No. 5 EziOut carefully screwed into the drilled out head worked a treat.

[ZUZUKI]

You can buy 'kits' that have allen, torxs & 'spline' type key/bits in them.
Mercedes Benz are a fan of these 'in-hex' (allen key) bolts for heads & other things.
First, is to use a pick to get out any sludge in the bottom of the head bolt.
Use a scrap bigger diameter bolt, or large pin punch, to give the bolt head a couple of sharp 'wake up' hits
Use a in-hex bit of the right size, with a 3/8" drive - can be bought for $10-15 & turn it with the longest ratchet, or better still t-bar or breaker bar, you have, holding the bit square into the bolt head as you keep easing on as much torque as is required.
If there is a bit of torque on & it isn't shifting, or it feels like a little more might round it out, ask an assistant to give the t-bar etc another sharp tap, directly over the hex bit, with a hammer.
If that fails, go for the spline bit, belt that in - I have not yet had to resort to drilling off the head - if you do, just take care not to let swarf down into any oil passages.
Rgs, Michael