S2000 Under The Hood S2000 Technical and Mechanical discussions.

Subframe bolts seized!

Old 05-08-2010, 08:50 PM
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Smile Subframe bolts seized!

So I decided to change out my clutch today. All was going smoothly until I reached the sub frame drop step. I removed the middle bolts as the manual says, I then proceed to back out the front 14mm bolts. I get about 1/2 inch out and the turning resistance skyrockets, on both bolts? Wtf, I proceed to use a large breaker bar to back them out further. They make it to about 1 inch out and seize almost completely!! My 2 foot breaker bar can move them about 1/8 turn If I torque it as hard as i physically can. And when I say hard as I can, I mean so hard that I almost herniated myself. WTF!! The rear bolts drop out fine just like they should. I managed to get the transmission out anyway, but I know I will have to deal with the frozen bolt problem upon reinstall.

Should I

A: Get a bigger breaker bar, and risk snapping the bolts off, while trying to seat them?

B: Cut the heads off and try to thread the bolt area just under the bolt head,
effectively turning them into studs?

C. Drill them out completely, retap the holes and buy new bolts?
Old 05-08-2010, 09:17 PM
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i'll ask the big question...

did you support the subframe with a jack/wood while you loosened the bolts?

i have seen this happen before if the frame is not supported. the 14mm's are tough too because they have such small heads on them. you can very easily snap it right off.

you may have to drill and tap it out and order new ones, but i would try to lift the subframe up with a jack first to relieve tension on the bolts.
Old 05-10-2010, 10:01 PM
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Yes I tried a variety of support methods but none helped. the bolts are still frozen.
Old 05-10-2010, 10:09 PM
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do you have an impact gun? one of my rear diff bolts was like that no matter what you did to it. i couldnt get it with a 2 foot breaker bar. i tightened it back in and then impacted it out andit slowly but surely came out...messed up threads though.
Old 05-11-2010, 05:21 AM
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You dont take 14mm bolts out of the subframe.
Old 05-11-2010, 09:13 AM
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Impact gun FTW!
Old 05-12-2010, 11:47 AM
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Ingersolrand 640 foot lbs inpact wrench couldnt budge it! Looks Like im going to just cut the heads off and thread the bottom of the bolt. I just ordered a m14 tap to do this.
Old 05-12-2010, 11:49 AM
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Originally Posted by Gigdy,May 11 2010, 05:21 AM
You dont take 14mm bolts out of the subframe.
Im not sure what you are talking about, You obviously never read the service manual clutch change procedure
Old 05-12-2010, 12:50 PM
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pretty sure you take the 14mm bolts out completely, and drop the 17mm bolts down 3-5 ". cant remember the exact length though.
Old 05-12-2010, 01:18 PM
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there are 3 pairs of subframe bolts. i could be absolutely wrong (even though i just did this last week) but i believe the middle pair are 14mm bolts, and the outers are 17 and 19.

in your OP you said you were taking out the FRONTS and they got stuck and were 14mm. now im just totally confused in numbers! can anybody clarify if the front pair of subframe bolts are in fact 14mm? maybe this poor guy is wrenching on the wrong bolts?

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