Loosening stuck bolts w/o shearing?
So, I need to remove the valve covers and the coolant Y-pipe in the VOD. Legend has it that I could easily shear one or more of them. Poking around on this site and elsewhere, I get the impression that there are several ways of removing the stuck bolts. Or at least making it easier, all have to do with heating/cooling.
(I suppose we are exploiting the difference in thermal rate of expansion between the steel bolt and the aluminum engine block?)
- Heating with propane torch.
- Heating by shorting a car battery through the bolt.
- Heating with induction, special tool.
- Cooling by cold spray from a can. (It's cold! It's damn cold!)
I'm partial to going with the special induction tool or the spray can, since it seems easiest to control.
Could someone advice what your prefered methods are, what works best, and especially if any of the above mentioned have gone wrong/should be avoided?