GRRR! Bell housing bolts

[Adammcf]

I cant get the top two bolts off the bell housing to separate the gearbox from the engine. They are tighter than a very tight thing! Ended up breaking my socket trying to get them off and even my best vice grips cant loosen them.
Any ideas apart from heating the area with a blow torch which Im going to try tomorrow night when I buy another one. (Typical the one I have got doesnt work anymore).

[Turbo-Brown]

Blimey, you broke a Torx socket?!

Thing about heating this particular problem is that the block needs heating to expand the hole a bit, but by the time that's hot enough, the bellhousing will have expanded and be excerting even more of a tensile load on the bolt! (Possibly )

[JazzMan]

your broke a torx socket! I managed to bend a spanner trying to get the bolts off, after which I bought the socket set - worked a treat combined with a break bar

[Martinaston]

Are you sure the weight of the engine (or gerbox) is not resting on them ?

[Adammcf]

Yeah Im going to buy another Torx socket tomorrow night and give it another go. I soaked them in WD40 last night and will do the same tonight.
Where do you find is the best place to do it? Ie holding the breaker bar etc? Even with a combination of 3 extension bars I couldnt find anywhere to get a decent pull/push on it.
Im working under the car btw with a trolley jack supporting the box so very little room!

[Martinaston]

Some people have said they can do it with a ring spanner from the engine bay but i've never had that pleasure

Have you tried re-tightening all the others and then releasing the two tight ones ?

[Gwynleym10]

Some people have said they can do it with a ring spanner from the engine bay but i've never had that pleasure

You can on four cylinder engines, but i belive not on six.

Have you got the engine tilted?
Jack the front of the engine up which should lower the bell housing just enough.
Make sure you have the bonnet open though.....

[Martinaston]

And remove the gearstick linkage

[Turbo-Brown]

When I did it, I pulled the engine and gearbox forwards (rad etc. removed) so that I could get access with the breaker bar.

[Adammcf]

The bonnet is off and the engine and box completely stripped of any wires or anything as Ive got them ready to take out of the car.
I'll play around and see if I can get a decent spanner to fit it maybe.

[Turbo-Brown]

Needs to be a Torx spanner though!

If the bolt heads round it'll be the devils work to get 'em out!