don't heat the bolt! heat the housing around the bolt.

I've been thinking a bit about heating the housing...the more I think the more I think it might be a bad idea.

Sure the bellhousing will expand....where will it expand too? I think it will make the bolt tighter in the hole...and with my cooked head experience I wonder whether it might effect bearings and stuff.

The heat probably breaks up the rust more than expands the metal in a favourable way.

I'll have one more crack at this puppy mid week, with a bit of heat too to break up the rust. If that no work I'm pulling the gearbox taking it to the exhaust guy at the end of the road - he can weld a nut on it then I'll yoink it out.

I've got a spare fill plug which will be going in with either plumbers tape or some of the copper-eze stuff I've got.

Still a little concerned about heat on the housing - but as Mik say "smack my bitch up!"

ohhh looks messy one way arounf this is to drain the fluid and measure how much there was and to refill the gearbox through ther breather with a hand pump. You could also look up how much oil the factory gearboxes have so you make sure the right amount of oil goes back in.

That's a pretty good idea there converted....it could get me out of trouble.

This car is only going to get driven once or twice - then up to the country for a complete strip and paint job.

I'll check out how easily I can access this breather hole.

Thanks for the idea!

Youshould be able to fill it up through the shifter hole in the top aswell. Just slowly.

this may sound stupid but are you turning the bolt the right way because on the photo with the pipe wrench you have it angled to tighten not loosen

Definitely a valid question....the photo is taken lying down under the car.

The bolt is being turned anti-clockwise..belive me I thought about it a few million times. "Am I sure I'm undoing it the right way?"

I think I might go one of these temporary solutions now - fill through the breather hole or gearstick hole.

I did exactly the same as converted described, couldnt for the f*cking life of me get the filler bolt out so i just took of the breather pipe and filled it ever so slowly thru there. Took twice as long but got the job done in the end.

Make sure to rest the end of the gearbox on something other wise all your new oil will be spilling on the ground! To ensure it didnt leak out when installing i just whacked the tail shaft back in there, bit of a hassel moving it around but worked for me!

Good luck mildman, these little things piss you off the most hey...

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hmmmm..... you might want to have another look at that photo...
the stilson doesn't really look like it is gripping on the flats of the head of the bolt though, gripping on the corners will round it but it is a bit hard to tell in that pic.

your argument about heat affecting the bearings becomes null and void if you decide to weld a nut onto the bolt. you don't need much heat to make a big difference and it won't affect bearings or anything else, maybe if you really overdid it the oil MIGHT suffer but you are changing that anyway.

it is totally your decision of course but if you have a gas set or heat gun handy you don't have much to lose aye?

Unfortunately some of you dont have a good handle on what happens to what when "a little heat" is applied.
I would not have posted "the use of heat as a last resort" unless it worked.
Your choice - pull the box out and screw around or get under the car with a flat file and safety glasses and file two flats on the rounded head then wack your wrench on it and give the alloy case around the bolt head "a little heat" A small portable LP gas torch will do fine, even worth a try with you hot air gun if you can get the heat close enough because of the low temp of the heat gun. If you use an LP torch you can keep the flame small and only heat what is needed.
this will be heapes quicker than taking the box out and travelling all over the country to get it welded, then putting it back together...........
If your still soo desperate and want to get it welded, then drive it to an exhaust shop and get them to do it "in car" whilst on a hoist.