Stripped bolt head on front knock sensor

First order of business...I have got to thank Montypython for his perfect re-creation of my experience with the driver side knock sensor replacement ...I laughed so hard I almost forgot about the pain from the slab of meat right hand of mine
Now I have to deal with a stripped bolt head on the front (passenger side) knock sensor. I cannot seem to get any kind of tool in there to loosen up the bolt...any ideas besides dynamite or a 20-lb. sledgehammer? The previous owner obviously tried this one and (expletive deleted ) and after he stripped it left it to rot. So...I've tried to get a vise grip in there to no avail...any other tricks?
Thanks in advance and any help you provide keeps my slab of meat right hand from turning into a bloody stump!

[Landshark]

Craftman stripped-bolt-head-remover thingies?

never tried them, but i used their stripped screw head removers and they work like a charm. used it on the shift-lock bolt, actually.

[SVXer95]

You can use an EZ-out. It is basically a tapered drill bit wit reverse flutes. So going ccw the bit goes in. Since it is tapered, the further it goes in, the tighter it gets and voila bolt comes out. I would use this as a last resort as you have to worry about metal shavings. But...if nothing else will work, give it a try. I think EZ out is a brand name, but any hardware store should know what you are talking about.

For the use of the craftsman things, you would need to remove the intake manifold. Big job!

Mike

[Landshark]

Originally posted by Green1995SVX
For the use of the craftsman things, you would need to remove the intake manifold. Big job!

Mike

a socket won't fit in there? the ones i was thinking of look like sockets and fit over the bolt head.

http://www.sears.com/sr/craftsman/wh...OOL&Tool_Id=45

No...darn socket heads are too tall to fit in and that is without even attaching the ratchet yet...crap, I'm not equippped to remove an intake manifold here so it looks like I'm stuck at the Suby shop next week...THANKS for everyone's input.
BTW my Subaru mechanic (24 yrs old) got killed Friday night on a motorcycle...he has the same car and 5-spd conversion I do...nice kid; some stupid drunk ran him down...nice thoughts out to him and his family.

Sorry to hear about your mechanic and friend. It's a shame to lose one so young. Peace to him, his family and you.
Dave

[svx_commuter]

It is sad when someone dies. I hope you feel better.

I think I would grind the bolt head off before I went to the dealer.