I appreciate all the info. I can honestly say that I've never broken a stud when putting something back together. This is the first time. Not that it matters anymore but I did spray these things down with penetrating oil a good few hours before. Coming off wasn't the problem. I did not think 10ft lbs would snap the stud. They are not rusted. This thing had to have weakened or cracked or something when I loosened it.

I am in total agreement that pulling the head just to extract the stud would be stupid! Like Oldblue said, not cost effective. I've never done a head gasket so there's also the possibility of putting it all back together and for some dumb reason the new head gasket leaks or a head bolt breaks!
Resetting the timing wouldn't bother me. These are easy.

I had fumes in the cabin already that's why I investigated and found the leaks. Not to mention an extremely annoying idle that I could not narrow down despite all the normal HHR tune up stuff. I'll know if I start smelling the fumes again. BTW, car is idling smooth now once again.

One last question for you all. There are a couple rows of threads showing in the hole where the broken stud is. What do you all think about find a short bolt with the same threads and thread lock and seeing if I can get a grip on the threads in the event it starts leaking?

I'm not doing a darn thing until it starts leaking. Maybe life will give me a break for once!

 

Don’t know till you try it. It’s gamble. You might install another stud and nut.

 

I never liked that torque spec. That's only finger tight!

 

Just enough to clamp the manifold to the head and hold pressure on the steel exhaust gasket.