Post experiences on removing exhaust manifold bolts

[HotRodPC]

How am I supposed to attack head gaskets by myself reading this ****? I may as well cough up the extra dough to pay someone else to do it.

You can do it. Read what I put as far as working the bolt back and forth and it may just prevent one from breaking too. Also, use a 6pt socket, not an opened end wrech, 12pt box wrench or 12pt socket. You are more likley to round off the heads using those tools. Go with the 6pt socket. Also, no jerking motion to loosen them, no tapping the ratchet with a hammer. That will snap them off. If they are that tight, use a cheater pipe and just keep steady firm solid pressure til they give up or break. If they break at that point, there was no saving them anyway.

 

[Irishman999]

You can do it. Read what I put as far as working the bolt back and forth and it may just prevent one from breaking too. Also, use a 6pt socket, not an opened end wrech, 12pt box wrench or 12pt socket. You are more likley to round off the heads using those tools. Go with the 6pt socket. Also, no jerking motion to loosen them, no tapping the ratchet with a hammer. That will snap them off. If they are that tight, use a cheater pipe and just keep steady firm solid pressure til they give up or break. If they break at that point, there was no saving them anyway.

Giving everything a good soak with creeping oil like PB blaster will help your situation as well. Hours before you start just soak the hell out of everything your going to take loose.

 

[89Suburban]

I just don't want to attack it by myself, and it's my DD too.

 

[HotRodPC]

Retro will fly out and give you a hand with that job. That's if you'fve got a place for him to sleep since he'd likely have to crash at least one night.

 

[89Suburban]

Another thing is I either got to do it outside at home or inside at work and drag all my **** over there and forget something. This really has me down man.

 

[HotRodPC]

Another thing is I either got to do it outside at home or inside at work and drag all my **** over there and forget something. This really has me down man.

Sorry to hear that buddy. If Retro comes to help, I'm sure he can get you back up again !!

 

[bigchevytruckdriver]

Exhaust manifold bolts=PITA.

Wanted comment on the post relating to heating the bolts/studs it is correct that overheating can damage the head. When using heat apply a little at a time I find that a small bottle mounted torch as opposed to oxy acetylene is sufficient for doing so.

Do keep in mind that TBI manifolds generally require to be stretched to re install can be done without the stretching tool by starting on one end and starting the threads on the first then the next and so on but leaving loose then when you get to the ones that barely reach pull the manifold as far away from the head as possible with the other bolts in and place a pry bar against anything you can grab on the head and the manifold until you can thread it in. Hard not to cross thread doing this so be careful. Then tighten the outsides first. working inward to the middle. Then torque in order according to the book.

 

[davbell22602]

Exhaust manifold bolts=PITA.

Wanted comment on the post relating to heating the bolts/studs it is correct that overheating can damage the head. When using heat apply a little at a time I find that a small bottle mounted torch as opposed to oxy acetylene is sufficient for doing so.

Do keep in mind that TBI manifolds generally require to be stretched to re install can be done without the stretching tool by starting on one end and starting the threads on the first then the next and so on but leaving loose then when you get to the ones that barely reach pull the manifold as far away from the head as possible with the other bolts in and place a pry bar against anything you can grab on the head and the manifold until you can thread it in. Hard not to cross thread doing this so be careful. Then tighten the outsides first. working inward to the middle. Then torque in order according to the book.

Thanks for TBI info.

 

[89Suburban]

Exhaust manifold bolts=PITA.

Wanted comment on the post relating to heating the bolts/studs it is correct that overheating can damage the head. When using heat apply a little at a time I find that a small bottle mounted torch as opposed to oxy acetylene is sufficient for doing so.

Do keep in mind that TBI manifolds generally require to be stretched to re install can be done without the stretching tool by starting on one end and starting the threads on the first then the next and so on but leaving loose then when you get to the ones that barely reach pull the manifold as far away from the head as possible with the other bolts in and place a pry bar against anything you can grab on the head and the manifold until you can thread it in. Hard not to cross thread doing this so be careful. Then tighten the outsides first. working inward to the middle. Then torque in order according to the book.

Wow.

 

[britishav8tor]

Not to bring a thread back from the dead - I have a set of very old hookers that have now rusted through at the collector and need to be replaced ... however after talking to someone at hooker they said the part number is stamped on the mating side of the manifold - the bolts look pretty rusty and gnarly - I don't thing pb alone will do it I had thought about heating them first would just running the engine until they got hot be enough to encourage them to come off or would a shot of pb after or before be a good idea or ... likely to catch on fire ?