Hey guys,

I'm in the process of removing my manifold and I was woundering if you guys ever warm up the engine before doing so? Or do you just get up in there get your elbow grease going? What are the odd of it breaking off?

 

What are you worried about breaking? The studs? I just pulled mine off the other day, and all I did was soak the nuts in PBlaster for a few minutes before loosening them. I didn't break anything. Just take it easy backing the nuts out.

 

You go ahead and fully warm that engine up and then tell me what the say at the hospital when they are wraping up your 3rd degree burns.

 

In complete agreement with ^

Just try and loosen them. If its apparent its not going to go, soak them down. Once, twice, whatever and then let them sit between soaks to allow the fluid to saturate. Also sometimes it helps to tighten them a bit, its sounds counter intuitive, but it can help break up the rust that is seizing the nut. And if that fails you'll need to heat up the nut, and only the NUT. Propane, acetylene, butane, it doesn't have to be cheery red. This is better than just heating the whole nut/stud which you would do by heating up the engine. The point is to expand the nut not the stud, thus making it easier to loosen. Good luck.

And if one breaks there are always stub, extrators, I call mine vise grips.

 

I had all kinds of troubles with stripped studs,and nuts a few years back while removing my header that had only been on for a few years,and now whenever I install exhaust bolts,and such I use high temp never-sieze.I had a couple of studs that broke on my 12A,and it was a nightmare getting them out,and then re-threding them with a heli-coil.I was worried about this same thing on sunday when I tore into removing the exhaust from my new 79,but every bolt came off with ease.The only wierd thing was the fact that on the 79 you have to remove the intake manifold to get to the top two studs on the exhaust manifold.

Good luck with the removal,and pray they don't break,or strip because it is not fun if they do.

Chris
79 GS
83 LE
74 RE/PU
92 Cummins diesel

 

Damn ******* striaght.

This can't be understated. Suspension components and exhaust especially. And anything thats going to corrode or rust. Its probably the biggest time saving measure you can take.

Good call Mazdax.

 

..would this be the much debated "exaust wrap" ive heard so much about?

 

well i tool the manifold off and the headers are on ... wasn't that rusted came out pretty easily. now waiting for the whole bending part to be done. I ran the car a bit with just open headers though and i can already feel the difference ...

 

[QUOTE=Mazdax605]
<snip>
The only wierd thing was the fact that on the 79 you have to remove the intake manifold to get to the top two studs on the exhaust manifold.
<snip>
Not so. You can remove the top nuts by using the special tool shown in the FSM. Or rebend a distributor wrench to the shape needed. The 9/16 end fits the 14 mm nuts.

 

[QUOTE=wecycle]Thanks for the heads up.I will keep that in mind next time,but on sunday when I was hip deep in exhasut removal that was the only was I coul see to get the nuts off.

Chris

 

Glad to hear that you got it off ok. A little late for this, but always take a wire brush to the exposed threads to remove any debris before you soak them down or try to remove them. This is really a big help.

 

Hardly third degree burns!!! I touched my RBheader after an intense run so it was really hot. See we have these things called nerve endings will tell our brain to pull away very rapidly once they sence the bruning.

 

[QUOTE=wecycle]Took one off tonite, not a problem with a wobbly from Sears.

I had a worse burn than that from reving a 2nd gen, leaning over the engine bay, with the coolant filler cap off. Dumb, dumb move. Coolant sticks to the skin, got burnt from elbow to wrist.