I'm confused about how these manifold to turbo studs are supposed to work.
 

I'm a dumbass and I'm also wary of messing something up so here we go.

For one thing, I'm assuming the things go into the manifold like this, with the short end down.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1383778092

Whenever I've tightened down a stud usually you throw one nut on top of another and ratchet them both down to tighten the thing.

Well, I have the nuts, but it seems like they have a distinct oval shape at the top which makes tightening them over the studs a bit difficult to the point where I'm a little wary of doing so since it is very difficult to get them over the stud.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1383778092

Am I doing something wrong here? Should I get some different nuts? Am I messing up which direction the studs go in?

Use regular nut to drive them in.

The oval shape is to help "lock it in place."

Hm, the regular nut makes sense and is what I was thinking I'd need to do.

Also, I'm assuming I'm putting the stud in the manifold the right way. Once the stud is in the manifold do I just throw the turbo on and crank the locking nut down over it? There is a fair amount of thread sticking up even after putting the turbo over it.

I swear I realize this sounds dumb as hell and it should be obvious, but the manifold and turbo were connected when I got them the first time around so I never needed to deal with this.

Yes just put the turbo on and put the nut on. The nut in the picture looks like a nylon nut. Just use two regular nuts.

Alright. I guess I was mostly just worried since there is so much torque that needs to be applied to the locking nuts, but now that I'm thinking about it more that makes perfecct sense.

I'd be more worried about the studs sticking out too far and contacting the turbo somewhere. That is, if the stud in the first picture is far down as it will go.

That's not cranked down at all, just threaded in a little to show the stud. The studs will fit fine I think once I get some normal 10-1.5 nuts to put them in with.

the nut in the picture is just a regular lock nut, not nylon. The oval shape keeps it locked in place.

I saw that sort of thing the other day on an episode of Wheeler Dealers. I think I might get a set. Are these only good for removing studs? I was reading something that indicated it will mess up the threads if it has to grip on them.

My engine builder had a set of something like that to install various sorts of studs... Couldn't tell you exactly, but whatever it was he was using it to put studs on.

Also, not a nylon nut.lol It would be pretty pointless because it's going to get very hot.

they catch on fire; it's a fun sight.

Well, I have the studs in the manifold and I realized I didn't have a 15mm open ended wrench for some reason. Everything from 14mm down and 16mm up, but for some reason 15 is missing so I couldn't really fully tighten down the nuts. Gonna hit the store to get something and then get the manifold and turbo on the car tonight.

Stud should never be more than hand tight into the piece. Only the nut should be torqued. Otherwise you should have just used a bolt since you're loosing the mechanical advantages of a stud.

That's interesting. Hand tight doesn't get them very far into the manifold. I mean, far enough I suppose. It goes a lot farther in than in that picture, that's just slightly screwed in to show it.

The threads need to be cleaned up then. You should be able to bottom them out by hand.

If I have already torqued them into the thing should I just take em out and redo? Or am I screwed?

At certain points in this process I feel like I can't do much right.

Now that I think about it, yes there is no reason to torque a stud into anything. I feel more dumb and yet smarter now.

you are fine.

dont worry about it. just get them far enough in that they have all of the threads engaged.

+1. Studs don't always thread in by hand easily... (definitely don't need to torque them though).