Problems getting the exhaust manifold off?
 

I have a '95 and im getting ready to install the BEGi S1. As far as i know, the exhaust manifold has never been off the car. How much do i have to worry about breaking the studs? Also, would torching them to make the nuts easier to get off make the studs or the nuts weaker?

Thanks in advance
-Wes

just use a pole on your socket wrench for extra leverage and soak your nuts, preferably in kroil. putting the new mani on was much more of a pain.

yeah, i will pick up some kroil, i think i can get it at O'Reilly's

yea use kroil. I also hear that brake fluid works surprisingly well for a penetrating oil, so might give that a shot too. To aid in loosening exhaust bolts, I've read it's best to run the motor a couple minutes, then shut it off, then brake them loose. If they are stuborn I would try that too. FWIW, the bolts on my 99 came off without too much trouble, and I put antiseize on them when reinstalling.

I didn't have any trouble with the head to manifold bolts, but the manifold to dp and dp to cat bolts were a real bitch. Good luck.

i wouldnt recommend running the motor, that get really hot...

breaker bar ftw

use a pole or somthing

its how i did it

if worse come to worse, cut the fuckers off

If you use brake fluid be careful with it, it will eat your paint off.

i used pb blaster that i sprayed on the night before the install... i also got a metal bristled brush and scrubbed the threads to take any type of unwanteds out... in the morning i sprayed them down again and pulled out my breaker bar.... i almost fell on the car because they let go quicker than i thought.

^That's the trick right there. You'd be surprised the crap that will accumulate on the threads... as you back the nut off the stud, that crap just grinds itself in and jams the nut... then you might just back the stud out... or break it off.

USE A WIRE BRUSH ON THE THREADS.
THEN USE PBBlaster or Liquid Wrench... I like the foaming kind.
I've never heard of Kroil, but I assume it's the same stuff.

Before you put the manifold back on, re-torque the studs into the block... I added an extra 10ftlbs for good measure.

I have taken off 2 seperate exhaust manifolds for 2 different turbo installs and find that pb blaster works like a charm. I gave them a good spraying a couple hours before removal and a soaking right before and the nuts came off with little effort.

I didn't do ANYTHING to get all exhaust manifold nuts off my 1995 except put a socket on them and pull. Soak them in some Kroil or PB Blaster, and you'll be set. I'd REALLY soak the manifold to intermediate "down" pipe though. Those are really tough and I broke two of the three getting them off. You're not gonna reuse them, so don't be worried about breaking. I almost just sawed them off, but went ahead and just used the socket.

Good luck mang!! :D

+3 for PB blaster. Let it soak for a while. Tap the studs with a small hammer. That usually does the trick.

Yes the downpipe/headers to the cat connection is absolutely horrible. Soak that motherfucker flange for a long time and then bash the shit out of it, preferably with a sledgehammer. I ended up sawzalling mine off since I replaced my whole exhaust... Doing that under jackstands wasn't that fun :(

sorry, i had to giggle a little bit at the part with soak your nuts, perferrable in kroil :giggle:

Same for me, the manifold came off easily, but I had to saw of the exhaust, since the connection further down was completly screwed.

I also love soaking my nuts, but I noticed that PB blaster gives me a damn rash. Try peanut butter... but not directly from the cooler. :giggle:

FWIW, I just pulled my 99's mani off after 134k miles on it... no issues at all. Used PB Blaster an hour before taking the nuts off. Oh, and on the Cali mani, there is a nut that hides in the middle... so be sure you're taking off all 9 of them! :cool:

Cheers,
Prospero

well, i got it off with little problems, and i didnt even need to disconnect the middle section, i just unbolted it from the cat and pulled it out.

I just soaked them with penetrating oil for a day and went to work with a long 8 point socket.

A couple of the studs came out of the head but I just screwed them back in.

If you need to replace any nuts watch out for the pitch.

i found the manifold came off my 120k car with no help from anything, just a 3/4" ratchet!

hope its as easy on my 70k car this week :)