Manifold bolts

Arnold

Arnold

www.alanarnold.co.uk
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Hi guys

I dont believe my outlet manifold has ever been removed from the car. Is there a chance i'l have difficulty in removing it? Im told the bolts may have warped and could snap when i take them out.

I obviously don't want that to happen! What's the safest way to remove them?

Cheers
 
mine came out easy mate they had never been off

use a small breaker bar wd40 them the day before let it soak in then do it before u take them off iff that fails ad a bit of heat
 
if wd40 doesnt work heat the nuts/studs up, a blow toarch works well just dont touch them with your fingers after (obvious i know but i dont want people to burn thmselfs)
 
as said soak in wd40 several days before removing, i've managed to break studs on my mazda and friends triumph spitfire, but its not the end of the world if this does happen garages are used to it, my local place only charged me 15 to get a new stud put in.
 
if there rusty you can buy this spray that freezes the bolts and the surrounding rust, the rust simply breaks off and eases the bolt :)
 
The gas axe is your friend if they don't want to budge (or blow torch). I spend a lot of time working on old engines (50-80 years old) so I know all about bolts that won't budge LOL

If by chance the bolt DOES snap and your are left with the stud being stuck in the block then you have a number of options. (I don't want to teach granny to suck eggs, I just don't know how much you know so I'll say it as basic as I can)

If the stud is protruding a little bit use a set of mole grips to clamp on to it and try and twist it out with them. If the grips keep slipping, try filing down two opposite sides of the stud and clamp that (or possibly use an open ended spanner if one will fit). If there is no protrusion then you are best drilling it out. The best way to do this is to get a punch, and punch the centre of the bolt, then drill a hole thru the centre of the bolt (the punch hole is just so the drill doesn't slip to the side when you are starting your drilling) then use a stud extractor to remove it. If you don't have a stud extractor and don't want to buy one a garage will be able to do the job quickly for you.

When you replace the bolts on the fanimold wipe a bit of copper grease on the threads so the next time they are taken out (by yourself or the next owner) they will come out much easier.
 
ive found this method below works 99.9% of the time

spray with double tt
wire brush as much rust as posible off
spray again with double tt
using a 6 sided socket the correct size with a breaker bar
 
WD40 or what ever long soak and respray

make sure the bolt head is clean and a good fit in the socket

as already mentionned a breaker bar will give you a huge mechanical advantage...

IMO VERY HARD....AND VERY FAST SHOCK turns

WD40 soak after each movement for the first few rotations

(avoid slow movements...these will twist the bolt head off for sure)
 
SammoHung said:
IMO VERY HARD....AND VERY FAST SHOCK turns
Click to expand...

are a sure way to snap the studs

best way to do it arnold means getting burnt, take the car for the best drive of its life to get the manifold hot, take it home and get started straight away undoing the nuts and they will come off easy as pie
 
lmao!! Ok i'l bear that in mind. Im thinking about fitting my 4-1 at the weekend, cutting the existing pipe and bodging them together, my only concern if i manage to get the manifold off, is that the current pipe & 4-1 pipe are the same size. If they aren't, i should be fine, but i don't know how im gonna join them up if they're the same.

Im booked in at Longlife exhausts to do everything if i dont do it before hand, but they're going to charge a bomb in labour rates.
 
measure them first haha, and get reducers lol.

You ideally want to replace the whole system if the new manifold is larger ID.

If all else fails just run it open for a bit haha
 
seriously not a good idea to run it open

i did that the last day it was on mine and it is ####in loud and wont let it rev above 4k whitout the constant noise of flames coming out of it
 
misterBaz said:
The gas axe is your friend if they don't want to budge (or blow torch). I spend a lot of time working on old engines (50-80 years old) so I know all about bolts that won't budge LOL

If by chance the bolt DOES snap and your are left with the stud being stuck in the block then you have a number of options. (I don't want to teach granny to suck eggs, I just don't know how much you know so I'll say it as basic as I can)

If the stud is protruding a little bit use a set of mole grips to clamp on to it and try and twist it out with them. If the grips keep slipping, try filing down two opposite sides of the stud and clamp that (or possibly use an open ended spanner if one will fit). If there is no protrusion then you are best drilling it out. The best way to do this is to get a punch, and punch the centre of the bolt, then drill a hole thru the centre of the bolt (the punch hole is just so the drill doesn't slip to the side when you are starting your drilling) then use a stud extractor to remove it. If you don't have a stud extractor and don't want to buy one a garage will be able to do the job quickly for you.

When you replace the bolts on the fanimold wipe a bit of copper grease on the threads so the next time they are taken out (by yourself or the next owner) they will come out much easier.
Click to expand...

fwn fwn fwn fwn fwn fwn

are you sure you meant to say fanimold?...... thats a swear filter evasion of the funniest kind..haha
 
Fordy said:
are a sure way to snap the studs
Click to expand...

I don't diss-agree with your advice about heating..(in fact it gets my vote too) but I am speeking from experience of slow versus very fast and in comparrison is NOT "a sure way to snap the studs"

studs snap from heat-deformation & fatigue after thay have been twisted ...not because thay are inherently brittle!! (coz thay're not brittle)

SHISHKEBAB!
 
antony_aiken said:
fwn fwn fwn fwn fwn fwn

are you sure you meant to say fanimold?...... thats a swear filter evasion of the funniest kind..haha
Click to expand...
I apologise for evading the swear filter...didn't mean to...fanimold has become 'the word' that my mate and I use as much as possible when messing about with engines...because it's a funny word to use when bored lol
 
Are the nuts and bolts wrung? If not and if it's the first time removal they should come off without problems. The rust should break off without the need to freeze or WD40 it just a good quality socket or spanner and a bit of elbow grease, If it's really tight a gentle whack with the hammer will ease it.

Charlotte
 
you don't have a tool next to the nut/bolt when you whack it. It always works and has done no damage yet. not sure about the heating part as the nuts will be steel and the head alloy these two when heated don't mix well and the holes tend to expand a touch.
 
SDS/WD40 is the best way to do it, they'll come off easily as the only rust will be between the bolts head and the manifold.

If they're awkward, use a breaker bar, and apply the leverage gradually don't jerk it.
 
Misuse ;)

And yes, doesnt matter what happens to them, as long as they havent been lost.
 
Nope. All professional sets have it included in the price. They're meant to be so good, they wont break or wear away. Havent had any problems yet!

My cheap £10 set from argos broke within about 4 hours lol. Pays to get good tools! Just a bummer they like to fall out all over the floor often
 
when i bought my halfords socket set they saidn if anything breaks just bring it back and it will be repaired/replaced as nesecery
 

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