Freeing Stuck Exhaust Manifold

[Guest]

I've tried now for 3 days to free up the exh. man. that attached to passenger side head of my V-8. I tried spryaing with LiquidWrench each time but still haven't been able to budge the 3 bolts on the tri-flange.<P>Someone told me Coca-Cola would work by pouring over it. Any second opinion on that or suggestions? Guess it can't hurt eh?

[rocketraider]

Try some PB Blaster. That's the best penetrating oil I've ever used. It'll unstick stuff that Kroil and Liquid Wrench can't touch.<P>If PB doesn't work, you'll have to use heat.<P>Coca-Cola is acidic. It may work. Ever seen a penny dipped in it? Comes out looking like just out of the die. Think about that next time you're enjoying an ice cold Co-Cola!

[WillBilly53]

ken, <BR>i've got a '53 super 56r and i've got the same exact problem. I agree PB Blaster is the best of all the penetrating oils. Although i've yet to get my exhaust manifold off. I've tried heat but to no avail. someone said you need to get the bolts glowing when you apply heat. i've yet to do that with my little propane torch. <P>if you find something that works, please post it, and if i find out something as well i'll post it on this thread. good luck! <P>will e.

[Guest]

Yeah Willbilly, I'm about to try applying heat to see if that works, although I'm a bit scared it being involved with gas fumes.<P>Anyhow I heard you can buy a can of different compressed gas (not propane) which gets much hotter. I wish I remembered the name, but it can be found in speed shops if you ask the owner or person on-hand there.<P>Good luck. P/S The coke trick didn't work at all.

[Bob Stone]

You might be thinking if mapp gas, it burns hotter than propane. be careful and good luck. some one mentioned earlier on another post to warm up the motor to operating temp

[Guest Skyking]

Ken, you can buy a different nozzle for the propane torch. I have one that brazes. The nozzle has a different flame, really hot! It will get the bolts red.....I bought it at a hardware store years ago....hope this helps.......

[86 2dr.ltd]

I'm just wondering if you were going to remove the heads and have engine work done as well? If so this may be able to be dealt with easier at that time. If the bolts break and the tension is off the bolt. They will release from the head with less torque. However there will be more involvement getting ahold of the remanding bolt. This is a common problem with exhaust manifold bolts, guys at machine shops most likely deal with it all the time. Maybe you can get your heads off with the manifolds on? If the bolt heads were torched off the remaining stud could be grabed with vise grips eliminating the need for drilling and extractors. I recently did the aluminum heads on our 3.0 litre Chrysler(Mitsu) and the second I touched two of the nuts on the one side they poped the studs. I was told this was common , its always the same two. A drill, some heat and an extractor had the problem cured in minutes. No the aluminum did not melt into a molten mass but great care and attention needs to be taken.Check your manifold with a straight edge before reinstalling.If they are warped they put even more torque on the bolts. They can be machined flat again.

[86 2dr.ltd]

I forgot, if you get the bolt red hot I would let it cool until its no longer red or you could damage the head so a wrench or socket wont hold. Use six point sockets or six point box end of a wrench whenever possible.

[old-tank]

Ken<BR>If you are talking about the exhaust connection to the cross over heat should work well on the nuts. If not the nuts can be cut with a nut splitter....I even had to saw a few studs and replace after everything was apart.<BR>Good Luck<BR>Willie

[Guest]

I was able to get the exhaust manifolds off of a 73 Electra.<P>I hear the best torch is an oxy a-ced-o-lean<BR>(spelled incorrectly but that is how is sounds). I used MAPP and heated the head around where the ends of the bolts were. I would heat them and throw cold water on it. Supposedly that temperature change breaks up the rust particles with alot of quick expanding and contracting. Also, some light tapping on the head would not hurt either. <P>As stated use a 6 point socket. I also used PB Blaster at various points. Once the nut started to move I soaked it in PB Blaster for another night.

[KAD36]

Ken<P>Are trying to pull out the 3 nuts that attach each side of the crossover pipe to the exhaust manifold?<P>When I replaced my exhaust system, I ended up cutting a slit in two of the nuts with a Dremel tool and cut off wheel - same result as a nut splitter. Whack the slit with a chisel to expand the nuts. Go with all the good advice on this thread - 6 point sockets, PB blaster, Mapp gas on the nuts until they glow. I was able to back 4 of the 6 of mine off this way - sometimes the stud backed out of the manifold before the nut came off. <P>I have also heard of hitting the stud with a piece of ice after you have the nut good and glowing, although I've never tried it. Keep turning while the nut is hot - once it cools it will squeal like a pig while you try to crank it off (assuming you are using hand tools) then its time for more heat and juice.<P>One of my exhaust manifold studs was stripped right out of the manifold (that was the sixth - it came off real easy), and I fixed it by arc welding the manifold hole full, redrilling and re tapping. A little screwy but it worked fine. If you are ripping the crossover pipe out, I would go all the way and put new studs in with brass nuts and use lots of anti sieze in the threaded manifold hole and on the studs.<P>If you are pulling the manifold from the head, soak for a few nights with PB Blaster and tap with a hammer after each soaking, warm up the motor, and loosen the bolts while the motor is warm. <P>If all you need to do is pull the heads, you may elect to leave the crossover to manifold connections undisturbed. When I pulled my cylinder heads, I didn't disturb the 3 bolt connection from the crossover pipe to the manifold - I unbolted the manifolds from the head and tied them off with heavy wire to "spring" them away from the heads on re-install. The only drawback is it makes the re-install trickier if you have to spring the manifold back to line up with the head.<P>Good luck, watch your knuckles, brush up on your French. Drop me an e-mail if you want.<p>[ 04-28-2002: Message edited by: KAD36 ]