why

[Guest sintid58]

I decided today to finally replace the broken left exhaust manifold on my 58. I have been putting it off for some time becasue every time I do something like this something goes wrong. the nuts on the tail pipe flange came off with little problem, then 1, 2 3 4 5 6 7 bolts all came out easily. One left and guess what I am far enough noe that there is no turning back the front half of the manifold is already out and bolt #8 won't budge. I decided to quit for the night and soaked the bolt in liquid wrench and tap it with a hammer. I have been going out to the garage off and on all night spray and tap and then later the same thing. I will try again tomorrow but isn't it frustrating that the last bolt. Oh well I spent $207 this week getting a mechanice to pull the manifold off my dads 73 electra, getting it plained and then he found out the head was not level so put it back on with some jb weld type gasket and it started leaking yesterday again. Now i imagine the only thing to do is get the head pulled on that and get it plained. And I suppose that JB weld is going to be impossible to get off. Man do I love old cars. I think I will buy another.

[DugsSin]

Try putting the two bolts back in and tighten them up right next to the one bolt that won't come loose. Works for me, sometime.

[Guest]

the sooner you snap it, the sooner you'll tap it out, and the sooner you'll be on the road.

onward and upward.

[Guest G-K]

I broke 3 on mine and they were all stuck in the manifold itself. After I broke off the heads and pulled the manifold off 2 of them unscrewed by hand. The last one just needed a pair of vicegrips and out it came.

The hard part was finding GM exhaust manifold bolts in the 6 5 gallon buckets of nuts/bolts my brother has at his shop.

[Pete Phillips]

Make sure you are using a good quality penetrating oil, such as Liquid Wrench (in the yellow can, not the weaker stuff in the blue can), or PB Blaster. WD-40 is probably not stong enough for this job. Letting it soak overnight is a good idea. Hit the bolt with a hammer and punch, to jar it loose. If you can get to it safely with a torch, without setting something else on fire, give the exhaust manifold some heat. That often helps.

Good luck to you.

Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

[66400]

With only 1 bolt left in the manifold you might be able to rock the manifold back and forth and get it to free up. Kind of twist the manifold pivoting iy on the bolt.

Henry

[Guest sintid58]

Well the manifold was broek in half so I took all the bolts out and twisted it up and down like Henry said. I was outside doign this when he sent if so I guess Buick minds think aliket. Anyway the bolt was definatly stuck to the manifold and while I was twistnting it a chunk of the manifol broke off. So I took my 4" grinder and cut about half way through it and then a big chisel and broke it so I could spin it most of the way around. It still didn't go all the way but I got to the bottom of the manifold with the grinder and cut part way through the part the bolt goes through and then with a hammer and chisel broke the manifold the res of the way off and screwed it out with my hand. In the end I got lucky.

[Guest Randy Berger]

I always use PB Blaster - nuthin else like it. Glad you were successful.

It's nice that your wife helped you celebrate, or did you mean something else about getting lucky?

YFAM, Randy Berger

[Guest sintid58]

I located another manifold and ordered it today. At least this time it should come apart easily.