So I started what I thought would be a straight job on fixing my passenger side exhaust manifold leak. This is Day 2 and I still have 2 studs with nuts, 1 stud, and 2 broken off studs to fix.
I've tried everything. I put PB blaster on all the bolts I could see for 4 days prior to starting. When I did start yesterday, I went thru a heat cycle letting the engine warn up to normal and then a couple hours later I started thinking the block should still be warm thus making it easier to get the bolts out.
The bottom were the easiest and they didn't get PB Blaster on them!!
The top and bottom closest to the Pass door broke off in the block.
I have 2 on top that have nuts on them and i have 1 stud I can't get out.
I've tried numerous bolt outs, grip its, etc for NONE of them to work. I put a propane torch to the bolts....nothing. I'm getting frustrated as I need my truck 1) back running 2) out of my driveway so the Mrs. can get into the garage. Help---DirtySCREW

I do not know how to weld or I'd try to weld another nut and try to remove it that way. The studs that came out have NO threads below the nut....its just corrosion!

 

Do you have a welder ? Like a little wire feed Mig ? I can tell you how to weld a nut on there, fairly easily, if you have access to a welder. Is the manifold removed ? I'm not understanding fully what you wrote I guess.

 

Not Good im doing mine friday. Been Pb blasting all of them ehh..

 

Thats what I had. I went and got some cutting wheels for my dremel and have been fighting with it for however long. I got all the nuts off.

NOW my problem is I can not loosen the Exhaust flange so I can completely remove the stock exhaust manifold so I can then concentrate on removing the studs that are in the block.--------------DirtySCREW

 

Wow! That's a heck of a job! Just figure you saved around $350 for doing it yourself if that helps! That's what it cost me to have just the passenger side done at an exhaust shop I like to go to... I dropped it off in the morning and picked it up the next morning..

If I had a welder, I 'might' have tried it myself... But, in the end, I lazed out and paid someone to do it...

Turned out, I had 2 broken studs on that one side... Still have a broken one on the drivers side, but it ain't leaking as bad as the pass side did... When I feel like parting with another $350, I'll take it back to the shop!

Mitch

 

this is going to be fun.. Not. ha

 

That's exactly what I paid to have ONE side done with 3 broken studs. So you are definitely saving money.


If it were me... I would find a way to get the manifold off. Then use and extractor set. One of the old school ones that the exhaust shops use. It is square instead of round like most that we see today. Drill the appropriate hole into what is left of the stud, heat it with a torch, pound the extractor till its tight and remove. The thing with the square easy outs is it only puts pressure on 4 small points. The round ones actually tighten the grip the threads have on the head when pounded in. Worst case scenario is drilling them out and using timeserts to replace them. I helped a friend do that on a 650hp supra. Still holding to this day with no leaks.

Or like jbrew said, get your hands on a wire fed welder or mig and weld a nut on the ends if there is enough bolt sticking out. The heat alone from welding the nut on there should bring it right out.

 

i had mine done as well on my truck i brought it to a shop and they worked on it that day ended up breaking all the studs n having to go through all that .. my buddy had his done on his f250 the guy had him drop it off the night before as he wanted it to be cold .. they came out no problem b/c it was cold so for you guys attempting this in the future you may want to park the truck the night before where you're gonna do the work and start with the truck cold the next day ... just my 2 cents though

 

Aluminum expands more than steel under heat. So when you heat the stud, the aluminum threads will open up more than the steel will. Should allow it to loosen up a bit. Welding a nut on the end should heat it up and give you the torque needed to back it out.

 

Well, my truck is fixed guys...thanks to a friend I met on a forum that drove down and fixed it for me! LOL The last one, closest to the passenger side had to be drilled and tapped!

ADVICE: TAKE IT TO A SHOP!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is a job! Especially working on the ground!

But She's fixed and I don't have that annoying rattle sound anymore! Wahooooooo

---DirtySCREW

 

Nice! Glad you got it fixed... i think when my is due, i am going to take it to my exhaust shop. I have no problem letting someone else go through that special hell..