Manifold refitting - advice needed
Discussion
I'm losing the will to live with the manifolds. I cut slots of the bottom to make them easier to fit back on. That worked but because the studs are fairly short it meant that I had to thread the bolts onto the bottom studs. I have now managed to get them all on apart from the two lower nuts under cylinder 5 (drivers side) and cylinder 6 (pax side). Basically the exhaust manifold fouls the nut and it is unable to rotate. It did this when removing them, but because it was originally fitted with bolts, they came out in one piece. Trying to get a small nut on the thread of a stud is a different matter. Any suggestions? The thought of taking the manifolds off again fills me with dread. I'm also at the point of just saying f
k it and leaving them off...
k it and leaving them off...Edited by chris1972 on Sunday 12th May 17:54
A man charged me circa £150 for the job of changing my manifold gaskets.
I knew it would be a pig of a job from looking at it; by the time he was finished, I knew it was the best £150 I would spend that week, possibly that month.
That's my best advice.
Apologies, because I know that's not the advice you need today. It's the advice you needed a couple of weeks ago.
I knew it would be a pig of a job from looking at it; by the time he was finished, I knew it was the best £150 I would spend that week, possibly that month.
That's my best advice.
Apologies, because I know that's not the advice you need today. It's the advice you needed a couple of weeks ago.
I'm tempted to pick up a few of these. These shouldn't foul the manifold and will enable me to get two on each side. The stainless A4 ones should work okay and be a little tougher when I need to get the off?
Any thoughts? http://www.bracketsandbolts.com/shop/?cid=104
Otherwise, I need to loosen the manifolds again and try and get the stud out and replace with a shortened bolt.
Any thoughts? http://www.bracketsandbolts.com/shop/?cid=104
Otherwise, I need to loosen the manifolds again and try and get the stud out and replace with a shortened bolt.
Edited by chris1972 on Sunday 12th May 18:45
Edited by chris1972 on Sunday 12th May 18:57
carsy said:
I would have started the nuts on the studs before dropping the manifold onto them. If the nuts are too big and digging into the manifold, its time for some smaller ones or time to get the file out.
I did, but couldn't seem to get the gasket and manifold lined up properly this way. I tried several times before resorting to dropping the manifold on without the nuts already threaded.
I'll give it a couple of days off. I'm almost there but need to do some real work! All of the other nuts went on without too much trouble, once I had the gaskets and manifold aligned. It is just the nots under 5 & 6 that wont go because the manifold fouls the nut. It may have to be that I fit a standard bolt to these two. Total PITA either way.
Skyedriver said:
Took me 5 hours a side to do mine, was told afterwards the dealers take an hour and a quarter. Guess it is practice....
I have no doubt about that!!! I've ordered some A2 half nuts, which will be about the same depth as a bolt head. I'll see if they go on first. If not, I'll remove all the other nuts, pull them back towards the inner wing and then try and fit 5&6 first. If that doesn't work, off they come again. 
The problem you describe is the normal clearance issue.
The std 3/8UNC bolt (or nut) heads will only fit near to the flange, as they are extracted they will foul on the headers unless the manifold is moved away from the head as the bolts are loosened.
Fitting the nuts on the studs reasonably close to their final position so that they only need to be nipped up after slotting on the manifolds would normally get around the problem.
I always use studs, but with a waisted stem that steps down to 5/16UNF. ISTR Ant tried some and was happy to install plain 3/8UNC studs & nuts, which seems to reaffirm my opinion that many of the manifolds have different tolerances on those lower - pipe shrouded locations.
The std 3/8UNC bolt (or nut) heads will only fit near to the flange, as they are extracted they will foul on the headers unless the manifold is moved away from the head as the bolts are loosened.
Fitting the nuts on the studs reasonably close to their final position so that they only need to be nipped up after slotting on the manifolds would normally get around the problem.
I always use studs, but with a waisted stem that steps down to 5/16UNF. ISTR Ant tried some and was happy to install plain 3/8UNC studs & nuts, which seems to reaffirm my opinion that many of the manifolds have different tolerances on those lower - pipe shrouded locations.
spend said:
The problem you describe is the normal clearance issue.
The std 3/8UNC bolt (or nut) heads will only fit near to the flange, as they are extracted they will foul on the headers unless the manifold is moved away from the head as the bolts are loosened.
Fitting the nuts on the studs reasonably close to their final position so that they only need to be nipped up after slotting on the manifolds would normally get around the problem.
I always use studs, but with a waisted stem that steps down to 5/16UNF. ISTR Ant tried some and was happy to install plain 3/8UNC studs & nuts, which seems to reaffirm my opinion that many of the manifolds have different tolerances on those lower - pipe shrouded locations.
That's a good idea with the waisted stem. I've ordered a slim nyloc nut and a half nut to try. They may just enable to get them on without catching the manifold.The std 3/8UNC bolt (or nut) heads will only fit near to the flange, as they are extracted they will foul on the headers unless the manifold is moved away from the head as the bolts are loosened.
Fitting the nuts on the studs reasonably close to their final position so that they only need to be nipped up after slotting on the manifolds would normally get around the problem.
I always use studs, but with a waisted stem that steps down to 5/16UNF. ISTR Ant tried some and was happy to install plain 3/8UNC studs & nuts, which seems to reaffirm my opinion that many of the manifolds have different tolerances on those lower - pipe shrouded locations.
I'm impressed you got the manifolds off in the first place! Bought the ARP bolts and nordlocks from ACT to replace the existing bolts but struggling to get the bl**dy old ones undone. Got the pax side off with only one head snapping off. Got three on the drivers side I can't budge as I can only get a 14mm open ended spanner on and just waiting to round off the bolt heads! Applied penetrating fluid and Wurth rost off to no avail, will end up cutting the buggers off I suspect :-( !
Smudger33uk said:
I'm impressed you got the manifolds off in the first place! Bought the ARP bolts and nordlocks from ACT to replace the existing bolts but struggling to get the bl**dy old ones undone. Got the pax side off with only one head snapping off. Got three on the drivers side I can't budge as I can only get a 14mm open ended spanner on and just waiting to round off the bolt heads! Applied penetrating fluid and Wurth rost off to no avail, will end up cutting the buggers off I suspect :-( !
I've heard of horror stories about bolts snapping and the heads then having to be removed to drill them out. My heads were removed three years ago and it has only done 6k since then, which is why I suspect they came off without too much of a fight. Saying that, it still took me two half days to get them off!!! I still used penetrating fluid for a few days in advance. It is a crappy job, which could have been made so much easier with a couple of inches more room. I've heard mixed reviews about ARP bolts, which is why I just went for the studs. I do recommend that you cut slots in the bottom bolt holes of the manifolds before you put them back on.Also, disconnect your battery. I didn't at first and managed a few sparks when I dropped a spanner onto the starter motor and the spanner caught the live terminal.
chris1972 said:
Also, disconnect your battery. I didn't at first and managed a few sparks when I dropped a spanner onto the starter motor and the spanner caught the live terminal.
I would always advise getting & fixing a boot over the starter pole, it's so close to the chassis & engine and very easy to drop something conductive down there with catastrophic results....spend said:
I would always advise getting & fixing a boot over the starter pole, it's so close to the chassis & engine and very easy to drop something conductive down there with catastrophic results....
I found that out then disconnected the battery. I checked the 100A fuse and if the ignition straight after. Fuel pump primed and lights came on the dash as normal when I turned the key half way, so will assume all is okay! Gave me a bit of a 'shock' though!!! Wouldn't want it to unintentionally crank the engine though...Edited by chris1972 on Monday 13th May 13:32
Pupp said:
I think your problem is that you're using the studs... I've never been aware of anyone successfully going this route on a Chim or Griff and think most end up using the 3/6 headed ARP screws which, with slotted flanges, let you do the entire job from above (with some cursing)
ARP is the way to go, not cheap but well worth it for ease of fitment.Gassing Station | Chimaera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff