Changing exhaust manifolds
Discussion
My engine was changed less than 3000 miles ago, new stage 3 heads, old exhaust manifolds, presumably new gaskets and new bolts.
Two months, 3000 miles on, I am swapping the manifolds and Y piece for decatted ones.
Think I might do it myself - so what do I need, and what do I need to know please? I have a socket set and the TVR owners dictionary of bad language.
Do I change the gaskets again? Where do i source them? Do I need sealant? Do I need a torque wrench? What settings? Do I need to prep the replacements in any way? They are off a similar aged Chimaera.
I do have the Steve Heath bible. Should I stop being lazy and do some reading? In my experience it usually tells you about half of what you need to know.
Finally, would I be better to open the wallet and take it, the manifolds, and my new Clive F Y-fronts, to my TVR indie for fitting?
Two months, 3000 miles on, I am swapping the manifolds and Y piece for decatted ones.
Think I might do it myself - so what do I need, and what do I need to know please? I have a socket set and the TVR owners dictionary of bad language.
Do I change the gaskets again? Where do i source them? Do I need sealant? Do I need a torque wrench? What settings? Do I need to prep the replacements in any way? They are off a similar aged Chimaera.
I do have the Steve Heath bible. Should I stop being lazy and do some reading? In my experience it usually tells you about half of what you need to know.
Finally, would I be better to open the wallet and take it, the manifolds, and my new Clive F Y-fronts, to my TVR indie for fitting?
Edited by QBee on Monday 10th June 22:37
I think what makes these cars hard to work on is not having a car lift .I don`t know how you would get to the lower bolts with out one ..You will need a good selection of tools with long extension bars etc..
Its a pity Rob did not knock them out for you while he was doing the engine.
I`m not very busy ,i`m no mechanic but if you need a hand i`m very happy to help you cheers daz.
Its a pity Rob did not knock them out for you while he was doing the engine.
I`m not very busy ,i`m no mechanic but if you need a hand i`m very happy to help you cheers daz.
Thanks Daz. I will keep collecting comments for 24hours, but if it sounds like a tool intensive, lift requiring PITA, then I will bite the bullet, and get Rob or Mat to do the swap. I can spend the time working to pay for it.
Rob never had the manifolds - he supplied my new engine to Mat to fit. And the decatting plan as only emerged since then.
I have bought a new Y piece and a pair of decatted manifolds, and will keep the catted ones as spares and for MOTs
Rob never had the manifolds - he supplied my new engine to Mat to fit. And the decatting plan as only emerged since then.
I have bought a new Y piece and a pair of decatted manifolds, and will keep the catted ones as spares and for MOTs
Qbee
Much easier with the car up in the air, starter motor off and exhaust dropped. Forget sockets and extension bars and torque wrenches cos you can't get them on all the bolts. Did they fit arp bolts last time? If not get some as they are much easier fitting it all together. If you ain't got arp you will need an array of different spanners, all of which I can lend you!
Read the bible man - it's not a man crime to do instructions! It's a pita but doable but if you don't know what your doing its very easier to make an expensive mistake stripping threads etc. perhaps better to have a mates meet up and share experiences, plenty of people on here can help you.
Ian
Much easier with the car up in the air, starter motor off and exhaust dropped. Forget sockets and extension bars and torque wrenches cos you can't get them on all the bolts. Did they fit arp bolts last time? If not get some as they are much easier fitting it all together. If you ain't got arp you will need an array of different spanners, all of which I can lend you!
Read the bible man - it's not a man crime to do instructions! It's a pita but doable but if you don't know what your doing its very easier to make an expensive mistake stripping threads etc. perhaps better to have a mates meet up and share experiences, plenty of people on here can help you.
Ian
I'll say it again, because you've asked... 
I see stories all the time from people who have done this, "only took me one day", "will get the other one done tomorrow", "only 3 hours to go"...
The local(ish) TVR guy that I use most often would knock it out in a couple of hours for less than a couple hundred.
Best money you will ever spend - getting someone who knows the job to do it for you.
I've had exhaust gaskets done more than once on mine, and I wouldn't even go near it having seen the job.
All that said, you love working on it, and you have a couple of great offers of help from people that have done it. From what I've seen, half the battle is having all the right 'special' tools, and that's on offer.
But even with such kind offers, I personally would still take it in and watch someone else do the cussing
I see stories all the time from people who have done this, "only took me one day", "will get the other one done tomorrow", "only 3 hours to go"...
The local(ish) TVR guy that I use most often would knock it out in a couple of hours for less than a couple hundred.
Best money you will ever spend - getting someone who knows the job to do it for you.
I've had exhaust gaskets done more than once on mine, and I wouldn't even go near it having seen the job.
All that said, you love working on it, and you have a couple of great offers of help from people that have done it. From what I've seen, half the battle is having all the right 'special' tools, and that's on offer.
But even with such kind offers, I personally would still take it in and watch someone else do the cussing
Yes Bill, I do thoroughly take your point. It is exactly what is bothering me about the whole thing. It should only be Meccano in tight spaces, but with a TVR, any job that can go wrong generally will, and even the ruddy otter switch change last week cost me an extra £7.99 for a deep 30mm socket......
On the other hand, a session with a friend or two in a well equipped garage close to The Stage in Market Deeping has a certain whimsical appeal all of its own......and I do have some flexible ratchet headed spanners in my little tool box as well as the socket set. And it will stop me opening my wallet at the Classic and KitCar Show at Newark Showground this coming weekend
Now, if we just whip the engine out first..........
On the other hand, a session with a friend or two in a well equipped garage close to The Stage in Market Deeping has a certain whimsical appeal all of its own......and I do have some flexible ratchet headed spanners in my little tool box as well as the socket set. And it will stop me opening my wallet at the Classic and KitCar Show at Newark Showground this coming weekend
Now, if we just whip the engine out first..........
It took me practically a day to remove mine first time round!
It can be done off axle stands.
Remove starter, (disconnect battery) remove front wheels.
If original bolts, use AF spanners, 9/16ths iirc, don't use metric if tight.
ARPs have a 3/8s AF head, have various short ring and open ended.
Sockets are practically useless.
Use new gaskets sourced from Power, you need the larger ones for the bigger ports.
Before fitting manifolds, face up the mating surfaces by draw filing.
Good luck my man!
It can be done off axle stands.
Remove starter, (disconnect battery) remove front wheels.
If original bolts, use AF spanners, 9/16ths iirc, don't use metric if tight.
ARPs have a 3/8s AF head, have various short ring and open ended.
Sockets are practically useless.
Use new gaskets sourced from Power, you need the larger ones for the bigger ports.
Before fitting manifolds, face up the mating surfaces by draw filing.
Good luck my man!
, makes perfect sense!Goaty Bill said:
I'll say it again, because you've asked...
I see stories all the time from people who have done this, "only took me one day", "will get the other one done tomorrow", "only 3 hours to go"...
The local(ish) TVR guy that I use most often would knock it out in a couple of hours for less than a couple hundred.
Best money you will ever spend - getting someone who knows the job to do it for you.
I've had exhaust gaskets done more than once on mine, and I wouldn't even go near it having seen the job.
All that said, you love working on it, and you have a couple of great offers of help from people that have done it. From what I've seen, half the battle is having all the right 'special' tools, and that's on offer.
But even with such kind offers, I personally would still take it in and watch someone else do the cussing
I've never found mine too much of a problem I just adapted a few spanners specifically for the job, If you like I'll take some photos for you. I see stories all the time from people who have done this, "only took me one day", "will get the other one done tomorrow", "only 3 hours to go"...
The local(ish) TVR guy that I use most often would knock it out in a couple of hours for less than a couple hundred.
Best money you will ever spend - getting someone who knows the job to do it for you.
I've had exhaust gaskets done more than once on mine, and I wouldn't even go near it having seen the job.
All that said, you love working on it, and you have a couple of great offers of help from people that have done it. From what I've seen, half the battle is having all the right 'special' tools, and that's on offer.
But even with such kind offers, I personally would still take it in and watch someone else do the cussing
Last time I fitted ARP's and they made it easier.
A couple of tips-
Undo and do up the lower O/S bolt first,(IIRC the 2nd from the front) it's the one that fouls the manifold when you try to turn it, this way you can keep the bolt head against the flange all the way in.
Put all the manifold bolts in loosely and then clamp up the Y piece, the little bit of play means you can do this with heaving the manifolds around in a ratchet strap, then tighten the your manifold bolts afterwards
s p a c e m a n said:
I did my gaskets last month, if I was doing it again I would want a fairly long 14mm ratchet spanner with an adjustable angle head, that would have cut the time in half. Also get some good penetrating oil, not that wd40 crap.
I have one but it's not much use as the heads of the bolts are too near the pipework.a small 10mm ratchet can be used on some of the bolts if using ARPs.
phazed said:
s p a c e m a n said:
I did my gaskets last month, if I was doing it again I would want a fairly long 14mm ratchet spanner with an adjustable angle head, that would have cut the time in half. Also get some good penetrating oil, not that wd40 crap.
I have one but it's not much use as the heads of the bolts are too near the pipework.a small 10mm ratchet can be used on some of the bolts if using ARPs.
3/8 AF spanner is those ARP (Yanks are slow with the Metric take up) bolts you naughty boy nearer 9mm than 10mm 
next time around I am doing away with the ARP bolts and studding the lowers and securing with Aviation K style nuts 
however since using the V8D gaskets and regular spring washers and ARP bolts I have not had them loosen 
do not use the supplied ARP flat washers though they just assist in the bolts creeping loose IMO 
Did one side of mine the other weekend - recomend you purchase some plasters and large tube of antiseptic cream. my Knuckles are still healing now...
6 bolts came out with friendly persuasion the 7th took in about 2 hrs all by its self the last one tokk myself and a neighbour the whole Saturday afternoon and part of the Sunday morning to get out and even then it sheared off and had to be drilled out...
The other side isnt blowing and that looks tighter with the starter motor etc, so can wait.
6 bolts came out with friendly persuasion the 7th took in about 2 hrs all by its self the last one tokk myself and a neighbour the whole Saturday afternoon and part of the Sunday morning to get out and even then it sheared off and had to be drilled out...
The other side isnt blowing and that looks tighter with the starter motor etc, so can wait.
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