BlueStag Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Oh, just kill me now. My exhaust manifold to pipe gasket has been leaking forever. So like an idiot I decided to fix it. I sure fixed it. The middle stud sheared off. There is a short bit protruding, but much release fluid and a vice grip have failed to twist it loose. I could JUST get under there, I suppose, and drill it out and tap it. Grrr. But I am too old for that crap any more. I have already pulled the SUs off. I would have to take off the balance tube, but, is it possible: to back the nuts off holding the manifold to the head without needing to remove the intake manifolds? Once I have the exhaust manifold in the vice I will have no problems drilling it out and tapping a new thread. I hope. Any thoughts? Other than to purchase a header? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leon Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Oh, just kill me now. My exhaust manifold to pipe gasket has been leaking forever. So like an idiot I decided to fix it. I sure fixed it. The middle stud sheared off. There is a short bit protruding, but much release fluid and a vice grip have failed to twist it loose. I could JUST get under there, I suppose, and drill it out and tap it. Grrr. But I am too old for that crap any more. I have already pulled the SUs off. I would have to take off the balance tube, but, is it possible: to back the nuts off holding the manifold to the head without needing to remove the intake manifolds? Once I have the exhaust manifold in the vice I will have no problems drilling it out and tapping a new thread. I hope. Any thoughts? Other than to purchase a header? My suggestion is to remove the exhaust manifold and if the stud protrudes enough, clamp down on the stud with your bench vise. You will have a bunch of clamping power, plus you can use whole exhaust manifold as a lever when you try to turn the stud out. Make sure to use heat, and be careful with the mating surface. I've removed a frozen stud from a head using this method, when nothing else worked. However, any time you remove one manifold, you should remove the other. Not only does this make the process easier, but you really should put a new intake/exhaust gasket in if ever the old one is disturbed. Just remove the manifolds, it's an easy job as long as you're careful with the studs. Use penetrant and heat if necessary. Be sure to keep fuel lines away and a fire extinguisher handy if using heat. It's not as bad of a job as it seems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueStag Posted March 6, 2012 Author Share Posted March 6, 2012 My suggestion is to remove the exhaust manifold and if the stud protrudes enough, clamp down on the stud with your bench vise. You will have a bunch of clamping power, plus you can use whole exhaust manifold as a lever when you try to turn the stud out. Make sure to use heat, and be careful with the mating surface. I've removed a frozen stud from a head using this method, when nothing else worked. However, any time you remove one manifold, you should remove the other. Not only does this make the process easier, but you really should put a new intake/exhaust gasket in if ever the old one is disturbed. Just remove the manifolds, it's an easy job as long as you're careful with the studs. Use penetrant and heat if necessary. Be sure to keep fuel lines away and a fire extinguisher handy if using heat. It's not as bad of a job as it seems. Sigh. There is not enough of the stud to grab with the vice, I am sure. And I really did not want to change the gasket. There is all that blasted manifold heating plumbing. Good time to get rid of it, I suppose. And while I have the nasty thing apart, I suppose I could get rid of the air injection tubing. What size bung is needed to close those holes? Why can't any of this be easy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PMC raceengines Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 (edited) Hi A trick i like to do is mig weld a nut on the broken stud , the heat helps the stud come free .Put a 10mm nut over the top and weld the two tegether wate till it cools and just work it back and forth Edited March 6, 2012 by PMC raceengines Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueStag Posted March 6, 2012 Author Share Posted March 6, 2012 Hi A trick i like to do is mig weld a nut on the broken stud , the heat helps the stud come free .Put a 10mm nut over the top and weld the to tegether wate till it cools and just work it back and forth Excellent tip. Got no MIG welder at hand. This stud is well and truly rusted in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PMC raceengines Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 Excellent tip. Got no MIG welder at hand. This stud is well and truly rusted in place. hehe thats the only way they come ,,, if you have a friend with one or a exhaust shop save you having to drill and taping , it realy works well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueStag Posted March 6, 2012 Author Share Posted March 6, 2012 hehe thats the only way they come ,,, if you have a friend with one or a exhaust shop save you having to drill and taping , it realy works well Drilling and tapping are the easy part. Getting the damned thing out is the rotten bit. I THINK I have loosened all the nuts, yet nothing is moving. I like to back all the nuts to the end of the studs and then break the item lose. I find I don't drop as many nuts that way, and the part does not explode off the surface it is bolted to. I may not have found all the nuts, but damn there sure are a lot of them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluDestiny Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 (edited) Morse Muffler. I brought one of mine there and it took them 5 min. They didn't charge me, although I had my entire 280zx exhaust done, and my friends done. They used the mig method Edited March 6, 2012 by BluDestiny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueStag Posted March 6, 2012 Author Share Posted March 6, 2012 OK, so drilling and tapping is a flaming pain in the butt....... Gonna take this heap to my shop and have them weld a stud in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxtman Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 OK, so drilling and tapping is a flaming pain in the butt....... Gonna take this heap to my shop and have them weld a stud in place. ...weld a stud in place? I don't think so. Have your shop use Timeserts. Like this... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PMC raceengines Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 NO i think you have it Wrong. i ment weld a nut to the stud and just remove it and replace it with a new stud . its just a methed to remove the broken stud Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueStag Posted March 6, 2012 Author Share Posted March 6, 2012 NO i think you have it Wrong. i ment weld a nut to the stud and just remove it and replace it with a new stud . its just a methed to remove the broken stud No, I got it. There was no shifting this stud. It is the middle one. I'll stuff a new one in until it sicks out the other side of the flange and have it brazed in place. Or get another freaking manifold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueStag Posted March 6, 2012 Author Share Posted March 6, 2012 (edited) ...weld a stud in place? I don't think so. Have your shop use Timeserts. Like this... No, no. The damage is not in the head. It is at the other end of the manifold, at the flange, to nut on the exhaust pipe. Edited March 6, 2012 by BlueStag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inline6 Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 (edited) No, I got it. There was no shifting this stud. It is the middle one. I'll stuff a new one in until it sicks out the other side of the flange and have it brazed in place. Or get another freaking manifold. Some manifolds are cheap. If you have to take it off to repair, and the repair is going to cost more than getting another one (factor in your time), maybe another one is the way to go? What manifold is it? 240? 280? zx turbo? I've got a low mileage 280zx NA in excellent condition that has all the factory studs and nuts even. $20 plus shipping and its yours. Edited March 7, 2012 by inline6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluDestiny Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Yeah I sold my stock manifold for $20, it was literally a stroke of luck that some guy needed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macambra Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 OK, so drilling and tapping is a flaming pain in the butt....... Gonna take this heap to my shop and have them weld a stud in place. Remove the manifolds and replace ALL of the studs(head and manifold). Grind the broken stud down close to the manifold, use a sharp punch to make a dimple in the center of what's left of the stud, use a 1/8 drill bit to drill the center out of the stud, then use the next larger drill bit, and then use an easy-out. If the easy-out doesn't work then use a dremmel to cut into one side of the stud to oblong the hole toward the threads to break the tension then use the easy-out. Or if you drilled the hole slightly off center to begin with use the dremmel method. I had the same problem with my turbo manifold- the dremmel method works. Oh-Don't forget the Kroil. Once you drill the hole fill it with Kroil. If you nick the threads it's not a problem. Run a tap down the hole. as long as you have more than half of the threads it will hold just fine. There is not enough torque there to make a difference, just alot of expansion. In the end you will be glad that all of the studs are replaced. the aft exhaust studs are prone to breakage after long periods of time (30+ years). Every Z car that I have ever owned(5 early S30,2 S130) had the same problem with head and manifold studs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 I'm with PMC on this one... Personally I'd heat the stub red hit with a torch and hit it with a stick of beeswax. Then I'd lay a nut over the top of the stud, and weld that nut onto the top of the protruding stub. As stated a MIG makes thus child's play. Another dash of beeswax, let it sit for a few to gain a little torsional strength and let the beeswax wick down and lube up those threads nicely... Then take a spanner with a 2# deadblow, a quick whack to shock it free, and then twist it right out. I did this technique with heat and beeswax in China during training last month and you would have sworn I was the Obelisk in 2001 the commotion I started. Then it was "no no no, not Bee BRAND, bees wax.- made by bees. You know, BEES" (I make like a puffer fish going BZzzzx BZzzzxz!?!?) you know BEES? like make honey (make vomiting flow with hands gestures) this comes FROM bees, NOT. Bee BRAND!" It took a while but when they all started spontaneously making buzzing noises and nodding their heads collectively in the affirmative, I figure they got it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slammed_s30 Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Buy this http://www.summitracing.com/parts/TTN-16023/ it worked perfectly when I did the rusted exhaust manifolds on my f-150. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueStag Posted March 9, 2012 Author Share Posted March 9, 2012 Drilled the damned thing and tapped it for a heli coil. Now I desperately want a balance tube NOT for a 260. I don't need a euro tube, but I'd take one.....but a '70 to '72 tube would be just the ticket. Had the engine running again this evening. Will be a few days before I drive it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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