Jump to content
HybridZ

Manifold bolts/studs question


Recommended Posts

Well I've finally finished removing my intake/exhaust manifolds to replace my leaky old gasket.

 

Now I'm kind of nervous about progressing any farther. I am looking at the bolts that came out of my exhaust maifold and the ones I ordered to replace them are studs.

 

So what gives? I have P79 heads (car is an 82' N/A) and all I could find was studs, so I went ahead and ordered them. You could imagine my suprise then when I removed not studs but bolts from the exhaust manifold. Am I missing something here? Do I just install these studs in place of the bolts? Or did I goof up my order somehow?

 

Also the bolts at both ends of the exhaust mani. were sheared off beneath the surface. What is the best way to remove these? My default solution is to drill them out as carefully as I can with a left-handed drill bit, but I was hoping someone might have a better way (or maybe just some solid advice on actually doing that)?

 

Lastly any advice on the best way to clean up the mating surfaces? I was thinking a can of brake cleaner along with some razor blades for scraping will do the trick, any objections?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

I'm in the same place you are - but with an '83 ZX Turbo.  I spent months getting the dang manifolds loose, then gave up and pulled the head with manifolds still attached.

 

The answer is...the end connectors were studs in the first place.  Everything but the last connector on each end is a bolt, but those are studs. They often break off, which is why I pulled the head - I'm not crazy enough to think I can free-drill those studs out when they've been stuck in there for 30 years.  The good news is that a Z specialist I am working with says that normally, replacement connectors do not break off...probably has something to do with the metal the studs were made with.

 

Take the head to a machine shop and have them drill out the studs, heli-coil if needed, then (my advice) re-mount the manifolds and re-install them all as one unit. I'm going to rent a cherry picker for the re-install, as there's no way I can hold everything in place.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...