Exhaust Manifold

[steve_rt]

Not strictly clio related, but hoping someone can help! am working on a polo to bring up to scratch and sell on. The manifold is cracked and am therefore changing it - however, going to undo one of the manifold-head nuts today, and by just touching (and im not exaggerating here!) the nut, the whole bloody thing sheared, obviously already done and just waiting to be touched. anyway, some of the stud has come away with the nut.

how do i go from here in trying to put a new stud in? ive had bolt extractors before but am i right in thinking you cant extract the stud in the same way, as its not meant to come out?! if so how is it remedied? is it a head-out job?

thanks

steve

 

[BenR]

so the stud snapped off with a bit poking out or you sheared the nut off it?

If teh stud is snapped, try some plus gas and a whole lot of force with clamps or anything you can get hold of. Easyouts are b******s, they sometimes work on larger bolts/studs.........but wear safety glasses as when they snap they send bits flying.

If its sheard and the bolt has come off leaving a threaded stud, either file down to flat sides or soddingly big mole grips etc to wrench it out.

 

[steve_rt]

the end part of the stud where the nut was sitting has snapped off, taking the nut with it. so i am left with a short length of threaded stud.

do they screw out then ben?

 

[BenR]

yup

 

[steve_rt]

thank feck.

 

[steve_rt]

just reading it again - whats plus gas? like a blow torch?

 

[BenR]

a penetrating fluid.

like WD40 but designed to penetrate...........KY anyone? lol

 

[steve_rt]

oooh suit you sir.

away from penetration, is the stud reverse threaded in the head, or do i turn it anti-clockwise like normal to remove it? just dont really fancy spend half an hour swearing and tightening this thing in more.

 

[BenR]

shouldnt be, normal clockwise to tighten, anti to loosen, it just a different thread that works in aluminium.

 

[steve_rt]

oh good. cheers now.

 

[Alex M]

if there is enough thread protruding (loads of inuendo in this thread) get a couple of nuts of correct size and put both on and tighten against each other as tight as you can. Then by placing large vice grip over both of them stud should come free. Also try heating the stud but be carefull not to apply to much heat to localised area of head or it will be damaged.

Last case sceanario is to drill them out, if so start with a small sharp drill bit, and aim to drill finally with one that is just smaller then internal thread of head, try not damage it.

Also have you thought if just ignoring it, depending on where it is, you can quite often get away with a single missing manifold stud, especially if you have new gasket to go on, and a tub of exhaust paste. Try it and see if it will seal when you put your replacement manifold on

otherwise try easy outs or buy a set of stud removers from somewhere like machine mart or something, have fun

 

[steve_rt]

its the far outside top bolt, its visible (only just) that there is a missing nut here - about 1/2mm movement if you push the manifold hard with all other nuts torqued up.

would you mind explaining again how you do the two nut trick (oh sh*t this really does sound dodgy) - do you tighten them both upto the head, and then which way do you turn the grip on them?

 

[BenR]

ok, IF there is enough thread showing you get 2 exhaust nuts.

screw one on but dont tighten it up and leave space for the second one IF there is space. Screw the second one on till it meets the first nut. Now you tighten them together by turning the first one ANTI clockwise and the 2nd one clockwise so your basically pushing them together. They will lock and you can use a spanner on the first one to turn the stud....hopefully, but in most cases the nut strips.

Mind you, all my cars use brass nuts so they are soft.