Hey guys, I got a set of Exhaust manifolds from Firstfirebird on this site (Thanks again saved me a ton of dough) since mine are cracked, I'm just wondering what I have to do. I know I'll need new gaskets, studs, etc. I might also have to change the y-pipe. Has anyone done this change, is it a big job? How many hours did it take you?

 

Not a bad job. I did mine in about 2 hours. Make sure you have some map gas or alternative source to get the rusted out bolts out. Hardest part that I actually found was the AIR cross-over pipe for the cat. Finally, I just removed everything and put Hooker 2210 with Mufflex Y-pipe and 4 inch exchaust. Must easier.. But you will notice the Right side of you engine to change the exhaust manifold out, you might have to remove the starter. I have a mini starter and it was tight for me.

 

^V6 exhaust is a little different than a V8. Get some PB plaster and soak the bolts in that stuff to help break them loose. I would soak the bolts down everynight for a couple of nights before the install since you don't want a broken stud in the head. IIRC the manifolds have a seperate downpipe that you could disconnect so that you won't have to go under the car. I don't see it taking more than a few hours to do. When I did my headers it took us around 5 hrs.

 

 

That might be something that is only on the V8s I never had anything like that on my old manifolds or cat when I redid the whole exhaust.

 

Oh, ok. I was just wondering, my cat had a valve on the one side of it, but it always rubbed on speed bumps, and when I was going over hills and what not, so I sliced it off, and brazed the cat shut..

 

It may have. I am just saying that mine didn't. My cat was gutted by the previous owner so they may have taken all of that suff off.

 

Tap the end of the manifold bolts with a ball peen hammer before doing anything. Then PBBlaster them and wait a little while. When you atsrt to turn the bolts, put even slow pressure on them - don't try to "pop" them. If they aren't at least starting to creak off, then hit the head with heat (not the bolt). In between keep tapping them with the hammer, it knocks the rust out of the threads and allows the penetrating fluid to get in there.

---oh, and your welcome

 

Ahh makes sense, I have a few broken manifold bolts already, but those I can probably get off using a jambnut..

 

Your lucky that you can do that. I had one broken off in the head that happened before I got the car. I had to pay $125 for a shop to drill out 2 bolts since I had my head off for something else.

 

PB Blaster and some heat will be the way

if your region is extremely rust prone like here then you will have to use heat to loosen the nuts on the studs, and will definitely need heat to remove the old studs to replace them, also dont use gaskets for the manifolds, run them without gaskets, gaskets will just burn out over time, they seal just fine to the heads without gaskets, i never run gaskets on stock manifolds ever on any engine regardless of what it is unless it is an aluminum head engine


heat the manifold iron all the way around the stud threads to cherry red pretty muh and then vice grip the studs out

they will make a really loud screech noise haha


dont heat the studs, only heat up the nuts and the manifold iron


good luck!

 

The 60* iron heads in the fbodies came with bolts.

 

Mine has studs. Stock as far as I know.

 

Some 2.8's might have. I know all the Fiero's had studs.

 

why do V=6's use manifold gaskets when a V-8 doesn't?

 

Stock manifolds don't use gaskets on the V6 either - only headers.