Manifold studs :(

hunterforce

Well a nice sunny day i thought id go take a look at the blowing exhaust problem, slight ticking sound on start up for about 5 mins then just a slight blowing sound.
Heat shield off, check manifold,,,,,,,,,, all OK no cracks, thats a result
check manifold studs,,,,,,,,,,, 2 loose OK theres the problem, go to tighten and SNAP!!!!! ARHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

So now still got the blowing and now the problem of 2 snapped studs!!!!!

I'm not handy with this sort of thing, polishing OK no probs, snapped bolts NO WAY!!!!, any ideas on cost to get this done????

astra22bertoneauto

You could drill out the remaining bits/studs to leave holes then use some new nuts n bolts, or get another second user manifold (or new if you go Vx)

hunterforce

Yeah im sure its gonna have to be drilled out, just hoping it can be done with the head still on the car and i dont have to have it removed!!! 🙁
Any ideas anyone if this can be done with head in situ ?? the bolts are the 2 ones on the end timing chain end!

astra22bertoneauto

hunterforce said:
Yeah im sure its gonna have to be drilled out, just hoping it can be done with the head still on the car and i dont have to have it removed!!! 🙁
Any ideas anyone if this can be done with head in situ ?? the bolts are the 2 ones on the end timing chain end!

Sorry i thought you was talking about the 3 studs that the exhaust downpipe bolts to. :roll:

Well those bolts ahem mite be more difficult! You could try undoing the rest of the bolts to remove the manifold, but if the bolts have snapped so there is nothing to grip onto then yes head off job! :thumbdown:

If there is something to grip then use some spray like the holts one (forgotten the name) and moul grips. just do small movements in both directions to break the seal then unscrew.

Vx new bolts are 10 # 24418771 - 10 pcs to a pack and theyre not that expensive.

Hope this helps.......

hunterforce

Bugger i was hoping you wernt gonna say that !!!! 🙁

Big job?? taking the head off??

astra22bertoneauto

Is it definately the bolts between head and manifold? If so I would try and take the manifold off first to see if there is still something left of the bolt to grip.

If not then yes head off and its a few hours work at least! If you dont feel comfortable then I would get someone who can. Maybe someone on here would be prepared to take the head off for you and do the job. Vx would charge you a fair bit!

But at least you can give the head a good clean, check valves & stem seals etc.

hunterforce

HELPPPPP

ANYONE WANNA TAKE MY HEAD OFF!!!!! lol

astra22bertoneauto

hunterforce said:
HELPPPPP

ANYONE WANNA TAKE MY HEAD OFF!!!!! lol

I know how you feel! 3 times i had to replace my exhaust manifold because the standard ones cracked & 3 times i counted my lucky stars the bolts came undone with no problems. I even bought a set of spares bolts just in case too......

hunterforce

yeah this is the second one i have put on, and only now i have 2 snapped studs!!!!
Really angry if in honest

MikeS

if there is a bit of the stud left then usually they will put a bolt on and weld over it and try screw the stud out - if it is completly snapped off inside the head then only solution is drill 🙁

as it is an alloy head then you have to worry about cracking it also

i snapped a stud on my old vectra and had to pay a specialist exhaust place to remove and refit a new stud - i will never use a socket again on exhaust manifold studs that's for sure - always use a ring spanner 🙂

comet

I might be barking up the wrong tree here, but would a stud extractor not be suitable? I know there's a risk of cracking the head, but surely that's the same risk even with the head removed. If an extractor can shift the studs then it saves removing the head.

Clearly the drilling initial pilot hole would require something like a Dremel, or a flexible shaft.

A lots of penetrating oil beforehand.

If that's a dumb idea please ignore it.

si_c1978

your right, as an engineer i would be very reluctant to drill a high tensile stud out of an ali head the drills gonna wander everywhere and probably destroy the threads.

get a good extractor set, good drills and preferably a pillar drill

sorry to be the harbringer of doom!

MikeS

hmm i think their is some confusion here

so use an extractor kit without drilling ?

cavaddict

Did mine with a right angled drill...carefully, then used a 4mm bolt extractor....bit of a job, but saves taking the head off 😃

comet

cavaddict said:
Did mine with a right angled drill...carefully, then used a 4mm bolt extractor....bit of a job, but saves taking the head off 😃

That was what I had in mind. I've done something similar, but since I don't have a right andled drill I used a flexible drive in my dremel and was very careful when making the pilot hole. It took time, but it worked. Mine wasn't on a car engine, but I thought the principle was similar enough.

cavaddict

Trick is to leave the manifold on the head...use an 8mm drill to 'V' the top of the stud and then drill into said stud with a 4.5mm drill using the outside of the flange hole to make sure you're going in square. If you were to drill at an angle...you would see you would be closer to one side of the flange hole.....if you see what i mean.

si_c1978

you gotta drill a start hole!

cavaddict

cavaddict said:
then drill into said stud with a 4.5mm drill .

The 8mm centres the hole and the 4.5 is your hole for the extractor.

si_c1978

aah cunning plan sir hadnt thought about that!

you'll need to try and find a stub drill for the 8 just do a search for them on ebay or summit. standard flute 8mm will be quite long, standard jobber drill is 110mm long, just checked!

cavaddict

Yeah, i just cut one down with a grinder and re-sharpened it 😃 :buffer