2002QCFX4

sakes! Have had the dreaded exhaust leak for the last while and did not want to look. Finally looked and found the bottom rear manifold bolt broke on both side. Drivers side is broke level with the top of the manifold, pass broke level with the head. I am in atlantic canada, so the rest of the bolts, and the manifolds themselves look terrible. I have been reading posts on several forums and I am thinking I might replace them myself. My question is, am I better to just cut the rest of the nuts off, that way I will have a little to work with to get the stud out. I am positive more bolts will break if I just try to take them out. I have the replacement manifolds so I am not worried about cutting the originals. Any suggestions, comments, would be great.

XC_Racer_129

I just did mine because I had the two front bolts on the passenger side snap. My advice, buy some PB Blaster and spray the bolts like crazy as best you can, every day for about a week. I wouldn't cut the studs. Chances are, if you put an impact on the studs, they will back out of the head cleanly.

Not counting the two studs already broken, I only broke two studs while trying to remove them. The rest backed right out without any issue. One ended up snapping flush with the head, but the other three came out pretty easily with vise grips.

2002QCFX4

I have been soaking them for a few days now. How did you get the one that snapped flush?

XC_Racer_129

First, we drilled it out and tried an easy out, but the bolt was so corroded to the head, we just snapped the easy out. It probably would have came out with some heat, but I don't have a torch. I ended up having to drill it out and use a heli-coil. This was the rear lower stud on the passenger side. It wouldn't have been too bad, but the frame is in the way to drill it out, so you need an angle drill and a lot of patience.

udderbrudder

I've done this job many times and replied to posts about it many times. If you can get all (or even most) studs out with vise-grips you should buy a lottery ticket. Without acetylene and a welder I wouldn't even consider it. The trick is to heat any unbroken studs first and then weld nuts onto them. Let them cool and then heat the aluminum head around the stud and wind it out. Once manifold is off repeat the procedure on the remaining studs. I also cut the flange studs and replace them using the same procedure.

sledneck666

x2 ^ this is how its done

speciald300

x3 did mine the same way.