De-marko
Dedicated LVC Member
Well, I had to pull the passenger side exhaust manifold yesterday. The manifold has had a leak for some time, but has started to get worse here lately. Not only do you get the exhaust smell in the interior when coming to a stop but when you do stop the car sounds like a diesel truck lol.
I kept putting this off because I knew this would not be fun.....and it isn't. To pull it took about 3 1/2 hours. This should have gone a lot quicker but the biggest headache on getting the manifold out is trying to get a stright shot on the 15mm nut that is above the catalytic converter and getting the EGR tube off as well.
To remove these two items, I had to remove the starter and engine mount. My idea was to remove the manifold bolts and lower the exhaust still attached to get room on the top of the exhaust collector bolt and to get some room on removing that @#$% EGR tube.
Well, the exhaust will not lower much even with the manifold bolts removed because that EGR tube runs up the back of the engine and then to the driver side of the intake.
After much fussing with it, I ended up cutting the EGR tube just after the 90 degree turn from the intake down to the back of the engine. I then had to remove some brackets still to get the whole thing to slide down. After that I was at least able to get a wrench on the EGR tube nut. That took several shots of WD-40 and a 3 foot cheater bar just to break that loose, plus with no room of course...insane!
Once that was removed I could then lower the exhaust further to get a better shot on the upper collector nut. That nut was on so tight you would have thought it was welded on. It took the 3 foot cheater bar and all the strength within me to break that S.O.B. loose!!
Once out, I saw that the whole header flange was broken all around, so I welded that all up and tack welded the others to be on the safe side. I can't imagine the headache of the guy putting in the long tube headers. If I had that to do I think I would just remove the whole K-member and suspension to install them.
GOOD TIMES!!
I kept putting this off because I knew this would not be fun.....and it isn't. To pull it took about 3 1/2 hours. This should have gone a lot quicker but the biggest headache on getting the manifold out is trying to get a stright shot on the 15mm nut that is above the catalytic converter and getting the EGR tube off as well.
To remove these two items, I had to remove the starter and engine mount. My idea was to remove the manifold bolts and lower the exhaust still attached to get room on the top of the exhaust collector bolt and to get some room on removing that @#$% EGR tube.
Well, the exhaust will not lower much even with the manifold bolts removed because that EGR tube runs up the back of the engine and then to the driver side of the intake. After much fussing with it, I ended up cutting the EGR tube just after the 90 degree turn from the intake down to the back of the engine. I then had to remove some brackets still to get the whole thing to slide down. After that I was at least able to get a wrench on the EGR tube nut. That took several shots of WD-40 and a 3 foot cheater bar just to break that loose, plus with no room of course...insane!
Once that was removed I could then lower the exhaust further to get a better shot on the upper collector nut. That nut was on so tight you would have thought it was welded on. It took the 3 foot cheater bar and all the strength within me to break that S.O.B. loose!!
Once out, I saw that the whole header flange was broken all around, so I welded that all up and tack welded the others to be on the safe side. I can't imagine the headache of the guy putting in the long tube headers. If I had that to do I think I would just remove the whole K-member and suspension to install them.
GOOD TIMES!!
