What are the chances of havin both back header bolts break, one on each side? I looked at the stock manifolds and they look like they've been missing for a while. One bolt is sticking out the block and the other is in the block an eight of an inch. The one sticking out, I should be able to weld a washer and bolt head on and get it out that way if vice grips don't work. And to top it all off I broke the blody oil dipstick tube off in the block which is the next thread.

 

that sucks, i broke one when putting my headers on, had a shop pull it out though, not too sure about the odds of them breaking but the stocks ones seem pretty sturdy, the one i broke was an aftermarket one

 

I broke the oil dipstick tube thingy also. It isnt threaded. Just slides in and has a small rubber washer. I just bought a new one and put it in.

 

I bought a used dipstick tube but haven't tackled removing the old one. How did you go about getting the old tube out?

 

Use Stage 8 and be done with it.

 

pull. its not threaded into the motor. just unbolt it up top and wiggle/jiggle it out. if its broke off in there you could try getting a screw to thread in and grab on to the screw head with some vice grips after you get a few threads started. my factory bolts have been working great. got about 7000 miles and they havent broken or backed out any.

 

Well the **** off part is that I never touched the headers at all to break them. I dunno if at the factory they broke them and sent the truck on tbhrough or what. It wouldn't surprise me if they did, i've been missing bolts before.

 

You're not alone. When I installed the pacesetter's a couple weeks ago, two bolts on my driver's side head were broken off.

 

Heh, its fairly common i would imagine. I was missing the heads both of my back header bolts when i installed my ASM's last month. Fortuantly a pair of good vicegrips and persistance got those studs out without much worry.

 

Dont reuse the shitty stock bolts.

www.totallystainless.net