I started on my top end rebuild today. I'm swapping in new lifters, cam, pushrods, timing set, all of the necessary gaskets, and e-fans. Everything is coming off pretty easily except for the exhaust manifold to y-pipe nuts. They are rusted on. There isn't much room to get a whole lot of leverage. I hit them all with PB fluid last week and again today but they won't budge. I don't have an air compressor or any air tools. I might have to go get a propane torch tomorrow. The crank bolt won't come out either. Any ideas?

Anyone removed the heads with the manifolds still there? The only issue seems like getting to the bottom row of head bolts.

Thanks.

 

find someone with an impact gun and a couple extensions and they should come off with ease. just make sure to soak them some more with the pb before hand. im guessing youre replacing them with headers anyway right? so if you break one no big deal. hope you get it all sorted out

 

Mine were tough to get off too,

I used my map gas hand torch to heat them up till red, then a 3/8 ratchet and small cheater pipe took them off no prob.

Heat is your friend in this case.

 

I WISH I was replacing the manifolds with non-crappy headers but I just need to get them off for a top-end rebuild. One of the EGR bolts also broke off in the manifold so I need to get it off to get the rest of the bolt out.

Last time I had to do this was on my Z28 and I used an impact gun, except 4 of the 6 studs broke off. You think GM would consider using some better hardware for these high temp areas.

 

Somehow, I managed to get ALL 6 off of the manifolds on my 4.8 with 192k, and 10 salt-soaked NJ winters without breaking a single one.

I just soaked the **** out of them with some PB blaster, and used a bigass cheater bar on my ratchet (since my shitty Craftsman impact wasn't strong enough. ).

 

4 out of 6 is as good as I got last week before I broke out the sawzall. But I didn't need the Y anymore. They are some tuff bastards to get loose. The heat should help you get them. Good luck.

 

well since youll be reusing all of your exhaust components im with the rest of the guys, heat is your friend...id strongly suggest headers in the near future though if youre going with a bigger than stock cam just because youll need the extra flow. good luck getting them loose. luckily mine came right off when i swapped to headers. if you end up breaking any bolts i still have my stock manifolds with a couple feet off pipe off each side that id let go pretty cheap if you need them.

 

I also have two sets of manifolds, one with EGR, one without.

Hell, I'm sure half of the guys on here have some OEM manifolds laying around.

 

haha, damn right...just taking up space in the garage along with all the other stock crap ive pulled off my truck

 

Hot wrench FTW