exhaust manifold bolts

[marc69]

the bolts where tthe downpipe attches to the maifold have snapped as photo
http://i988.photobucket.com/albums/af5/69marc/Photo527_zpsa74695e1.jpg
Is there anything I can do or is it a new manifold?
I need the car to get to work tomorrow, looks like a fortune in taxis (have to get 15 miles outside the city and back) Not happy!

[marc69]

Any advice please as I'm totally stuck

[ash 1.3 sr]

Get them drilled out? If u kill the threads but and bolt them

[ash 1.3 sr]

Nut*

[ash 1.3 sr]

Or retap the threads even

[marc69]

ok ta, I assume I just use a decent drill bit and go for it?

[garyc]

Try a 3mm drill then go up to 4, 5 and 6. Usually the heat helps free the bolt. The other thing to try is a punch and a few firm blows with a hammer on the stud. Heat by a blowtorch may help too. Once out clean out with an m8 tap.

[mowgli]

a small set of stud extractors won't cost too much.

[Nobby]

Could you weld a nut over the top of each one say 13mm head and fill the hole then you can get heat into it aswell

[Stuart]

And when you replace them, don't use stainless bolts!

[marc69]

Thanks for the advice, earlier I managed to get 2 out which gave me 3 out of 4, the 4th one is slightly beneath the level of the manifold and by that point the drill bits were giving up (and so was I). It's a 1.3 SR twin down pipe.

So I attached the manifold back then put the down pipe on with 3 new bolts but the fourth one which is nearest the car is the bad one. Now that I have more ideas from this thread I will go back at some point and get the fourth one out.

However earlier, I have sealed it with gungum and it doesn't seem to leak so my question is......will it be safe enough with 3 out of 4 bolts, it's not going to fall off and be dangerous or anything? If so it will do for 2 months till I get more time.

[mowgli]

most fast fit places would be happy with 3 bolts lol lol lol

you'll be fine, just remember to get it fixed

[marc69]

Thanks, I wouldn't call myself fast though lol

[bazil]

Cut or grind the stud flat but not flush, centre punch and drill into the centre and use stud extractors as mowgli said and heat the manifold too to ease the extraction,

[marc69]

The remaining stud is actually 1mm or so under the level but yes, it looks like drilling and extracting or welding a head or something, but it's all on the car now for the next 8 weeks or so..........................hopefully! lol

[meritlover]

you should get away with 3oo4 but if it blows, the easiest way is to take it to a workshop and have someone drill it out re-tap or repair the threads. dont bother with a heli-coil, just tap it a size up, ie from M8 to M10 and drill a larger clearance hole in the downpipe for the new stud/bolt.
if you dont have a workshop, dont even bother trying yourself. if the drill wanders off into the casting its a pig to get square again without a mill drill or something solid and if you shear the rather un-aptly named 'easy-out' in the hole (and lets face it if the bolt sheared in the first place its unlikely a 6mm easy-out will manage in this case) then you will never drill through it.

There are various options you can try to get it out but unless you know what your doing, its easy to make it a whole lot worse for something that may not be an issue. you can chase it out with a centre punch, hacksaw a flat in it and use an impact screwdriver with some heat on it etc..

At least you know the manifold comes off. better to have a sheared stud there than on the head!