Nobody Said It would be Easy,

[SgtLee511]

I need suggestions on removing the passenger side manifold without cutting it off, because I know someone might suggest that. The problem is I have noticed that dam near every 10 bolts I remove, One:blue: will fail and shear off. While attempting to remove the passenger side manifold the rear bolt sheared off just below the manifold lip. As you know these bolts are made in a unusual shape as they are thick metal and about inch and a half down they become the bolt. Has anyone here drilled and removed one of these and if so what type of drill bit, size, and or extractor was used. I know the bits I have are not sharp enough and I dont want to throw away money on the wrong tools. Any help would be appreciated. Its really frustrating when you cant tear your engine down to see its condition. Help!:blue::blue::blue::blue:

 

[Big John]

Those are studs and nuts, not bolts. There's long nuts that go through the manifold and screw onto the studs.

From your description, it sounds like you broke a nut. They look like this:



Are you taking the head off anyway?

A pic of the damage might help figuring out the best course to attack the issue.

 

[Basketcase]

is the engine out of the car?

 

[SgtLee511]

Thanks for the pic, I did not realize that those were nuts, I was thinking it was one piece, basically the top of one of the long nuts twisted off, leaving the long stem nut broken below the flat surface of the manifold. I tried drilling it, but my bit was not sharp enough. But the way it broke it appears that that nut is solid metal for a ways, before it reaches the stud. The engine and trans are on my shop floor still connected. I dont think I could get to the head bolts with the manifold still attached to remove the head, that operation would definitly make the job easier if I could put it on the bench.

 

[SgtLee511]

I worked on removing the (Nut) Saturday, tough process, Im about an inch into it, drilling and using an air chisel to break up the nut.