How to remove the exhaust manifold studs?

Well... started to change the URD headers I bought. Quite a job to get the old exhaust out, 11 years and 130k miles at an area where is winter and salt. You can guess that the rust is a big problem.

Despite of heating (by a little gas welding torch) every exhaust manifold nut before turning, one stud snapped.

Few tries with a MIG and nut and I got it out.

I have already bought ARP stainless steel studs and I'd like to install them. But I have not courage enough to try to turn the old ones out, I think I'll snap more of them and getting them out by welding is really, really PITA. They are really stuck, I don't like to turn more.

Any tricks what to do? I know some induction heater would be nice, but I don't know where to borrow/rent one.

And why they are so stuck? The snapped one's thread looks great.



Or maybe I just use the nuts&washers of ARP's set, they become a little thicker than OEM nut, so no thread is visible/exposed to rust. With a copper paste they would work.

 

Likely stuck because disimilar metals? Aluminum head, steel bolts.

Some good penetrating oil soak should help.

Also had success heating studs then hitting with a candle so the wax wicks like solder, allowing it to break loose.

 

Supposedly a mixture of solvent and transmission fluid is the best product you can use to free stuck threads. You should also have a lot better luck using an actual stud remover rather than vice grips or double nuts.

 

^ What's that gun?

 

air hammer haha

 

Do they salt the roads in Finland in the winter? If so, that along with the heat from the exhaust are what causes the bolts to seize so bad.

 

Yes, and in Germany too where this was first 5 years before me.

 

I've used this type of stud extractor in the past with good results on my motorcycles.

OEMTOOLS 27140 Metric Stud Remover Set, 4-Piece

https://www.amazon.com/OEMTOOLS-271...rd_wg=t0QdK&psc=1&refRID=S7E1G1VZ7HJ2AQTP2SCR

I'm not sure if your broken stud will have enough "meat" or be long enough for the extractor "jaws" to clamp on to. I know these will work on the ones that are not broken. You just need to use something like Kroil (I swear by that stuff now) give it time to penetrate and extract slowly.

I would try all options first before drilling and re-tapping though.

 

Heat the stud and area around it not too hot with a propane torch and then hold a stick of beeswax against the stud base. Let the beeswax suck into the threads. Then gently hit the end of the stud with a hammer. Soak more beeswax in. Then attempt to remove the stud using vice grips. I've heard this method works. I've also heard about using a product called Kroil. Have also heard that folks have welded a nut onto the stud and used that to try to turn the stud. Good luck.

 

I can verify that Chatt69chgr system works, the only thing I do differernt is I use parafrin wax. When the wax is in a liquid state is seeps into the studs/stud hole and when it solidifies it acts like a lubricant and helps when you take the stud out.

 

I also verify that the Chatt69chgr system works. I have used both paraffin and beeswax. both did the job.

- JAMES

 

Did you have as corrosied/rusted studs? I only changed the broken one and left the rest, I felt I may snap them too. Installed the new headers with the ARP nuts.

 

I am debating on replacing my manifold studs. Truck has only seen a few winters/ salted roads, spent its childhood in the desert. Where did you purchase the ARP stud kit? Or was it just a generic order?
Maybe I should just replace the nuts?

 

It's a kit for LS1, ARP 434-1301
Just perfect size for 1GR-FE too.

https://m.summitracing.com/parts/arp-434-1301

 

I am about to put URD SPec U LT headers on my truck. I am going to get the ARP SS Header studs because I am going all out on this one. Anything else I should know about this?

 

Just about to do the same. Picked up the studs this week. Good luck!

 

Having a bit of trouble after getting the headers in. The upper O2 sensor plug is falling about 3” short. The main harness it comes off of doesn’t seem to have lots of give. Any ideas?

 

How about these:
https://www.urdusa.com/urd-o2-sensor-extension-harness/

 

Great minds think alike, had them over nighted. Decided it wasn’t worth fussing with the wire harness and you get a better reading from the collector anyway.

Install is complete. It was annoying mostly because I swapped in solid motor mounts at the same time which were a nightmare (due to them not fitting. Had to buy a second set from DMZ that fit perfectly.)

I installed the ARP LS1 header studs with great success. Removal of original studs was made very simple using the heat/wax technique. The nuts looked fused with rust and I was prepared to deal with a real headache. But the wax made removal of nuts and studs effortless. I used it on some other stuck and crusty fasteners too. It’s now my favorite stuck fastener technique I’ll use when ever I can if I’m not going to set shit on fire.

With that said, always have a halon extinguisher handy when doing this kind of work.