Short 6 manifold idea

[Young Ed]

The short 23in sixes have a very common problem of breaking off the 4 bolts that hold the intake and exhaust together. The long sixes use bolts that go all the way through which is much better. If those break you just knock the pieces out and get a new bolt. So for the short ones would installing a long stud and then putting a nut below the exhaust manifold help solve this issue?

[Norm's Coupe]

I don't think so. My bolts just slipped through the exhaust manifold, then were threaded into the top half of the intake. When they snapped, they did so because they were stuck in the intake part, not the exhaust part. Had to re-thread one of those holes once apart.

[Young Ed]

Exactly norm that what happens to all of them. I'm thinking the exposed threads and nut would be easier to get apart then that long bolt with the threads in the intake. Of course this would make it impossible to remove only the intake or the exhaust but that always happens anyways.

[Norm's Coupe]

I would think you'd have about the same problem either way. The nuts would still freeze up on the bolts. Then if you have to remove the long bolts for some reason like resurfacing, the bolts would still be stuck in the intake. Maybe a better solution would be to use stainless steel bolts to hold the two together.

[aero3113]

Why cant you just drill out the threads in the intake manifold?

[Norm's Coupe]

Why cant you just drill out the threads in the intake manifold?

There's really not a lot of extra metal in that area to be drilling out too much.

[Young Ed]

I would think you'd have about the same problem either way. The nuts would still freeze up on the bolts. Then if you have to remove the long bolts for some reason like resurfacing' date=' the bolts would still be stuck in the intake. Maybe a better solution would be to use stainless steel bolts to hold the two together.[/quote']

Right but the threaded part you are trying to undo would be right there where you could much easier apply heat penetrating oils etc. I wonder how the stainless would work. What happens to it under pretty high temperatures? And what about the dissimilar metals thing?

[aero3113]

I know that stainless heats up quickly and stays hotter

[Norm's Coupe]

When I pulled my manifolds for rebuilding the engine, I had to replace at least 3 of the manifold studs. I used stainless studs to replace those three. Have had no problem with those studs. So.......don't think using stainless bolts to hold the manifolds would be a problem either.

[Young Ed]

Norm have you had your manifold off since? I would think thats when a problem would present itself

[Norm's Coupe]

Ed,

That was in 1998, got the car back running again in January 1999. Haven't had the manifolds off since. But........I have had the nut off (loose) on the first stud from the front of the engine. Had to loosen that one about 3 or 4 times going after the fuel pump since. Last time was this past summer when I replaced the fuel pump. Had to loosen it to get the heat shield off each time. At least that one has not been stuck once, and I don't need to use heat to get it loose.

[cwcars88]

Either way if you use never-seez it should lessen future problems.

[Young Ed]

I did use it on both my car and truck. Will have to hope it doesnt all burn away by the time I take it apart again.