Exhaust manifold debacle - going with dual headers

[Bryan]

Well, taking off the exhaust and intake manifold didn't go well.  One bolt stuck and wouldn't come out. Had a small existing crack in front exhaust tube but managed to crack the manifold in half by "gently" prying on it.  And it was gently.  Well, going for a set of Langdon stovebolt dual headers since the price isn't much more than the outrageous existing manifolds on Ebay.  I have another Dodge in the woods but think I'm going to go thru that process AGAIN to get the manifold?    Don't laugh but I'll probably get a Y-pipe and join the 2 pipes off the header.   No 2 mufflers, no trying to run 2 pipes past the fuel tank (very tight).   And I'll still use my existing single carb intake.  Does anyone see a problem doing  this?

[Bryan]

Worked all days yesterday (10-5 pm). Basically one bolt would not come out. I thought by drilling/grinding the head off I could pull the manifold off of the shank. The bolt shank was also fused to the manifold.   I ended up breaking the bolt off about a 1/2' from the block.  Need to remove that one.  Wonder if I should remove all the remaining studs or just replace the one?  The threads look pretty good on the others.

[Sniper]

I ran into the same issue with my core 230.  Since the manifold was already cracked I just knocked them off with a sledgehammer.  Got all but two studs out, leaving them for my machine shop to remove, after breaking three EZ Outs off trying to get them out.  Usually getting a broke EZ Out removed is harder than getting the broken bolt out, but I was able to remove all three of them.  Lot's of practice from my Navy days. 

 

[Bryan]

16 minutes ago, Sniper said:

Got all but two studs out, leaving them for my machine shop to remove, after breaking three EZ Outs off trying to get them out.  Usually getting a broke EZ Out removed is harder than getting the broken bolt out, but I was able to remove all three of them.  Lot's of practice from my Navy days. 

 

That's what I'm afraid of.  Back in the 70's when I was a lot younger, broke an easy out off in an intake bolt on a 71 Camaro. Other drill bits just bounced off of it. Had to take to a machine shop.  Might heat up red hot and try to back out instead.. The other matching bolt on the rear hardly had discernable threads.  Any opinion on Langdon headers and the dual to one Y?  Using existing intake with the new exhaust? 3 of the 4 bolts on bottom were already broke off before I got it.

[Sniper]

I have a set on Langdon manifolds, haven't run them yet but they seem to be quality pieces.

[Worden18]

I can't imagine there would be any issues running those headers and joining them to a single pipe.  Sounds like a good idea.  If I ever work up another car like I did my Meadowbrook, I'd try that for sure. ?

[Greg51T&CWagon]

how about going with a larger diameter for the single pipe? 

[Bryan]

56 minutes ago, Greg51T&CWagon said:

how about going with a larger diameter for the single pipe? 

Maybe 2 1/2" max .   It would be good insurance if I started upgrading the engine and intake.   Going to mostly putt around town. The reason going with duals is all the old original manifolds on Ebay are more expensive, and I don't want to risk getting a stressed or cracked one.   

[Sniper]

I have a dual 2" to 2.5" Y pipe I will incorporate into my exhaust system.  Probably where I will put my o2 sensor as well.

[Bryan]

1 hour ago, Sniper said:

  Probably where I will put my o2 sensor as well.

An O2 sensor?   

 

[Sniper]

1 hour ago, Bryan said:

An O2 sensor?   

 

 

Working on EFI

 

http://www.yourolddad.com/efi

[Bryan]

10 minutes ago, Sniper said:

 

Working on EFI

 

http://www.yourolddad.com/efi

That's fantastic  work but just something I didn't want to do.  Too many modern failures on engines the last few years (brother, nephew, step-mother). Always the sensors or computer.  Would be nice if with vacuum, mixture, intake temp, exhaust gas sensors a person could have a dash control to fine tune mixture..know it wouldn't be instantaneous but something that wouldn't fart out and leave you stranded.   Or maybe computer controlled but a standard fail default, when sensors and everything else fails it would still run and just give a warning.

[kencombs]

Most, if not all, of the FI systems I've looked into run in open loop before the O2 sensor heats up.   They also do so if the sensor or wiring go bad.  So that won't leave you stranded, just use more fuel and pollute badly.

[allbizz49]

I have 2 good exhaust manifolds that you can have for the cost of shipping.. One intake too. Not sure what shipping from California will cost but you can have one or both.

[Bryan]

1 minute ago, allbizz49 said:

I have 2 good exhaust manifolds that you can have for the cost of shipping.. One intake too. Not sure what shipping from California will cost but you can have one or both.

Thanks but I just ordered a set of duals from Stovebolt a few hours ago.  Really appreciate the offer though.   

[tom'sB2B]

IMHO. If you're not bending the pipe yourself, it is not uncommon or difficult for a proper exhaust shop to do dual pipes. I'm happy with how mine turned out..