What to do if your exhaust manifold bolts are rusted?
What to do if your exhaust manifold bolts are rusted?
You don’t state the make, model but some exhaust manifold bolts need thread sealant to prevent a water leak through the head thread, you might want to check this isn’t the case with your heads. Serious heat will break the bolts loose. A propane torch is seldom enough.
Where does rust grow on an exhaust manifold?
That means that you don’t just spray a ton of the stuff on the fastener and then grab the wrench. If you take a magnifying glass and look closely at the problem, you’ll notice that the rust has grown up around the interface where the threads of the bolt meet the female threads.
What happens when you break the head off an exhaust bolt?
Once that bond is broken, the penetrant can get in between the threads and work it’s magic. If you get impatient and break the head off the bolt, one of two situations happens: either there is a bit of the bolt sticking out, or there isn’t.
Why is my exhaust manifold bolt not working?
If you strain on the end of the wrench or socket handle and the bolt just doesn’t budge, and you feel that if you pull just a little bit harder the damned thing is going to break, STOP. If you break it, you’ve just made your problem worse. Two words come to mind in the battle against seized fasteners, lubrication and heat.
Can You Heat a rusted exhaust manifold bolt?
WARNING: If your cylinder head is aluminum, you must be VERY careful to only heat the steel bolt, and not the cylinder head! If the area is reasonably clear of flammable objects, and you have access to a good torch, a little heat will often loosen the grip of the rust enough to get it moving.
What’s the best way to remove an exhaust manifold bolt?
I use an oxy-acetylene torch to quicly heat the bolt up to a nice cherry red color, then hand the torch to a helper and quickly put the wrench on the head of the bolt and gently try to turn it each way. Work it back and forth just like the WD technique, and as it cools off a bit, use the penetrant.
That means that you don’t just spray a ton of the stuff on the fastener and then grab the wrench. If you take a magnifying glass and look closely at the problem, you’ll notice that the rust has grown up around the interface where the threads of the bolt meet the female threads.
Once that bond is broken, the penetrant can get in between the threads and work it’s magic. If you get impatient and break the head off the bolt, one of two situations happens: either there is a bit of the bolt sticking out, or there isn’t.
