Author Topic: Removing the exhaust manifold  (Read 6896 times)

Offline Alex

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Removing the exhaust manifold
« on: November 04, 2008, 11:40:13 pm »
I've just had a complete twat of an evening trying to remove my exhaust manifold.

As a result, my car's undriveable.

It was all going really well too - I got all of the manifold-downpipe studs out without much fuss, and the head studs came out almost as easily. The downpipe is propped up on a brick.

The trouble is, having got the car to this point, I found out there is a fifth stud, hidden under the charger.

I add here that until this point I had assumed this was a job which doesn't necessarily involve removing the supercharger. With this discovery in mind, my guess is that I was wrong?

The thing is, I can't see how much more space it'll give me. Will it let me get a socket in there?

I've tried removing the outlet dome, which gave me a bit more space, but it's still tight.

What's the best way to get this off? Remove the supercharger? I don't really fancy doing that, mainly because I don't want to tension my toothed belt incorrectly and snap it when I take the car out.

Offline Alex

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Re: Removing the exhaust manifold
« Reply #1 on: November 05, 2008, 02:02:11 am »
Midnight brainwaves are bad. 1am brainwaves are even worse.

I realised that I'd not been very clever, and looked at my new manifold to see where the stud is on it, and how easy it would be to get a torque wrench in there with an extender. And, realising it was possible, I went out and had a go.

Removed the charger outlet dome, a few tugs on the torque wrench and off it came!

Unfortunately it left the sodding stud in the head, so I can't actually get the manifold off, the bit circled in red is stopping it. >:(



At this point I should've given up and gone to bed, but I had a grope around in the dark and found what seemed to be a bolt holding the engine mount together. Unbolted it and realised that I'd just removed the retainer bolt for the alternator. Put it back straight away!

Is this a separate part of the engine mount, and can it be removed?

If so, how?

And, if not, some advice on removing studs would be really useful. ???

Yes, I wish I'd paid to have this changed. What a twat of a job.

Offline PeteG40

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Re: Removing the exhaust manifold
« Reply #2 on: November 05, 2008, 09:19:03 am »
you need to remove the charger and alternator and have the whole engine mount off its a one peice unit. - Sh1t i know but thats how it is!!!

Pete

Offline hayesey

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Re: Removing the exhaust manifold
« Reply #3 on: November 05, 2008, 09:28:24 am »
it;'s not hard to tension the toothed belt, it doesnt have to be anywhere near as tight a v-belts.  Just treat it like a cambelt and do it till the loose section can be twisted 90deg in the middle.

Offline Raw

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Offline Alex

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Re: Removing the exhaust manifold
« Reply #5 on: November 06, 2008, 06:50:45 pm »
The trouble is a lack of room - the stud underneath could be attacked with a proper tool, but the one on top is ring spanner only.

My best option, realistically, is to put it back together for now and let someone who knows what they're doing have a go.

Offline PeteG40

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Re: Removing the exhaust manifold
« Reply #6 on: November 06, 2008, 06:54:23 pm »
alex alex alex,

taking charger off is 30 min job, alternator 10 mins. manifold will pop off then.  New one on, then its another hour back together. Easy!!! as for the tensioning the belt, well you'll learn how to do that in case one snaps.

Offline markh450

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Re: Removing the exhaust manifold
« Reply #7 on: July 28, 2009, 09:48:45 am »
Sorry to resurrect this old thread, however I am having a similar issue.
I have the charger off (well loose but trapped between the engine mounts!). I understand I will have to remove the alternator and engine mount to get the manifold off, however looking at the engine mount / charger mount I can see a support that seems to go around the front of the engine beneath the cam belt cover. Is this just a loose support or will I have to remove the cam belt and cover the get to a bolt?  ???

 


Offline grayg40

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Re: Removing the exhaust manifold
« Reply #8 on: July 28, 2009, 10:07:37 am »
I had this problem at weekend. i didn't remove the charger at all only the outlet, i also had broken studs. the way i did it was a 13mm ratchet spanner for the top left and a 1/4ratchet with small extention and deep socket. must have taken at least 5 mins to get bottom one out as the ratchet only did one click per time. once the whole studs were out i just gave ti a good wiggle and a pull and that was it. then the studs unscrewed by hand which was a bonus.

Offline markh450

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Re: Removing the exhaust manifold
« Reply #9 on: July 28, 2009, 11:16:31 am »
Sorry for sounding thick, but are you saying you managed to remove the manifold without removing the charger / engine mount by removing the studs as well as the nuts before pulling the manifold off?

How did you manage to get the studs out with the manifold in place after the nuts had been removed? Mole grips??  ??? I take it the studs aren't a reverse thread?




Offline grayg40

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Re: Removing the exhaust manifold
« Reply #10 on: July 28, 2009, 12:31:45 pm »
Sorry for sounding thick, but are you saying you managed to remove the manifold without removing the charger / engine mount by removing the studs as well as the nuts before pulling the manifold off?

How did you manage to get the studs out with the manifold in place after the nuts had been removed? Mole grips??  ??? I take it the studs aren't a reverse thread?

Yes. i thought i would have to take the charger and and brkt off myself at first. but the top left stud and bottom left were bolts so that helped things, disconnected the down pipes and gave the manny a good jiggle about for a minute and applied some force( with hands) and off it came.
when i came to putting it back on i removed all the studs and replaced them with bolts and washers incase i need to do it again. it was easy to put back on after that just a pain to get the gasket to line up. 

Offline markh450

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Re: Removing the exhaust manifold
« Reply #11 on: July 28, 2009, 01:24:54 pm »
Ah I see, unfortunately mine are all still studs so It looks like I will be removing the engine mount tonight! Never mind, it will give me chance to give everything a good clean while its apart.

Offline grayg40

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Re: Removing the exhaust manifold
« Reply #12 on: July 28, 2009, 03:16:05 pm »
get a set of vice grips on them and replace them with bolts, no more hassel

Offline markh450

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Re: Removing the exhaust manifold
« Reply #13 on: July 29, 2009, 09:05:44 am »
I might replace them with bolts actually! that way I can refit the old manifold and cat come MOT with less hassle! having spent more time wrestling with the car last night I have removed the charger, alternator and engine mount, at that point I realised I would have to remove the anti roll bar to get the new manifold in as it is not a two piece item like the original cast one. ahh well that will give me chance to fit the polybushes which are in the post I suppose. I will crack on again tonight and see what else I have to remove to get this manifold on! :D   

Offline dannyb.G40

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Re: Removing the exhaust manifold
« Reply #14 on: July 29, 2009, 10:44:47 am »
I chanced the mot with a four branch and obviously no cat. It sailed through the emissions test, worth trying that, especially if the retest is free! saves the ball ache of swapping it back over