454 exhaust manifold removal?

[Monte Rhoads]

I have a "slight" exhaust manifold leak on a Chevy 454 CI (it's the
original motor in a 1983 class A motorhome with 45,000 original miles).
I would like to remove the exhaust manifolds and have them resurfaced or
replaced, and install the "new" gaskets that are suppose to help with
this notorious 454 problem.

Are there any suggestions on how to lesten the chance of breaking
off one of the bolts, and have to remove the head to remove the bolt?
Should I just ignore the "slight" leak, until it gets to bad to ignore?
Should I just go to headers (I've heard these can be more trouble
than they're worth)?

Thanks in advance!

--
Monte J. Rhoads
monte_...@ccm2.hf.intel.com
(503)696-4553 wk
disclaimer:"I do not speak on behalf of Intel Corp."

[C. Cahill]

> disclaimer:"I do not speak on behalf of Intel Corp."Monte, is this the drivers side, maybe towards the front? Quite a few
early big blocks were known to crack the manifolds at #1
cyl............Colin

[Gregory M Zimmerman]

: Monte Rhoads wrote:
: >
: > I have a "slight" exhaust manifold leak on a Chevy 454 CI (it's the
: > original motor in a 1983 class A motorhome with 45,000 original miles).
: > I would like to remove the exhaust manifolds and have them resurfaced or
: > replaced, and install the "new" gaskets that are suppose to help with
: > this notorious 454 problem.
: >
: > Are there any suggestions on how to lesten the chance of breaking
: > off one of the bolts, and have to remove the head to remove the bolt?
: > Should I just ignore the "slight" leak, until it gets to bad to ignore?
: > Should I just go to headers (I've heard these can be more trouble
: > than they're worth)?
: >
: > Thanks in advance!
: >
: > --
: > Monte J. Rhoads
: > monte_...@ccm2.hf.intel.com
: > (503)696-4553 wk

My Olds 350 had 180,000 miles on it when I removed the exaust manifolds
to install headers. Two bolts broke, one flush with the head, and I had
to yank the motor to drill and tap. This was after soaking the bolts
with penetrating oil for a few minutes.

If I did it again, I would first try heating the bolt with a propane
torch, then try to loosen. If it doesn't budge, cool engine, then soak
bolts with penetrating oil for a few days.

Headers are a pain in the ass, even on a street car. They
rust/leak/interfere with starter, etc. I would surface the manifolds,
get good felpro gaskets, and goop them up with the copper gasket glue
made for exaust.

-greg

[Jorg Klinger]

> : Monte Rhoads wrote:
> Should I just ignore the "slight" leak, until it gets to bad to ignore?

> : > Monte J. Rhoads

Sometimes the manifolds have developed tension over the years and after
you remove them you can't line the bolt holes up to re-install them.
Something to consider.

--
--
Jorg Klinger CR500 You can't make a pig into a
Arch.&Eng. *** racehorse, but you can make
umanitoba Lost Horizons a really, really fast pig.