Exhaust manifold removal

[L3V3L1]

I'm upgrading to a spec1 Gen4 exhaust. I'm up in the air about attempting the install myself or having a local muffler shop do it. I've been hitting the manifold bolts nightly with Pb blaster. Do these look like they will be an issue? (See attached )7221672217I was able to remove the stove without snapping the
bolts. I'm not comfortable with a torch under the car. Also, I can't find a 7M thread chaser to clean out the unused holes on the cylinder head. Is this job best done the the car on Jack stands or ramps?
Thanks for any help.

[glockworks21]

i used flat top jack stands on the cradle. More room than sitting on ramps. I sprayed the bolts with pb blaster every day for about a week and just let it sit. I was doing head gaskets and not in a rush. I cant be certain that multiple days of being sprayed and sitting helped, but i did not need to use heat and they all came out fairly easily. you can always try a few and see how it goes. If the first few are seized up that may help you make the decision on moving forward or taking to shop.

[David T]

Ramps are dangerous. Besides the possibility of driving over them, they can slide and even if you can get up on them successfully they are inherently unstable side-to-side. The safest option if you don't have a lift is a floor jack and jackstands. Of course this assumes you have a smooth, flat, and level concrete floor. As for removing the nuts/studs, the best way to do it is with heat. If, when you try to remove it without heat, and break it off or strip the threads, now you have a big mess on your hands! If you are not comfortable using heat, either get someone to help who has experience or take the car to a shop that can do it. If you do decide to try it yourself have a squirt bottle with water, a fire extinguisher and a helper as a fire watch to help you. A Bernz-O-Matic propane torch is not hot enough, the way to go is an Oxy-Acetalyne torch so you can get the fasteners red hot. The way I do it, I heat it up, let it cool down, heat it up again and them loosen it before it can cool. Usually once it turns even a little it will usually come off without breaking or stripping the threads. You must be really careful with the threads in aluminum, they will strip out VERY easily so you may have to Heli-Coil (use threaded inserts) in the threaded holes in the head. The studs are not easily obtainable locally so you should order a set from your favorite vendor. Use Never-Seize on all of the threads when you put it back together.

[Emit]

Go for stands, not ramps. as was said you have the possibility of overshooting and the ramp popping up, I had a terrible experience where the car I was working under decided to roll back down the ramp (I was working near the transmission and it popped out of park, the handbrake/ebrake was poor and the chocks gave up), other than I had a friend with me I'd be in trouble.

Do pick up an M7 chaser, it will make reinstalling a breeze and reduce future seized bolts, and M7 are used all over the car.

If a stud is stubborn try the crayon/candle trick, it's surprisingly effective.

[dn010]

I won't get into the ramp vs. stands debate. I typically run the engine before removing any exhaust related pieces if possible - it's free heat. If you don't want to do that, not everyone has a hand held induction heater but that is another option before getting out the gas (you can use MAPP gas with a turbo torch, you don't "need" oxy acetylene). When going for the install, I recommend going with 4 studs per port instead of the stock 2, and also using copper flange nuts designed for exhausts - if or when you need to remove the exhaust, you'll be happy you used them. I can't remember where I got mine, I want to say Belmetric but if you do a google search you'll find them if you go that route.