Manifolds back on

I started putting the manifolds back on having got hold of the gaskets. Seems that the manifold gaskets are not as good as they used to be, the one fitted before had metal reinforced rings around the inlet and exhaust ports. I have a couple of new ones from 2 different suppliers and both are just plain gasket material so not as good and I bet they won’t last as long as the one I took off, this was fitted way back in 1992 when I replaced the Engine!


Anyway made up a couple of replacement studs where the nuts had seized on to old studs and they had come out of the head but couldn’t remove the nuts. I cleaned the threads on the head with a tap where studs need re-fitting with a tap and cleaned the studs that remained in the head with a die nut.

Cleaning the Threads on the studs with a Die Nut.

Cleaning the threads out in the head with a Tap.

I then fitted two replacement core plugs using blue hylomar to aid the seal and drifting the plugs into place carefully using a suitable sized socket.

Plenty of blue hylomar in the core plug hole.

Plenty of blue hylomar around the new core plug

Using a suitable sized socket as a core plug drift, tap into place carefully with a hammer.

A replacement Exhaust Downpipe manifold gasket was then fitted with a ring of fire gum to aid the seal. The New Manifold gasket was then fitted, I always grease my gaskets lightly before fitting, helps them, to seal and also helps next time they need to be removed. A little trick my Dad taught me years ago when teaching me how to fix motorbikes.
I then fitted the manifolds. As I said in my last post the lower ones are really awkward to get at, however Marcus advised that a 3/8 drive universal joint, extension bar and 3/8 drive socket would doe the trick. Thanks Marcus this did work a treat.

Using a 3/8 drive socket, universal joint and long extension to do up the hard to get at lower central manifold nuts

That’s it for the evening, I don’t think I’ll get a chance to finish off before the weekend now, as it’s my son’s birthday at a theme park tomorrow I’m out for lots of beers at a work re-union do in London on Thursday, a dirty job but it’s got to be done!