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Installing New PLOG Exhaust Manifold - Help

M

M7x350z

New member
Hey guys. I have a 2000 Grand Prix GTP with about 117k miles on it. I got a new Powerlog exhaust manifold, and so I'm going to have to take off the old manifold. I got new studs and nuts for the new manifold, but since the stock studs and nuts are pretty old and rusty, should I be worried about them breaking off in the head? Should I use a lot of PB blaster before I take them off? What would be the best way of going about this? I'm fairly new to working with cars, so I want to be as careful as possible. Thanks in advance.
 


Id spray them with pb blaster everyday for a few days... It sure can't hurt it. Breaker bar to loosen those studs and then finish using a socket. Where did you end up getting your studs from?
 
Ahh that's what I figured. I went down to napa today to try to find them locally but had no luck.. Guess I'll add that to my next ZZP order.
 
Yea they're cheap from ZZP so I don't mind order them I just won't order them by theirselves but I need to place a order with them anyways so I'll keep that in mind.
 


Yeah man. Hey a few of my buddies are saying that there is a chance that the studs will snap off in the head. If I use PB blaster everyday for a few days before I install the new manifold, will that really lessen the chance? They don't think that will work.
 
One other thing that might help is to let the engine heat up to operating temp and while hot break everything loose that you can, and soak them with blaster. This will allow the pb blaster to penetrate into the bolt holes, get around all the threads and lessen the chance of breaking.
 
I didnt have a single problem removing any bolts from my 2000 GTP that spent it's entire life in MN.

I re-use all studs and factory nuts when I did my headers like 3 years ago.

I only snapped and broke the downpipe bolts because there wasnt anything left of them.
 
Alright. I'll be using the PB blaster for the next couple days on the studs and nuts to get them ready, then before the uninstalling of the stock manifold, get the engine hot then blast it again, wait for it to cool down, then break em loose. Does that sounds like a safe procedure?
 
Probably overkill to be honest with you I'll just spray it a few days before and go for it. I had no problem removing mine without using pb blaster only reason in ordering a few studs is because I misplaced them.
 


One quick question, there are 5 studs/nuts, and 1 bolt right? or 6 studs/nuts all together just for the manifold.
 
I think there's 2 just studs on the rear header and the rest are stud/nuts. And in the front it's all stud/nuts but don't quote me on that. I ran 2 studs on the end if both the front and rear so they'll hold the gasket in place while you get everything else lined up. And honestly it doesn't really matter what you do.
 
Alright thanks. I just looked at how many there were and it looked like there was 1 bolt, but I may be wrong. I could still substitute that bolt for a stud and a nut.
 
To remove the manifold.. keep in mind the bolts are in steel that is heated whenever you start the motor. They aren't rusty in the head. This isn't an aluminum head, and it's not a ford and they won't break unless you gank on them at an odd angle. I've taken out more exhaust bolts than any of us could count, I use no penetrant, if you want something different..run the motor and heat them up. The crossover to EM might snap if you don't loosen them equally. Spray those with a little pb and you should be fine.
 


The worst case that typically happens is you don't loosen the crossover to front em bolts equally and you snap one. So what.. hit the hardware store. M8 X 1.50 thread. Done.

Although I have spares on hand..lol
 
Haha I'll keep that in mind. I got new bolts for the crossover to the em so in case they do snap, I have a couple extra.
 
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