How to Remove Exhaust Manifold Bolts Without Breaking- Best Guide Of 2022

It is sometimes challenging to work on the engine’s components as they may get stiff or tight. When working with an exhaust manifold or headers, you might face breaking the bolts. You should know how to remove exhaust manifold bolts without breaking them in order to prevent this kind of situation.

There can be a lot of corrosion or rust accumulated alongside the bolts making them even tight and harder to be removed. Besides, if you apply more significant pressure, it will cause the bolts to break.

 

What is an Exhaust Manifold?

Before we learn how to remove exhaust manifold bolts without breaking, let us first understand what is an exhaust manifold and how it works. An exhaust manifold is an essential component of a vehicle’s exhaust system.

As its name suggests, “manifold” means having many passages connected to one common pipe. Accordingly, based on the number of cylinders in the engine, there are multiple passages in the manifold, and it is connected to the engine valve.

“The main task of the exhaust manifold is to collect the exhaust gases that are coming from multiple cylinders and transfer them to the exhaust pipe so that they can be released into the air through the tailpipe.”

Since exhaust gases are hot, the exhaust manifold comprises cast iron or stainless-steel units to withstand the heat.

 

Step By Step- Remove Exhaust Manifold Bolts Without Breaking

Since bolts and exhaust manifolds are made up of iron, they are susceptible to corrosion. This rusting and corrosion can make it difficult to remove the bolts. Also, because of rust, the bolts become brittle. Hence, applying high pressure may cause the bolts to break. Therefore, you must follow resourceful and easy steps to loosen exhaust manifold bolts without breaking them.

1.  Apply lubricant

The first thing you can do to loosen up the bolts is to apply or spray some penetrating lubricant and let it rest. You need to give it time to sit so that it can do its work. Also, it would not make sense if you spray and immediately after that try to remove the bolts.

You may need to spray, let it sit, try to remove it, and again spray and so on till you remove the bolts. Moreover, it will help you remove the exhaust manifold bolts without breaking. Once you have removed the bolts, make sure to clean the holes so that rust does not accumulate in them.

2. Apply some heat

It is easiest to remove exhaust manifold bolts. If you cannot remove bolts despite using lubrication, then the next thing you can do is apply some heat to the area around the bolts. Since it is probably rusty, it makes the bolts tight and jammed. Using heat will help the area expand and make it easier to remove the bolts.

3. Turn on the vehicle for some time

This is another method to remove exhaust nuts without breaking You need to let the engine heat up and reach an average temperature. Furthermore, this will also allow the manifold to heat up and expand, thereby making it simple to remove bolts from the manifold without breaking.

Ensure to take proper precautions as it could be scorching. In this way, you can remove exhaust manifold bolts without breaking.

4. Apply slight pressure and twist towards both sides

Since you want the bolt to loosen up but not break, you have to apply slight pressure to it. If you put too much of pressure, the bolts can break. Try to remove the bolt by using a wrench. When it gets stuck, then fasten it again.

In this manner of attaching and pulling, you can take out all the collected rust from the hole. Thus, it will become easier to remove exhaust manifold bolts without breaking

 

What Does an Exhaust Manifold do?

The exhaust manifold has an intricate design, but the working is quite simple. So, you should know how it works before you find out how to remove exhaust manifold bolts without breaking. In the engine, exhaust valves open during the exhaust stroke, which pushes out exhaust gases. The manifold gathers the exhaust gases from the cylinder and delivers them to the exhaust pipe.

A gasket is fitted between the manifold and the engine block to prevent gas leaks. If there is a gas leak, it will create a puffing noise.

“Other than this, exhaust manifold also has oxygen sensors that detect the amount of oxygen in the exhaust gases.”

By detecting this, a car can monitor its performance efficiently. Besides, it also has a heat valve installed in the system because it is essential to keep the manifold heated to avoid any condensation.

So, when the engine is cold, these heat valves are open, due to which accumulated exhaust gases pass through this valve to the intake manifold, thereby heating it. As the engine heats up, the intake manifold also gets heated, and then there is no condensation issue.

The exhaust manifold is designed to achieve exhaust scavenging and preventing backpressure. Scavenging is a technique used to push out the exhaust gases fully from the cylinders, which helps improve the automobile’s performance.

Backpressure issue is when exhaust gases put back pressure on the exhaust valves to reenter the engine cylinder. There should be a correct air-fuel ratio in the engine and proper airflow for a vehicle to run smoothly.

Since exhaust manifold is prone to rust and corrosion, you should learn this blog properly.

 

Conclusion

Working with the exhaust manifold can be tricky. Furthermore, it has a complex structure and fitting. For this, ensure to apply some heat and lubricants.

Since, it is a time-consuming process, so you need to have some patience to get the job done in an optimal way. By doing it efficiently, you can remove exhaust manifold bolts without breaking them.