rusted manifold bolts

[kmongar]

referring to the previous thread:

any recommendations for coating/sealing or painting the new bolt heads or studs/nuts to prevent or slow down the rust?

 

[flabum]

Re: rusted manifold bolts

Use stainless steel bolts and washers.

 

[Shaun78]

Re: rusted manifold bolts

you can use stainless but it is a softer metal. I just painted mine and I will check them every season and if they look bad then replace them

 

[Shaun78]

Re: rusted manifold bolts

I am going to grind the head off with a grinding stone on a dremel tool. How long should it take to grind down?

 

[Lou C]

Re: rusted manifold bolts

Or smear em with marine grease, I use the OMC/Bombardier triple guard grease on most bolts and it works great. You could also use OMC gasket sealer, it stays pliable and can be used on thermo housing bolts ( used it as per the OMC manual, and they came right out, salt water boat, years later!)

 

[Don S]

Re: rusted manifold bolts

See reply #8

 

[Don S]

Re: rusted manifold bolts

Or smear em with marine grease,

Never seen how hot the exhaust manifold bolts get on a big block have you?

 

[Don S]

Re: rusted manifold bolts

I am going to grind the head off with a grinding stone on a dremel tool. How long should it take to grind down?

Using the formula below, you should be able to find the answer within a second or two of the actual grinding time.

 

[JustJason]

Re: rusted manifold bolts

How did you get my families secret beer recipe??????????????????????????
You Swine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you guys are that hung up on the bolts spray some mercury storage seal on them once every couple of months.... and let the stuff shake and bake on the manifolds until you get that crusty greasy goodness that forms.

Just ask yourself this....

"WWDSD?"

 

[Lou C]

Re: rusted manifold bolts

I've used the marine grease on spark plug threads too, they get pretty hot, right Don?
I do recall your telling us not to use anti seize so there is not much left you could use.

 

[Don S]

Re: rusted manifold bolts

Lou, it's not the threads that cause the problem, the heads of the bolts RUST off.

 

[Don S]

Re: rusted manifold bolts

How did you get my families secret beer recipe??????????????????????????
You Swine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oops, wrong equation! I changed it to the real one for grinding manifold bolt heads with a die grinder.
Sorry, hope no one got the recipe

 

[Lou C]

Re: rusted manifold bolts

I have seen that on friends' boats, the thing I wonder is what OMC used for the studs and nuts on my old 88, there is no corrosion at all on them, I guess they did one thing right!

 

[Don S]

Re: rusted manifold bolts

There is a HUGE difference between your 4.3 and a 7.4.
The 7.4's were seriously bad with rusting manifolds and bolts. The manifolds would flake off big chunks right after the flange that mounts them onto the head.
A Lot more heat than your 4.3 will ever make.

 

[flabum]

Re: rusted manifold bolts

most engine manufacturers do not use studs due to clearance problems. On dual engine set-ups and some singles, the engines can be so close that with studs, removing the manifolds would be impossible without removing one engine.

 

[Don S]

Re: rusted manifold bolts

On the Big Blocks, the bolts (and studs) are short, not the long bolts and/or studs of the Small blocks.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: rusted manifold bolts

Use stainless steel bolts and washers.

You never ever want to use stainless bolts on an exhaust manifold...too much stretch.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: rusted manifold bolts

most engine manufacturers do not use studs due to clearance problems. On dual engine set-ups and some singles, the engines can be so close that with studs, removing the manifolds would be impossible without removing one engine.

I had the same problem. I just slid the manifold off as far as it could go and cut the studs with a sawzall. Then I used bolts when I put on the new manifolds.

 

[Shaun78]

Re: rusted manifold bolts

One bolt head takes about 20 minutes to grind off with a dremel tool.