Argo_SS Posted July 16, 2014 Report Share Posted July 16, 2014 Just ordered a set of long tubes for my 05. Should be here Friday. My question to y'all is this: what do y'all do for the exhaust manifold bolts? I work at a GM dealer and we dread messing with manifold bolts due to them breaking off or already being broken off in the head. My truck hasn't (yet) popped any bolts on the manifolds. But I'm worried about them breaking when I pull them out. What do y'all do to prevent this? Anything? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JC03SS Posted July 16, 2014 Report Share Posted July 16, 2014 Soak them in PB Blaster. Do this a couple days in advance, several times. Prob be your best bet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downeast Johnny Posted July 16, 2014 Report Share Posted July 16, 2014 Soak them in PB Blaster. Do this a couple days in advance, several times. Prob be your best bet. ^ This is good advise. Doing it for several days prior to putting the wrench to them will give the lube a chance to go through a couple hot to cold cycles which can help draw the stuff down into the threads. I have read several rave up's about a 50 / 50 mix of acetone and ATF or Lacquer thinner and ATF. Haven't tried it yet myself but have a nephew in the oil fields who raves about it. Obviously you wouldn't want to be spraying the acetone or Lacquer thinner on hot exhaust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argo_SS Posted July 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2014 I was thinking the same thing along the lines of PB blaster. But with some badass rust penetrant we have from ACDelco. I'm gonna start spraying it down tomorrow. Don't wanna have to pull my heads off for a machine shop till I'm ready for cam install. What bolts would you go back with? Stock? Someone once mentioned they only go back with ARP studs for exhaust bolts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fireman31 Posted July 16, 2014 Report Share Posted July 16, 2014 WD-40 works well too.... What brand of headers are they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blown 346 Posted July 16, 2014 Report Share Posted July 16, 2014 I agree on ARP. hardware. You dont have to pull the heads off to do a cam install. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argo_SS Posted July 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2014 Decided to give the CalSpeeds a try. Anybody familiar with them? Talked to a few people who said they were great bang for the buck for a stainless header What about lifters? Seems I've read about the stock lifters weren't desirable And how would you hold the lifters up to get the can in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argo_SS Posted July 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2014 And would you run the studs or the stainless or chromoly bolts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKSSS Posted July 16, 2014 Report Share Posted July 16, 2014 Arp header studs are very nice to use. I have changed all my trucks over to the studs even with stock manifolds. OH! Use LOTS of anti-seize when going back together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKSSS Posted July 16, 2014 Report Share Posted July 16, 2014 The arp header studs are stainless steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blown 346 Posted July 16, 2014 Report Share Posted July 16, 2014 You have a few options to keep the lifers in place. The most risky is to spin the cam several times and hope the lifters go into there cups and stay there. I have done it and was fine, but I wouldnt do it again. 2nd. Go buy 16 magnets and use those to hold the lifters up. 3rd. You can buy a special metal tool that goes into the motor and will hold the lifters in place. The most safe way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cramer Posted July 16, 2014 Report Share Posted July 16, 2014 Soak them in PB Blaster. Do this a couple days in advance, several times. Prob be your best bet.This along with getting the motor to operating temp right before you are doing the removal. Take a drift punch and a hammer and give the bolt a quick blow to the head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fireman31 Posted July 16, 2014 Report Share Posted July 16, 2014 The stock lifters are fine unless you get real aggressive with your cam specs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fireman31 Posted July 16, 2014 Report Share Posted July 16, 2014 3rd. You can buy a special metal tool that goes into the motor and will hold the lifters in place. The most safe way. It's just a steel rod, nothing special. Older LQ9's have 2 access holes behind the cam plate that you can slide the rods into after rotating the cam to get the lifters into their cups. Some of the newer LQ9's don't have the access holes, mine did not. We used method #1 and took our chances, thankfully none of the lifters wound up in the oil pan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argo_SS Posted July 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2014 What would be too aggressive for the stock lifters? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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