I have an '89 3.9L V6 automatic that I've been working on. I have luckily gotten all the rusty bolts off of the studs without breaking any studs, and after 3 weekends of frustration I have the flange bolts off. I did expect SOME difficulty getting the thing off once the bolts were removed. After all, it has been attached to the head for longer than my neck has been attached to my head. I tried using a pry bar in any area that it'd fit, banging a chisel between the head and manifold with a clawhammer, spraying it with Liquid Wrench, clamping the prybar under tension to the frame while hitting the manifold with the clawhammer... NONE OF IT WORKED. I looked at the new manifold to make sure I wasn't missing any hidden bolts. I did get them all off, and there aren't many. Whenever I try to Google the problem, All the search results have to do with getting the bolts off and I already did that part.

Before I continue this ape-like claw hammer rampage I went on today, am I missing anything? Are there any hacks for this? There is probably some Eastern European Tiktok page out there showing somebody running dental floss under it making it look like a piece of cake.

Any and all advice is appreciated. Even if you don't know much, you might inspire a train of thought that helps me solve this!

Thanks in advance.

 

Hire it out!

Maybe heat.

 

Once all the bolts are off, the manifold should basically just fall off. Recheck, see if you missed a bolt or two.

 

I found out when I was dealing with mine that they made them stock w/o gasket. You may have a rust situation. A claw hammer is no where near beefy enough even at 16oz. You need a 2lb or better 4lb hammer.
I suggest heat as well. You should not use propane as it will not heat up the manifold fast enough. You want it to get a lot hotter than the block which dictates oxy/acetylene and a rosebud tip.

 

Add it is a large area to heat up so yeah, oxy acetylene is the only way.

 

I got it off! I took a bolt off the tube on the other side of the motor that runs right in front of the manifold so I could slide the little bracket off of the stud and found a tiny nut under it. It looks like a nut for wiring a house, it's only about a quarter inch. I can't believe it was holding the manifold on that tight, but I got it off without breaking the stud after hitting it with a hammer. I felt really stupid!

 

Don't feel like the lone ranger there. We have ALL been in that position.

 

Congratulations and I promise you that you're not the first one to overlook that tiny nut. And now that it is in the record maybe you will have prevented someone else from doing the same thing (like me).