Previously reported oil leak resulting from old valve cover gaskets. Had replace by indy mech. Leaked again. Changed indy mechs who found loose valve cover nut/bolt. Tightened down. Then he presented a theory about the oil leak in the beginning: He found a burned out rubber gasket on the exhaust pipe where attached to the manifold. He believes the hot exhaust blowing on the valve cover gasket (one) had dried it out to cause the leak.


Now, my new mechanic doesn't work on old exhaust manifolds, for fear of bolt breaking off. Thus he referred me to either a dealer or a muffler shop.


I would like an opinion of where to go to get the exhaust manifold rubber gasket replaced with a low range of fear of a broken bolt. After reading several posts in relation to removing head bolts, etc., and no specific answer, what should a mechanic choose to remove the bolts, etc., and with what penetrating oils to apply to these old bolts that have never been removed in the past 215,000 miles?


I have never had any engine repair on this 4.7L Daimler engine; and it scares me to think a major foul-up could possibly happen. I would like to keep this "highway cruiser" a little longer, but want to sell it and get a small pickup, as I am now a Senior citizen with little to do in retirement.

 

I moved your post into the regular forum.

Rubber gasket? On the exhaust manifold? The gasket between the manifold and the head isn't rubber, it's a composition material.

Find a mechanic you trust. All mechanics deal with the occasional broken bolt. Penetrating oil and heat can usually get out the most stubborn bolt.

 

Thanks 00DakDan, for your informative reply.


Yes, I thought it odd that the mechanic called the gasket "rubber", especially in the extreme heat environment of the exhaust manifold. But, I'm not a mechanic, and not fully up to speed on combustion engines.


I now understand your reply with the heat application to the old bolts, along with penetrating oil for a successful removal. Another poster commented on a different but somewhat similar issue, with a suggestion to "replace the bolts with 'stainless', as one would probably either find broken bolts or break the when removing them anyway."


This sets me free now.

 

I wouldn't use stainless.

Just put the new bolts/studs back in and use some antisieze. Hopefully you'll never have to do this job again anyways.

 

I agree just use regular bolts and anti-seize just make sure to get the right thread (my '05 has sae bolts for exhaust and metric everywhere else)