I have 98 1500 with a 5.2L. I have to change my drivers side manifold gasket this weekend. I was wondering if anyone had any tricks that might be of some use to me.

 

squirt lots and lots of PB Blaster on the bolts/studs/nuts all week long...

 

or spray crc knock'er loose, cyclo breakaway or aerokroil on them and wait about 10-30 minutes.

 

My stock exhaust manifolds never had gaskets. Did you develop a leak and have to add them?

 

thinking back to when i put the headers on, mine didn't have gaskets either.

 

Well i am getting a deffinite exhuast leak from right around the manifold just assumed there was a gasket there i guess i will find out

 

You may find that you have a broken bolt or two already.

 

Use a 6 point socket and make sure it's a very tight fit. I actually had to use a small hammer to tap the socket onto the bolt head. I used a 6 point, impact type socket for mine and they all came out. I held my breath on 2 or 3 but they finally broke loose. Can't remember the exact sizes but I do remember searching through my metric and SAE sockets to find the one that fit the best. Some of the bolts were rusted to the point I know I had to use a different size for the worst ones. I didn't have any factory gaskets either, Good luck.

 

i didnt have any gaskets as well...what i do recommend though is that you get the good felpro aluminum sided gaskets...they are pretty much amazing.

 

Cool, thanks for all the advice/ help eveyone. I guess we will have to see how it goes this weekend.