Manifold Stud Removal
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 488
Likes: 24
From: Texas
Two methods will be your best friend here...heat and Saturn V level shockwaves. The best thing about rust down inside bolt threads, is that rust, while like a weld, is metallurgically weak. MAP gas torches can be obtained relatively cheap at most hardware stores and will do wonders on studs like this. If you got a buddy with an acetylene torch, you're really in business. Short of either of those working, another alternative is to get your hands on either an electric or pneumatic hammer (if you already have an air compressor). The down side here, it's more expensive
Update, got one stud out with a Stud Remover from AutoZone, snapped one stud flush with the head though :/
I personally don't have a welder otherwise I'd learn how, or if you guys could suggest a good welder I could buy, like maybe from menards they have a stick welder? I'd practice first obviously, and I'll eventually need to learn to weld...
Would I be better off just taking those other studs out, then bolting the new headers on, drive it to a welder, and have them take that snapped stud out? Would that mess anything up too?
I personally don't have a welder otherwise I'd learn how, or if you guys could suggest a good welder I could buy, like maybe from menards they have a stick welder? I'd practice first obviously, and I'll eventually need to learn to weld...
Would I be better off just taking those other studs out, then bolting the new headers on, drive it to a welder, and have them take that snapped stud out? Would that mess anything up too?
Administrator
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 87,399
Likes: 4,214
From: Clayton MI
Either way. Probably cost the same...... Get a decent wire welder. Even one of the little 110V guys works pretty good. You can either go with flux core wire, or, a small tank of shielding gas, and solid wire. I prefer the solid wire, with the gas, as you get better welds from it. (and less spatter as well.) Welder is a VERY useful tool. 
Up to you.
Up to you.
So
I got the other two studs out, got my headers in the mail, put them on with one broken stud left, now my only problem is the flange isn’t lining up correctly....any suggestion because I’m either gonna take it to an exhaust shop or buy a new exhaust system from the headers back 😢
its a money pit
basically my next question is, based on this picture, how do I get these to line up? The other side fits better, not hanging off at all, but still not so tight as I’d like them I guess.
Thank you again for all of the advice!! I ended up getting a stud remover from Autozone and it worked great honestly, amazing tool for broken studs like mine if anyone has the same problem in the future!!
-Jake
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 488
Likes: 24
From: Texas
Not sure what you mean when you type "lining up", however, if you mean bad alignment of the bolts to the header flange...have you flipped the exhaust flange around 180 degrees and tried that way? Or are you saying that the bolts are too short?
Ill let ya know!
Legend
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 8,025
Likes: 72
From: orangeville ontario
i will sometimes use a longer bolt on the 1 side to suck the y-pipe to the manifold and then tighten up the shorter bolt and then swap the longer bolt out for a shorter one. beats having to fight with getting it up and aligned
Champion
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 4,868
Likes: 434
From: Central VA
I had this happen before. I used a port-a-power with a spreader attachment to push the exhaust pipe into position, so that the header output flange would align with the stock exhaust pipe flange.
Got them in and everything, I still have one stud snapped inside the head, still has a slight tick I think, but definitely a better sound than it had.
I'll post a before and after of everything when its Dialed!
I'll post a before and after of everything when its Dialed!