edit - To be clearer- not wondering about the bolt size. Im wondering how to use something else to secure my manifold as the bolts are broken flush

Does anyone know if these work? Or which one works for us?

I dont even fully understand how they work. I'm open to attempt fabricating something similar to it to clamp my exhaust manifold in the back.

i discovered 4/6 bolts on the passenger side broken. Having a hell of a time getting them out.. broken flush or deeper inside. I have a stick welder but I'm a little worried about attempting to put a nut over the hole and filling it with weld to try and weld the bolt to the nut. Seems like I would easily just fill my bolt hole with metal and have a nut stuck to my head.

Could I just use a giant c clamp and clamp the two manifolds together, squeezing them to the block. That's how desperate I am.

Thanks for any help

 

The exhaust manifold bolts are 5/16" x 18 thread. I'm running JBA shorty headers and I'm using header bolts that are about 1" long. I believe they are grade 8.

 

I actually found some nearly identical bolts in my bucket of bolts.

However I am not trying to find a replacement bolt, I can see now how my title is misleading. I am trying to find something to substitute for the bolt, such as the mentioned c clamp or manufactured clamp with picture. Im almost ready to just weld the damn thing to my header.


an example:

https://www.dormanproducts.com/p-848...origin=keyword


Cant find one specific for the ram 1500 let alone a 2nd gen. Im not really sure where they are grabbing to, only the gmc product is the picture clear and my heads don't just have an extra hole like they show there...

 

Sounds like welding a nut on isn't an option, and it's going to be a you-know-what job but how about drilling/retapping ? Maybe you're lucky and you can get the remains out with an ex-out. Just don't break off the ez-out....

 

I have tried and tried. There is little access/visibility. If I could just get two of them off, so I could get a bolt in each set of ports, I would be happy.

I am not a pro bolt extractor. I tried two different sets. One was bs and I think it was for wood screws or something. It has a rolled edge meant to cut a circular shape in the bolt, then you flip the bit and it has a a tiny little cone. It did nothing.

Next set was a Ryobi, with different sizes. Had vague instructions but it wanted me to drill out the bolt a bit, a center pilot hole. And then hammer the reverse bit in and back it out with some vice grips. Seemed weird to me, tried it with no luck. Also tried drilling a hole for it, hammering it, and drilling it out. Very difficult to get the drill in there straight. It did nothing, couldnt really get it stuck enough. Definetly difficult to get a good hammer swing in that area.

Full disclaimer I have been having exhaust problems. I just did a valve job and a head gasket replacement. Im so ready to be done. I got under my truck and just hammered the **** out of the exhaust because i cannot get the studs out below where the manifold bends down. I gave up on that. Theyre rust welded, previous owner put clips on and smashed these lockwasher things on it. I could have tried harder. I broke the exhaust so I can move the manifold around but it's a bitch. At this point I have the front two bolts on, and it is pretty snug on the header. Maybe if I could get one of these clamps on the back, that hold would be sufficient. I notice little round divits in the back of the header. On the front where the tension pulley goes, there are three bolts. On the back its almost like it mimics that, no bolt holes but divots. If that makes sense.

here is a guy installing one on his gmc. It's almost like dodge was going to put a place for these clamps and then didn't... hence the divots.... Im not sure though

Sorry for the lack of proper terminology. I appreciate the help.

 

I know next to nothing about retapping. I am willing to give it a shot, but is that possible on hardened steel, could I do that in such a tight workspace?

It seems like at that point I should just drill out the old bolts and stick some smaller all thread in the header and just weld that in. It would make it where the manifold and header would still be able to be opened, with probably less work and equal risk?

 

Google is your friend, there are many videos out there getting broken manifold bolts out in various ways. The basic idea is to drill a hole into the broken off bolt/stud (which may require an angle drill and/or access from awkward angles) and then hammer something into the hole and hopefully turn the stuck end of the bolt. That something can be a bolt extractor or some people just use torx bits. "Project Farm" on youtube has a great comparison on bolt extractors btw., you'll see there are many different designs some better some worse.
Re-tapping is pretty much the last resort, and you'd still have to drill a lot so let's hope it doesn't get to that.

 

This thing sat and rusted somewhere for 20 years. They just won't come out and the tap bits just break too.





this bull**** is my solution. Maybe from my pic you can see those dimples, they actually appear to be unused bolt holes... it seems like they would sell an adjustable clamp that bolts there.

 

South main auto n Eric O' has some great "extract those pesky exhaust stud" vid's. This one should gechu started. I know not everyone has oxyacet. torches, buchu can get a map gas torch for round $20 a wally world.

 

Take the manifold off for better access.....