Exhaust bolts, can I loosen them up?

[L4V]

Thanks 5-90 and others for the helpful info.
.
A header change may be in my future, so I've been searching/reading.
I found this over in Modified Tech Discussion the other day.
An excellent straightforward tutorial on header R & R done up by 53guy...lots of photos.
.
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=95384
.
That Doug Thorley ceramic header is sweet, eh?
'Still haven't decided which header to buy...it won't be that DT ceramic, I know that.

 

[jeepsrock]

Thanks 5-90 for your advice, i ordered the apn manifold a few days ago should be here today, so hopefully i can try to get it in this weekend.

On the gasket do i smear RTV copper on it or do i put a small bead on the edge (both sides ?) ?

thanks
pete

 

[POSXJGuy]

Thanks 5-90 for your advice, i ordered the apn manifold a few days ago should be here today, so hopefully i can try to get it in this weekend.

On the gasket do i smear RTV copper on it or do i put a small bead on the edge (both sides ?) ?

thanks
pete

you can use the permatex copper spray. dont smear nothin of you dont need to fill gaps. use the spray once on both sides, let sit and do it again and it'll be ready by the time you get to using it.

 

[5-90]

You can use the spray - the main reason I don't is because I don't have it.

Besides, just because you don't need "gap-filling ability" now, doesn't mean you won't later. The screws tend to work loose over time (that's why I'm experimenting with Bellevilles...) and I do tend to retorque everything once a year. The layer of RTV helps to preserve the gasket for when the screws start to work loose...

5-90

 

[jeepsrock]

Well here is an update.

I got the manifold in FRI and installed in SAT. THe whole thing took no more than 3 hours and i can honestly say a big portion of it was messing with that stupid power steering/ bracket thing.

I used a small bead of copper RTV on the gasket tho strangley enough when i satrted the car after the install the hood area smoked for a good 3-4 min, i think it was the RTV. Nevertheless i think its all working well.

I personally dont feel any difference but hear my flowmaster better.

As far as the bolts , one of them was especially pain in the arse but the rest were ok to get to with a ratchet wrench.

What can i do to make sure there arent any intake / exhaust leaks ?

thanks
pete

 

[5-90]

Well here is an update.

I got the manifold in FRI and installed in SAT. THe whole thing took no more than 3 hours and i can honestly say a big portion of it was messing with that stupid power steering/ bracket thing.

I used a small bead of copper RTV on the gasket tho strangley enough when i satrted the car after the install the hood area smoked for a good 3-4 min, i think it was the RTV. Nevertheless i think its all working well.

I personally dont feel any difference but hear my flowmaster better.

As far as the bolts , one of them was especially pain in the arse but the rest were ok to get to with a ratchet wrench.

What can i do to make sure there arent any intake / exhaust leaks ?

thanks
pete

Check torque on them in a week.

I find the rear lower screws are FAR easier to get to with about a foot or so of extension (I think I actually use a 10" bar) and a 9/16" socket with an inbuilt universal joint (I believe I mentioned that earlier...) which will give you a good inch or so of extra clearance over the universal joint/socket combination. If you don't have one yet, get one (and get one in 7/16" or 11m/m while you're about it - that, and about two feet or so of extension will make CPS changes much easier as well...)

RTV Copper is a help on the manifold gasket and on the converter flange gasket (small square gasket - it's on RENIX, but I'm not sure about later models...) as well. You'll probably get a little smoking from it on first startup - I think I did, after letting it cure overnight (~12 hours minimum.)

5-90

 

[jeepsrock]

Hey 5-90 had a few questions for you...Today i drove the jeep and some how it does feel a bit weaker, i did reset the ecu does it take a while - i drove it a few miles ? ?

Also in the morning when i first start it up cold start, if i lightly press the gas pedal the engine bogs down a bit if i press a bit harder the RPMs go up like they should.

Another thing also is if i rev the engine up in park , the exhaust pops kinda like a old car does.

pete

 

[CartsXJ]

He, thanks about that 9/16" socket with the universal joint. Will get one for sure!

Tim

Actually a rachetting (spelling) 9/16 wrench, straight or angled will also be very helpful. Specially if you have a BANKS or APN header, good luck getting a socket on the lower bolts.

 

[Gator4x]

PB blaster works great on the exhaust studs/bolts. If you have a weepy valve cover though, you may find several of the bolts are fairly easy to take off.

The smoke isn't gasket sealer. It's manufacturing byproducts, residues if you will (or any crap you might have gotten on your header while installing) burning off your header. It's perfectly normal and will stop quickly.

You don't need to apply a thick layer of the gasket maker. If the bolts come loose it's not going to "fill in" the holes. The purpose of it is to help the two different surfaces conform to one another when you assemble. It's job is to fill in super tiny holes and imperfections in the surfaces. Copper spray helps you apply a thin even layer over the surface. If you can apply a thin uniform layer of copper by hand then go for it.

Reusing the stock hardware is also absolutely fine. If you can clean them up well and the threads and heads aren't damaged there is nothing wrong with reusing them. They aren't at too high of a torque value for their size, and are not put under terrible stress.

Loctite is not necessary either. The joint is designed well and has more than enough bolt stretch in it to not need any type of thread locker. You'll be hard pressed to clean thread locker out of the threads in your head if you do have to remove and reinstall your header multiple times.

If you reuse all the stock parts you can use a little bit of anti-sieze on the threads if you like, but you don't have to.

I don't know about the brass bolts there...the bolt stretch will come easily with the brass, but the bolt itself won't be under as much tension since it's so much softer. You might want to use loctite if you go gonzo and stick brass in your block.

As well torque values are usually calculater from the fastener. Depends on size, threads, material, etc. If you're changing material your changing that equation so the torque number won't work out the same. Like I said before, just don't mess with the brass. -I'm all for it though on the collector-mid-pipe connection. I'd probably just use stainless, but brass would work too. Don't worry about the torque there, just crank the heck out of it.

later,
Nick