Exhaust manifold bolts

[Dam Ram Jam]

My 2015 1500 Laramie 5.7 hemi has at least 2 broken exhaust manifold bolts on the drivers side. First 2 bolts at cylinder 1.
I'm thinking about doing this job myself.
For anyone that has done this or knows about it...with at least 2 busted bolts, what would the likelihood be that I break another 1 or 2 bolts trying to remove them?
I'm just wondering, at 111,000 miles and 2 broken bolts, are the rest going to be super brittle and snap the head off?
I don't want to be drilling out half the bolts and honestly, I'd expect the drill bits I use will dull out after a couple anyway.

 

[express2014]

Weld a nut to the broken bolt. Its easy to damage the head drilling out snapped bolts.

Belt sand the old manifolds flat and install new bolts.


PS this is how i justified buying the welder to SWMBO.

 

[Adamcr68]

My 2015 1500 Laramie 5.7 hemi has at least 2 broken exhaust manifold bolts on the drivers side. First 2 bolts at cylinder 1.
I'm thinking about doing this job myself.
For anyone that has done this or knows about it...with at least 2 busted bolts, what would the likelihood be that I break another 1 or 2 bolts trying to remove them?
I'm just wondering, at 111,000 miles and 2 broken bolts, are the rest going to be super brittle and snap the head off?
I don't want to be drilling out half the bolts and honestly, I'd expect the drill bits I use will dull out after a couple anyway.

I had three broken on mine, seems it is usually the ones in the rear, I believe it’s the weight of the exhaust more than the bolts getting brittle.

Mine was fixed with long tubes and my mechanic did the work, the ones not broken came out with no problems and 2 of the broken ones had enough left to extract, with only flush with the block.

He did drill it out, but if I was doing the job myself, I definitely would do the welding method.

I have read several posts from members here that have had success sanding the manifolds flat and reinstalling with new gaskets.
As I understand it once they warp, the aluminum block and cast iron manifolds cooling at different rates causing it, they will be “seasoned?” and not warp again.

 

[hunterdan]

For what it's worth, you can buy a cheap arccaptain 110v welder for about $100-120 on Amazon. It'll easily do the job, plus once you have it, you'll find a lot more uses for it. Sure, it's flux core, but it's better than nothing and like I said, it'll get the job done.

 

[Cableman]

Broken Manifold Stud Removal... using the welder method - PDF

Gents, I know there's a lot on this topic already. I put together a PDF and pictures of how I successfully extracted my truck's broken exhaust bolts ....the 'easy way'. Pretty straight-forward. Hopefully it'll help others. See attached. :cheers:

www.ramforum.com

Good write up, i still have to do mine and install the afe cast iron manifolds they just came out with. Seems not a lot of buyers as they have dropped the price to 475!

 

[Dam Ram Jam]

Thanks for all the input. I have never welded anything in my life and don't really want to try learning on my my aluminum heads.
I'm planning on buy a drill jig and I guess hoping the rest of the bolts don't snap while taking them out.
Based of the research I've done...going with the bddeisel kit and even though only the drivers side is snapped, I'll be doing both sides.
Looks like I'm spending the weekend in my garage

 

[jws123]

I have done this job alot I would take it somewhere your going to have alot of trouble drilling it out go to far or go off center you hit the water jacket and its all over. Take it to someone who can use a welder its really the only way to do this.

 

[EdGs]

@Dam Ram Jam,

Belt sand your original manifold flat, replace the hardware, and you'll be good-to-go.

If you insist on using the drill jig, use left-hand drill bits, and be careful. Welder method is better, IMO.

 

[StateOfMind]

So I've done both ways now, originally with the Lysle 71500 drill template, and recently with a mig welder. Welder is easier, but the template was great, all set up to keep you drilling in the center, and, if you follow instructions, it'll keep you from drilling too deep. It was a bear working the broken bit out, much easier to stick a wrench on and there it is. BTW, the weld wire won't bond to the aluminum, so it's easier than you might think.

 

[HotRodHudson]

Don’t know if anyone mentioned this but there are left handed drill bits, so as you are drilling into the bolt it is applying force to turn the stud out of the head. I used them on my 2005 Hemi & they worked. The caution I’d make is if an extractor or other strong steel breaks off inside of the broken stud & you can’t get at it to take it out, I have “heard” it’s a nightmare to drill into the hardened broken pieces.

Now I have never done the welding method myself with a nut on the stud. With that said I would absolutely use this method now & practice it before hand. You don’t want your 1st attempt at welding to be the little nut on the stud. Speaking of little nuts… reach out to a Fastener store, they may have a larger nut in width or length that could be of benefit to you. Hope this helps & good luck with it, if you choose to do this yourself.

 

[seems fishy]

.
As I understand it once they warp, the aluminum block and cast iron manifolds cooling at different rates causing it, they will be “seasoned?” and not warp again.

My block is iron...

 

[seems fishy]

My block is iron

 

[Wild one]

My block is iron

Don't be that guy, you know very well he's referring to the heads.

 

[Dam Ram Jam]

So I've done both ways now, originally with the Lysle 71500 drill template, and recently with a mig welder. Welder is easier, but the template was great, all set up to keep you drilling in the center, and, if you follow instructions, it'll keep you from drilling too deep. It was a bear working the broken bit out, much easier to stick a wrench on and there it is. BTW, the weld wire won't bond to the aluminum, so it's easier than you might think.

The lisle jig is the one I'm planning on ordering. I'm interested in the "weld wire won't bond to aluminum". gonna do some research but what you're saying is if the stud is slightly under flush in the head and I was to weld a bead to build up in order to put the nut over it and fill with more weld wire (I've watched a few videos already), it wouldn't weld the stud to the head? that's what none of these videos mention and scared the hell out me about trying.

 

[StateOfMind]

That is correct sir. It's not magic, it's just that aluminum and steel won't bond during arc welding.

 

[Adamcr68]

My block is iron

Right you are, as is mine, should’ve given the coffee more time to kick in before responding.

Thank you, details matter, I appreciate your clarification.

 

[seems fishy]

I love coffee

 

[Dam Ram Jam]

So got both sides off. What a PITA! Not so much getting the bolts of just contorting my body and working half blind with lots of extensions and swivels. Broke 1 bolt on cylinder 7 top but came right out with a round over socket. I'm guessing previous owner had passenger side replaced cause center bolts were 3/8 instead of 10mm and there looks to be red rtv on it.
I'm curious...
how bad does cylinder 1 look (these were the 2 broken bolts) compared to cylinder 3?
Cylinder 3 was where it was misfiring, so if 1 was broken shouldn't the misfire have been there or is it just kind of random in that bank cause they're close?
Both sides are warped, diver side a bit more than passenger, but this worpage is normal? Or were these bolts slot to go too?

 

[EdGs]

Manifolds look like a banana, normal IMO.

Belt sand it flat, new hardware and gaskets, it'll be good-to-go. You don't need fancy grade 8 hardware, either. Once you sand those manifolds flat, they shouldn't warp again.

Did you get the broken studs out? Looks like there's a piece in there on your #1 cylinder, top left in your last pic?

Odd that some of your bolts were 3/8 heads, I'd be checking threads just to be safe. I don't remember the thread pitch of those bolts.

 

[jws123]

Manifolds look like a banana, normal IMO.

Belt sand it flat, new hardware and gaskets, it'll be good-to-go. You don't need fancy grade 8 hardware, either. Once you sand those manifolds flat, they shouldn't warp again.

Did you get the broken studs out? Looks like there's a piece in there on your #1 cylinder, top left in your last pic?

Odd that some of your bolts were 3/8 heads, I'd be checking threads just to be safe. I don't remember the thread pitch of those bolts.

M8 x 1.25 for the manifold bolts.