My buddy is going to buy my old Silver Bullet that we took off my 03 since it's totaled. I've read that pulling the manifold is the best way to do so. When we put the turbo on my truck (a different friend helped) we did not pull the manifold. It wasn't super hard, but I can see how pulling the manifold would be so much easier. Another friend of mine who works at Cummins kept saying that we were risking breaking a bolt and having it stuck in the block. Like I said I have read pulling the manifold is the best way to do a turbo swap, and I have also read and see a lot of guys with the 2 or 3 piece manifolds but I can't recall ever reading anyone breaking one of the bolts while doing so. Can I get some feedback on this and bust my buddy's claims? Or is there really a bigger risk than I think when pulling the exhaust manifold? If the risk is say, less than 5%.......I'm pulling that thing!

 

i just put my new turbo on a couple days ago, and I pulled the whole manifold. no problems at all, seems to be much easier than leaving the manifold on if you ask me. just my .02

 

pull the manifold a lot easier

 

That's what I though, I've always read pull the manifold. But one of my friends keeps saying you'll break a bolt, etc....yada yada.....but I have never read of anyone breaking one when changing a turbo or changing to an aftermarket manifold.....so I think the risk is very low.

 

I would go back with new bolts if I were you. Done many exhaust bolt extractions and let just say that if one was broken I replaced them all because when you are putting it back together is when the "Oh Crap" may happen. It only happened to me one time and that was enough to make up my mind forever.........

 

Just make sure to go slow and not crossthread the manifold bolts when you go to put them back in, usually lining up the downpipe is the hardest part of the whole deal. It is near impossible to change a CR turbo without pulling the manifold the bolts on the rear of the manifold are alot harder to get to then the 2nd gens which are usually easier to leave the manifold on.

 

I've heard of bolt breaking when not using a penetrating lube

 

I have been changing out exhaust manifolds on the 5.9 since 89 and have not had one bolt break off in the head YET.The worst case I see is the manifolds shrink so much that they put pressure on the threads sometimes hurting the bolts a lil as they come out.

Bob

 

On the CR motors, it it much easier to change the turbo by pulling the whole manifold.

 

I am actually gonna do mine in the next week or so just pulling the turbo. I am waiting on turbo, shipping after Christmas hopefully. It actually dosen't look that bad at all but I have done them on 1990-1996 Nissan 300z twin turbo's so that kinda makes this one look like a cake walk. Only had a finger between the motor, turbos, intercooler piping and strut towers. That job was a total pain. I sold my 1990 300ztt before they had to be done. I sure miss that car but don't miss the cost of maintenance and I did that myself.

 

Okay, perhaps I need to clarify things.......I already know swapping the turbos on a 3rd gen is easier done by pulling the manifold with the turbo.....I just want to know how big or small the risk of breaking a bolt is so I can get my buddy to just do it the easier way. He gave up trying to get his stocker off tonight because he was having too much trouble and ended up just putting everything back together. My other friend that works at Cummins kept saying we would break a bolt.....

When we did mine we had a heck of a time getting the bolts closest to the blog....what a pain...The oil return line was hard too....If you don't pull the manifold, put that on the turbo first......

So.......bolt breakage?.......give me a % if you can.....from what I gather, it's pretty rare....

 

I would say there is a 20% chance you can break a bolt and an 80% chance it will not happen. More then likely not unless the truck has been ran excessively hot. Just make sure you use plenty of PB Blaster. That stuff really works.

 

Yep, I like PB Blaster.

 

Dealing with any vehicle exhaust manifold can bite you by breaking a bolt or stud off. Just go slow. If you have a 3/8 impact it will help you not break one off. The twisting forces are normally what breaks them off. If you get one that is tight and won't cut loose use some heat and plenty of the Blaster.

 

How about getting the engine up to operating temp first? I know it'd be hot, but all we would need to do is get them loose enough and then let it cool right?