Rusty nuts!!

[Whitescala89]

Looked beind the engine in relation to fitting my new manifold. Looking at the nuts holding on the manifold they look like something off the titanic. They are really rusty and look well stuck on. A good soaking in wd-40 maybe or is there something better? I really dont want to snap them or round them off. It also does not look easy to get a socket in between the bottom of the inlet manifold and the top of the exhaust manifold. Can i simply remove the inlet manifold and bolt it back on when im done?

[MikeH]

WD40 or plus gas should help.

Tip 1: The manifold nuts should be 12mm, not 13mm. If they're a bit loose on a 12mm socket, knock an 11mm one on, or a 7/16".

Tip 2: Don't heave or yank at the ratchet. Be smooth and progressive. If it comes out part of the way and gets stiff, wind it back in a bit and start again. It's probably the stud winding out of the head, and taking some of the ally head material with it. You should find you'll pull the studs out of the head rather than snap the studs, in most cases.

Tip 3: You can reach all the bolts on an injection Rocco exhaust manifold from under the car, without removing the inlet. A mirror and a light will help you locate the upper middle ones, if you're struggling. A carb is probably the same, but I haven't done one.

[Whitescala89]

Thanks i managed to get one of them off after soaking it in WD-40 for about 20 mins. I tried the next one but it started to round off so i left it. Strange that a 12 mm is to big and a 11mm just fitted on about halfway up the nut. Its the same with the 1/2 and the 7/16. will try getting up from underneath.

[Nate]

using a 6 sided socket rather than a 12 point (don't even bother with an open ended spanner!) will improve your chances of not rounding them off

[MikeH]

^^ What he said ^^

You'll have to 'tap' the smaller sockets on with a hammer.
7/16" is 11.11mm, so not much different.