Manifold Bolt

Prokopchuk_9 · February 6, 2011

well i found a broken manifold bolt the other day...just one on driver side closest to the firewall...of course. its not leaking...yet. it looks as if im gonna have to take the header off, im not gonna dick with it without removing the header...its broke off flush with the flange so i could probly get it with some heat and vice grips. but anyways ive been thru this before on a different 6 litre i used to have, they just kept breaking. my question is anybody know where i could find some better bolts? some better brand hardware would be nice i think or should i just stick with OEM...i dont wanna keep changin them again. its a PITA.

NARDA1 · February 6, 2011

well i found a broken manifold bolt the other day...just one on driver side closest to the firewall...of course. its not leaking...yet. it looks as if im gonna have to take the header off, im not gonna dick with it without removing the header...its broke off flush with the flange so i could probly get it with some heat and vice grips. but anyways ive been thru this before on a different 6 litre i used to have, they just kept breaking. my question is anybody know where i could find some better bolts? some better brand hardware would be nice i think or should i just stick with OEM...i dont wanna keep changin them again. its a PITA.

I would think that Summit racing, Edelbrock or Stage 8 would have upgrade bolts.

DwayneJ · February 6, 2011

I thought they improved hardware with a TSB.

A friend just had this problem, same location on a 04 he just bought(knew about it) when he pulled the manifold and put the vise grips on the bolt they just hit the floor. The bolt snapped flush with the head as soon as he locked the vise grips, didn't even try to turn it.

Pulled the head drilled it and it came right out with an ez-out, but was a MUCH bigger project than he had planned for. I wish you luck but at the same time I would not pull it apart till you can complete the repair if it turns out to be worst case.

I don't know why GM refuses to get manifold bolts right. My other vehicle of choice is mid 90s Caprices, there was a TSB on the manifold bolts on those as well as they were prone to break, often the same one closest to the firewall driver's side.

beave84 · February 6, 2011

well i found a broken manifold bolt the other day...just one on driver side closest to the firewall...of course. its not leaking...yet. it looks as if im gonna have to take the header off, im not gonna dick with it without removing the header...its broke off flush with the flange so i could probly get it with some heat and vice grips. but anyways ive been thru this before on a different 6 litre i used to have, they just kept breaking. my question is anybody know where i could find some better bolts? some better brand hardware would be nice i think or should i just stick with OEM...i dont wanna keep changin them again. its a PITA.

I would go with ARP header bolts from www.jegs.com. The part number is 070-100-1211. Remember to warm the head all around the bolt with a tourch DON''T MELT YOU HEAD just hot enough to let the bolt hole swell a little and work the bolt in and out don't try to take it all at once. Take your time and it will come out. when you reinstall the manifold a little copper seal on the bolt will let you remove them if you ever have to. The only thing with these bolts is they will not give so if there is a problem with the exhaust not having enough movement when the motor torques then the manifold will break before these bolts will

DwayneJ · February 6, 2011

Talked to the friend who recently did this and he said yes GM has a TSB and new bolts but they are like $6 apiece and he got friendly pricing. So you might look elsewhere.

I would not do something like Stage 8, header bolts loosen because some gaskets compress. The stock gaskets don't compress, and if you use a gasket that does retorquing after the first few heat cycles is the solution, not a goofy locking bolt.

Prokopchuk_9 · February 6, 2011

ya i heard those ARP ones are good, as for getting the bolt out. wont be an issue, im a machinist...i take broken bolts out for a living. i work in a repair shop...if it just snaps off ill pull the head and just weld a nut to it. best way...i HATE easy outs. if you break an easy out, there is NOTHING easy about it ...thanks for the suggestions. ill look on summit too...thinkin maybe doin a set of shorties too for the hell of it. any good brands. heard good things about gibsons and edelbroks...

DwayneJ · February 6, 2011

I didn't mean to imply getting the broken flush bolt out of the head was rocket science. Just that it is best to plan for the extra expense and downtime because pulling a head when you hoped to pull just the manifold is a big deal time, gaskets, fluids wise.

Prokopchuk_9 · February 6, 2011

I didn't mean to imply getting the broken flush bolt out of the head was rocket science. Just that it is best to plan for the extra expense and downtime because pulling a head when you hoped to pull just the manifold is a big deal time, gaskets, fluids wise.

aaahhh i wasnt bein a wiener just sayin bud htats all, i have pulled a truck into our shop with a 5.3 changed a head gasket for a buddy, ive changed cam in a 6 litre before too...the vortecs are so easy to work on. head gasket isnt that big of deal really...i wouldnt attack anything without ALL the parts i need sitting in front of me. when we did the cam swap in my old rig the block was still warm to the touch when we were done. it doesnt take long at all...head gasket takes a lil' longer not bad tho.

3/8's impact duct taped to my hand

Kodiak450 · February 7, 2011

well i found a broken manifold bolt the other day...just one on driver side closest to the firewall...of course. its not leaking...yet. it looks as if im gonna have to take the header off, im not gonna dick with it without removing the header...its broke off flush with the flange so i could probly get it with some heat and vice grips. but anyways ive been thru this before on a different 6 litre i used to have, they just kept breaking. my question is anybody know where i could find some better bolts? some better brand hardware would be nice i think or should i just stick with OEM...i dont wanna keep changin them again. its a PITA.

GM released revised manifold bolts in late 04. I had same problem and got new manifolds and revised bolts. No problems to date after 2 1/2 years of install.

Prokopchuk_9 · February 7, 2011

well i found a broken manifold bolt the other day...just one on driver side closest to the firewall...of course. its not leaking...yet. it looks as if im gonna have to take the header off, im not gonna dick with it without removing the header...its broke off flush with the flange so i could probly get it with some heat and vice grips. but anyways ive been thru this before on a different 6 litre i used to have, they just kept breaking. my question is anybody know where i could find some better bolts? some better brand hardware would be nice i think or should i just stick with OEM...i dont wanna keep changin them again. its a PITA.

GM released revised manifold bolts in late 04. I had same problem and got new manifolds and revised bolts. No problems to date after 2 1/2 years of install.

but my truck is an 06...wouldnt it have them you think?

pmax · February 7, 2011

well i found a broken manifold bolt the other day...just one on driver side closest to the firewall...of course. its not leaking...yet. it looks as if im gonna have to take the header off, im not gonna dick with it without removing the header...its broke off flush with the flange so i could probly get it with some heat and vice grips. but anyways ive been thru this before on a different 6 litre i used to have, they just kept breaking. my question is anybody know where i could find some better bolts? some better brand hardware would be nice i think or should i just stick with OEM...i dont wanna keep changin them again. its a PITA.

GM released revised manifold bolts in late 04. I had same problem and got new manifolds and revised bolts. No problems to date after 2 1/2 years of install.

I lucked out with my '01 HD. I had three broken bolts. Not all the same side. I was sure I would have to remove the heads. I brought it to a mechanic who works for a local excavating company. All their smaller trucks are Chevy/GMC. He was able to access the manifolds by removing the fender liners. He charged me two hours per side to extract the broken bolts and install new manifolds. I paid about $100 per side for the manifold kits and I got the factory bolts from the dealer. The whole job was les than $450.

but my truck is an 06...wouldnt it have them you think?

youcantkeepup! · February 7, 2011

yes it does have the new ones, they break too

markw8 · February 8, 2011

If it was mine, and that back bolt was the only one, i'd leave it till it starts leaking. I had new bolts done on my 2000 before going to Alaska in 08. The upgraded bolts. That back one was broke when we got home 12,200 miles later. I traded the truck in june 09 and it had yet to start leaking. Too much heat on that corner.

Mark

Prokopchuk_9 · February 12, 2011

ya thats what im gonna do, i talked to my dads buddy who is a chevy guru for the last 30 years he said if it aint leakin dont piss around with it. and it isnt yet so just gonna let this one slide...i hate doin that

Kodiak450 · February 18, 2011

My bolts (3 of them) and they were the revised ones, broke off. I'm going with stainless steel ones now. We'll see if that does the trick, if not next step I am getting SS T-304 Gibson shorty headers. I firgure the cost will pay for itself in 4 years time, if they do not have the same problems as the manifolds. But I really think at this point it is the bolts that rust cause they are not SS and then having broke off bolts will eventially cause manifolds to crack with expansion and cooling down over time if the bolts aren't fixed in certain time frame. I know my engine temp is 209 according to my temp guage ( I use watter wetter) in coolant system. I'm gonna take temp readings with my laser temp gun and see the temp difference between front and rear if any on the manifolds. But if the temp is waht the guage is reading, I can't see the temp being the main culprit, rather a non SS bolt corroding and eventially breaking.