Jump to content

Danger Zone for Exhaust Manifold Bolts

Geoff Wilson
 Share

Recommended Posts

Geoff Wilson New Member

Geoff Wilson

Posted
Posted

I have been hearing around the nets that broken Exhaust Manifold Bolts are a thing for the GM5.3.  So much a thing that there are kits sold on Amazon that will tighten the exhaust manifold to your block after a few bolts have broken their heads off.  The removal of these broken bolts, I hear, is a sucky job.

 

So, in that spirit, and because it was a nice day, I invested in a 10 dollar bag of exhaust manifold bolts and changed mine preventatively (I have 108,000 kms on my 2013 Sierra1500SLE).  The old ones had rusted heads, and when I pulled them out they put up a bit of a fight (most of it was getting leverage angles on the right ratchets/wrenches), but otherwise I didn't see any obvious warning signs.

 

So this begs the question: when are these bolts in danger of breaking off?  Anyone had any experience with this?

IMG_3450.jpeg

CamGTP Senior Enthusiast

CamGTP

Posted
Posted

Hard to say how close they were. They can honestly look just fine on the outside but they will pop the head of the bolt off anyway. It's usually always the outer most bolts that do it first. Seens trucks with higher miles and only 6-7 years old with missing bolt heads.

 

For as cheap as they are, it's good that you did replace them.

shakenfake Senior Enthusiast

shakenfake

Posted
Posted

My 1999 5.3 had no bolts break when I pulled the manifolds off. The 04 LQ4 I put in my truck had 4 broken off, two on each head if I remember correctly. 99 - 220k miles. '04 - 134k miles.

dna9656 Enthusiast

dna9656

Posted
Posted

So far as I'm concerned all head bolts are a chancy thing to remove due to the corrosion and heat issues. Standard advice always applies to head bolts: Soak them in penetrating oil for days before hand, apply torque to each bolt after much prayer and meditation, hope for the best but be prepared to have to remove the head to remove broken bolts. This is why a lot of people don't run headers, it's a chancy thing that you'll get it done without broken bolts and a huge job to fix them. 

  • Thanks 1
txab Senior Enthusiast

txab

Posted
Posted

I've used heat on them to break the thread locker. They come out easily. Never broke one taking it out. Seen many already broken

Bleepster Enthusiast

Bleepster

Posted
Posted

I have a 2011 5.3 - driver side front bolt is broke - all on its own.  the amazon kit I believe is for the back bolts only.  i refuse to pay over $600 to get my bolt fixed.

dna9656 Enthusiast

dna9656

Posted
Posted

$600.00 is insane, a right angle drill would be a good investment for this job as it will certainly pay for it self the first time you use it. If you're lucky you can reach it. Pulling the head on a 5.3 is an expensive thing to do, according to GM you have use a lot of new parts, it's not just a head and intake gasket anymore.

I was overseas when a guy in the shop pulled a head on a Ford V 8 leaving the intake in place and he just cleaned it all up and put in a new head and intake gasket, saved a lot of time and labor...

txab Senior Enthusiast

txab

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, Bleepster said:

I have a 2011 5.3 - driver side front bolt is broke - all on its own.  the amazon kit I believe is for the back bolts only.  i refuse to pay over $600 to get my bolt fixed.

Weld a nut on it and unscrew it. It's really the best way to go

dna9656 Enthusiast

dna9656

Posted
Posted
21 hours ago, txab said:

Weld a nut on it and unscrew it. It's really the best way to go

That works if the bolt didn't shear off below the plane of the manifold down in the hole.

I have never had that kind of luck!

txab Senior Enthusiast

txab

Posted
Posted

It works even if it's below the surface of the head. Done it many times. Most shear off just below flush. Plenty of videos out there showing the procedure

CamGTP Senior Enthusiast

CamGTP

Posted
Posted

He's saying the manifold is still on the truck. He'd have to take the manifold off first then weld the nut on if you couldn't grab it with vise grips.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Latest Articles

  • Posts

    • tjonesdfw
      2027 GMC Sierra: Official Discussion

      By tjonesdfw · Posted

      Whoever greenlighted the work truck matte black front bumpers on every trim but the AT4X should be fired!  I was hoping that was an AI mistake, but just realized they were on every model of the 2027 Silverado too.     Some parts of the interior do look premium, but the Denali Ultimate dashboard looks like an afterthought.  At least they appear to have lost the microfiber the high end Silverado models showed, but the '27 High Country dash looks better than the Denali.  
    • bluev8
      Intermittent no-code issues on 2022.5+ V8 trucks — what did the shop fail to capture?

      By bluev8 · Posted

      New member here. I am researching a read-first event-recorder concept for late-model GM V8 trucks. This is not a sales post. There is no product link, price, preorder, or mailing list. I am trying to determine whether the underlying problem is real before building anything.   Has your truck ever had a brief problem such as: - rough running or a momentary misfire - an oil-pressure warning or unusual pressure event - reduced power or a brief stall - a U-code or lost-communication problem - a symptom that disappeared before the dealer or independent shop could reproduce it   If so, I would appreciate the following details: - year, model, engine, and mileage - what happened and under what conditions - whether a DTC and useful freeze-frame data were stored - whether the shop was able to reproduce it - what the eventual confirmed repair was, if known - what additional information would have helped the diagnosis   The concept being evaluated is a removable leave-in recorder that continuously retains a rolling window from before and after an event. It would not tune, reflash, clear codes, or change the vehicle calibration.   I am also not claiming that it could predict lifter failure or see every internal ECM variable.   The real question is whether continuous event history would add enough useful evidence beyond freeze frame, GDS2, and existing scan tools — or whether it would simply be another unnecessary gadget.   For owners and technicians, which problem would make something like this genuinely useful: 1. intermittent misfire or AFM/DFM-related behavior 2. oil-pressure events 3. lost communication or electrical faults 4. none of the above Please be blunt. Negative feedback is just as useful as positive feedback.
    • Atlas
      2027 GMC Sierra: Official Discussion

      By Atlas · Posted

      No tears over the SLE and SLT trim levels disappearing but I kind of loathe the "Elevation" name. It's a truck--skip the elegance.   The slab-dashboard design is decidedly different. Almost has a Hummer flavor to it. "Professional Grade" seems to be leaning very white-collar, tech-driven these days moreso than blue-collar, functional design.   The Silverado would be my choice between the two new trucks. Pleased with the engine lineup in both. The GMC is a little "too much" for a truck, IMO, and the Denali borders on ridiculous - but I do know there are buyers for luxury trucks out there. It's just not my speed.
    • GMCustomerService
      Electrical problem

      By GMCustomerService · Posted

      Your safety is of utmost importance, @joshua1221, and we understand the importance of having all your lights working in your truck. If you have not already, we highly encourage you to bring your concerns to the attention of your local GM dealer. They are in the best position to diagnose your concerns as well as confirm the compatibility of the mirrors with your truck. Additionally, we would like the opportunity to explore any way we may be of assistance. When you have a moment, please visit: https://s.gm.com/support-request and fill out the support request form with all pertinent details. This form helps our team gather the right information and ensures your request is routed appropriately.
    • newdude
      2027 GMC Sierra: Official Discussion

      By newdude · Posted

      - I like the outside but not as much as the Chevrolet.  They ICE'd the EV styling and it works, but I think exterior goes to Chevy on this one.     - SLE and SLT dead = Not.  Surprising.  Fits into the rest of the GMC lineup like this which (aside from Pro) matches the rest of the family.  Elevation, AT4, Denali.     - Interior.  Sophisticated Malaise era.  Why do I say Malaise?  Drawn with a ruler.  Rectangles everywhere.  Looks very premium though.    

  • GM-Trucks.com Clubs

  • Popular Contributors

×
×
  • Create New...