Running Manifold with 5 bolts

[danielb927]

The farthest back stud on the driver's side of my engine was already snapped off when I took the manifold off. The previous builder just bolted it up with 5 bolts. Is this alright and just more prone to leaking or will it cause lasting damage like a cracked manifold or something? If I really need to do it, how do you fix it? I know that goes to a water passage so drain the coolant first? It's snapped off pretty flush with the head so it's not going to be a fun job, especially being the worst one to snap pretty much, but I guess if it's got to be done then I'll get it done.

 

[pishta]

There is a lot of meat to an intake, very rigid. You could probably get away with it. there are a few tricks to get a flush stud out. One new way is to freeze it to loosen it with "freeze off"(like freon in a can) shoot it for about 20 seconds and itll shrink and crack the seize. you can also slot it with a cutting wheel on a dremel and try to unscrew it like a screw. EZ outs work if you can drill a hole in the exact center, sometimes impossible if the shear is at an angle. If you drill it out, you can use a metric size tap just larger than the SAE size and use the one metric bolt. Just use some sealer on the water port back there. They are only torqued 35 lbs if I remember correctly

 

[danielb927]

I might try the freeze-off thing with the old upside-down computer keyboard duster in a can. But can anyone else vouch for being able to run it with 5 bolts? I thought that might be okay since it's a big chunk of cast iron, not headers.