Pinto Car Club of America

Hello all,

I'm contemplating swapping out the header that came with my '72, on a 2.0 motor, for a different header.  I'm a bit terrified about putting a wrench on the exhaust manifold bolts for fear that I'll just twist the heads off. I had that problem with an old F100 some years ago ... Anyway, I think the stock 2.0 came with studs and the manifold was secured with a nut on each stud. In my case, there are clearly bolts holding the header on.

Any experiences shared would be much appreciated!

So what if I twist one of these off?  I read somewhere that folks have welded new nuts on to old bolts, but I can't quite imagine how this helps ... how can the weld be stronger than the original bolt?

Is there anything one can do ahead of time to increase the chance these things will come out whole?  Applying some kind of anti-seize before installation, of course, isn't possible without time travel.

Cheers!

Most 2.0 headers will not clear the studs when you try to install them, without removeing the battery and the battery box. This is one of the reasons most have been replaced with bolts. Just not enough room to install them without removeing the battery or the studs. Once the header is installed, you can replace the battery.

spray the bolts down for a couple of days with pb blaster before you go to loosen them. also drive the car and get the header nice and hot then try and loosen them. after you get them all loose then wait for the car to cool and proceed. I had a maverick with a 200 six all original manifold and bolts. That procedure worked pretty well.

Use a oxy/acet. torch,and heat the studs to dull cherry red. Then hit the nuts with COLD water from a spray bottle. That should pop the nuts loose enough to back them off. Good luck!