Removing 383 HP ex. manifolds. Suggestions?

[71 SE3834V]

I'm not planning on drilling into the manifold hole. I only have to drill up to the manifold flange with a bit as wide as the bolt. I will measure the length of the old bolt that I have out and only drill that deep until all the bolt material is gone. If I get off center I should be able to use the small chisel I have to chip away at it and might get the torch in there to weaken it. I might try to draw a picture off what I'm talking about.

I wasn't talking about crap getting into the stud threads I was talking about the hollow end exposed on the outside. As you can see from the old one that one almost rusted away. Hollow recesses like that will hold crap and eat away at it. What was the original size of the socket needed for the bolt? The other nuts use  9/16". If it is the same on the long nut, I had to use a 13mm & 1/2" to remove it. That's how much was rusted away. Very common on snowplow truck here in the north. Been there, done that. I had one truck that I replace the manifold nuts just because they were rusting away. No other repair was needed at the time. Just didn't want to have a problem in the future w/them.

[A383Wing]

the OE long nuts are 9/16" as well.......and all my new nuts here I have are not "hollow" on the socket end...it's a closed nut

[ws23rt]

look at a new nut...it's not that thin around the threads...the nut seats against the manifold flange...about 1/2" past the end of the stud coming out of the manifold hole.....I'm afraid if he starts drilling, he may either go off center and break the bit off in there and jamb it against the inside of the manifold hole.
[/quote

My thinking is the tube of the nut is a good guide for the drill bit. Once a drill path is established and the nut tube guide helps hold it, the chance of moving off center is low.  
Drilling the stud to the nut seat depth and making that portion of the stud a thin tube of little more that threads is what I was getting at. That now rather weak section of the stud should give up to the twist of the nut. A slightly larger drill bit would take out the last bit of stud and the nut will come out with the drill bit leaving the manifold and a piece of stud left in the block.

[A383Wing]

yea..I agree with that last assessment...I hope it goes as smoothly as it sounds....but I am just afraid that "Murphy and his Laws" are waiting to happen

[ws23rt]

yea..I agree with that last assessment...I hope it goes as smoothly as it sounds....but I am just afraid that "Murphy and his Laws" are waiting to happen

  I heard about that "Murphy" guy a long time ago. He is just a voice of challenge.

At my work when I hear someone say "it can't be done" my ears perk up. Oh yeh---was it that murphy guy talking you to the end of conversation?
I learned long ago that when someone gives up on a challenge another will follow and meet it.  It's either us or them.

[71 SE3834V]

I can't believe more people haven't encountered this with all the rusted out projects I see you guys take on.
Here is a drawing of the only way I can see of dealing with this:

[ODZKing]

Why in the world did they make these partly hollow? What's the point in that? It's only going to collect crap (i.e. salt here in the north) and corrode faster.

My 73 had a couple on each side "hollow".  The inside is threaded and had a plug wire loom or bracket of some sort attached to the stud.

[71 SE3834V]

Yea mine looked like they were threaded but nothing attached. Wire brackets in other locations.
Not looking forward to drilling through approx. 1 3/4" bolt. Better get the bit sharpener out...

[ws23rt]

I can't believe more people haven't encountered this with all the rusted out projects I see you guys take on.
Here is a drawing of the only way I can see of dealing with this:

What you have drawn should work ok but you show the drill bit being the same size as the nut outside diameter.  It would be easier drilling if the bit was the same as the stud dia.  When you reach the depth where the nut seats on the manifold the nut will come off with the drill bit.

[A383Wing]

I'm still a little leery about drilling

[71 SE3834V]

Well all that planing for nothing!
Well, I am glad I didn't have to do any drilling. That kind of work is hard on the arthritic hands. Soooo... I was cleaning out the rust with a pick to get a better look at it and measuring the depth I was going to have to drill and something looked a little strange. I loosened up the other nuts and tapped on the manifold with a rubber mallet and it came loose. Removed nuts and manifold and found someone had apparently tried to remove it before and broke off flush w/the head. This is the first sign I've had in 3 years that any work has been done to this car. There was no gasket on either side so I don't know what kind of work was done.
The break didn't really look that deep that's why I thought the hollow part of the bolt had rusted off. My bad! I'll have it replaced when the heads are done. Other studs look to be in great shape.
Now I can move on and strip the engine.

[ws23rt]

   Sometimes the sun shines.

[71 SE3834V]

Yea we need a little sun here after 5" of rain fell in some areas Monday. 3 counties declared a disaster from flooding. My roof leaked but the roofer said it was nothing serious.

[A383Wing]

cool, good to know something worked

and Mopar did not use gaskets from the factory on the exhaust manifolds to heads

[71 SE3834V]

I figured that. I was just thinking if someone took the manifold off they would have put a gasket on it but maybe not. Maybe a previous owner wanted to replace the "rusting away" sleeve bolt before it got too bad and it broke. 
Been on the net searching for the sleeve nuts. Expensive buggers.

[A383Wing]

yea..they ain't cheap...did I already post places that carry them?

[ODZKing]

Yes, that was a "should I or shouldn't I" with the gasket on my 400. I had to have mine removed last month and plained. After we did the restor - about 100 miles, mine leaked something awful. So off they came, again.   
I'm told from everyone I have talked to that if they have been removed from the factory install, they will need some attention. They warp and have to be perfectly flat or it's tick, tick, tick!

[71 SE3834V]

Did they leak w/the gasket or w/o?
I was trying to be precocious about warping and kept them snugged up until time for removal. Usually the gasket will make up a little difference. I've even doubled up the gasket on an old truck that the manifold had rusted away a bit but if you're trying to keep it factory correct that's a different story.

[ODZKing]

Did they leak w/the gasket or w/o?
I was trying to be precocious about warping and kept them snugged up until time for removal. Usually the gasket will make up a little difference. I've even doubled up the gasket on an old truck that the manifold had rusted away a bit but if you're trying to keep it factory correct that's a different story.

Not at first, but all you need is one spot and they burn up. Mine was on the driver rear port. Quite loud since it was nearest to the firewall and steering.
Be sure they are torqued evenly BTW. He did put a thin copper lined gasket when he replaced them BTW.