with the damn exhaust manifold i have re bolted it on 4 times now lock tight and washers every time but it keeps comeing undone. im 2 seconds away from pulling the welder out and laying a big fatty bead on it i think on sat im goin to redo the whole exhaust all i know is its way to annoying to be driving i just drove ruffly 200 miles and the head ache i have is unreal, what has any one done to fix this???????

 

i take it you've tried lock washers? if not id give em a try.... or maybe that special glue u put on the thread of the bolt... you can get them off, but its kind of hard. thats all i can say....

 

ya i try lock washers and lock tight nuthing seams to work so i think sat ill go buy a new manifold and have it all installed

 

There is a trick you us e with headers, and i think the concept will work for an ol manifold too.

Ensure your gasket is good to go. Tighten everything down to spec.

Start it up and get it to operating temp. Tighten everything down again, as they will be loose from the heat. And be careful

Let it cool all the way down. check that everything is tight.

repeat.

be careful if you dont know already all that heating and cooling makes those studs/bolts very easy to break. and a muther to get out when it does.

If that still doesnt work for ya, look at Stage 8, they have been making some pretty cool non backing out fasteners for a long time.

 

See if you cant find a gasket that you can soak in some water and swell up.
When you install it it will conform better to any irregularities as it dries.

But the irregularities have to be minor stuff. not 1/8" gaps.

 

Drill the heads of all the bolts, through on 3 flats.

Reinstall bolts, gasket, manifold, use safety wire, wound through as to keep bolts from rotating CCW.

 

Be very careful with drilling the heads, preferably, pull them and get the predrilled heads. Snapping bits sucks, and you can also affect the heat-cure on them.

Your local speed shop should have the right grade-8 bolts.

*Another option you can use is head on down to your local motorcycle shop, and pick up some tab-over washer shims. You torque the bolts to spec, then using a screwdriver, fold the tabs up into the flats of the bolt face, securing them.

If they look at you funny, let 'em know "like on the speedbike rotors/clutches".

Here's an example:

 

If your manifold is warped, it's gonna leak no matter what. I'd pull the thing out and check for warpage. If it's warped, send to a machine shop and have them machine it flat.

Then use new gaskets and new Toyota exhaust nuts. They are the self-locking type.

 

I have never done this, but it might be something to try:

http://home.earthlink.net/~twopapa/toytech.htm#retain

 

Get rid of the bolts and use studs with STEEL locknuts. That's what Toyota engineering specs out and it works great. Downey sells them if you can't find them. Don't use nylock nuts or loctite for exhaust

 

I had to replace the studs on mine because I had a similar issue but I ended up stripping the original studs. I used STEEL lock nuts as mentioned and they have been fine ever since. BTW, you will need to remove the manifold to do it right. So, now may very well be the time for that new manifold if that is what it needs. Mine just needed studs.

 

LCE Header solved my problem

 

I ripped it out this weekend and bolted in new gaskets it sounds good other than the cat gasket wouldnt fit so i held it there and cranked the bolts down seamed to work tho thanks for the ideas