What did you do to your E9 today?

bluecoupe30!

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So, I sprayed soapy water all over my exhaust manifolds to try an isolate a leak. Then I placed my shop vac hose into the tailpipe and the soapy water started to bubble around the exhaust to block interface at cylinders 3 and 4. I have been hearing the telltale signs for a while. But after the car warms up, the "tick-tick-tick" sound is almost imperceptible. (well, except to me) So, now that I have identified the weak gaskets, I am terrified that as I begin to remove studs/bolts things will break off and I will be in an even worse situation.
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boonies

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So, I sprayed soapy water all over my exhaust manifolds to try an isolate a leak. Then I placed my shop vac hose into the tailpipe and the soapy water started to bubble around the exhaust to block interface at cylinders 3 and 4. I have been hearing the telltale signs for a while. But after the car warms up, the "tick-tick-tick" sound is almost imperceptible. (well, except to me) So, now that I have identified the weak gaskets, I am terrified that as I begin to remove studs/bolts things will break off and I will be in an even worse situation.
good diagnostic process, another use for the shop vac! Penetrant and heat are your friends for this.
 

Stevehose

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Soak in penetrant for a couple days. Heat the nuts with a blow torch a couple times during that time and reapply the penetrant. When ready to go for it heat them up again and loosen them. I’d then take both manifolds to a machine shop for planing to make sure they are true and lie flat against the head. They can remove the old studs, clean the ends, and install new ones so they don’t break in the future.
 

bluecoupe30!

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Soak in penetrant for a couple days. Heat the nuts with a blow torch a couple times during that time and reapply the penetrant. When ready to go for it heat them up again and loosen them. I’d then take both manifolds to a machine shop for planing to make sure they are true and lie flat against the head. They can remove the old studs, clean the ends, and install new ones so they don’t break in the future.
Planing, yes, great idea. I just bought some "Kroil" penetrant. Trying to really get into those threads. I have read applying whatever spray, then starting the car, letting it warm up to draw in the penetrant. Let cool, and repeat, may help get the lube in there.
 

Ohmess

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Planing, yes, great idea. I just bought some "Kroil" penetrant. Trying to really get into those threads. I have read applying whatever spray, then starting the car, letting it warm up to draw in the penetrant. Let cool, and repeat, may help get the lube in there.
Kroil is the best I have used. Two tips on things I do when seeking to remove bolts that have been on a very long time. First, after your first round of Kroil, go around each nut with a pick, and try to dislodge any corrosion right at the point where the nut meets the manifold. Then repeat the Kroil treatment. Second, when you actually put a wrench on the nuts, start by slightly tightening them just enough to get them to move. Once you get them moving, they often will spin right off.
 

Drew Gregg

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Dan Wood

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Dan--If you need a set of the back metal strips that hold the alum. trim on the door cards, I have a set I got from Alfaro that I didn't have to use when I bought his alum strips.---Drew
Drew
That is a great offer, thanks. However, I do have the strips on now. The retainers on the psgr side lined up perfectly with all the holes and had to modify them on the dvr side. They won't fall off.
On another note, when I was searching for the cards, I searched the forum and google. That was why I didn't see Alvaro's door cards and the eBay ones did show us. I have since found them on Oils Design website.
Thx, Dan
 

Stevehose

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This is right up there among the most miserable jobs on these cars. Got the wishbones out as well as the original, brick-hard tensioner bushings. I torched those out, and the M14 locknuts required as much force (and lots of torch) as the crank nut to get off. I also had to bend the driver side round bushing frame back straight, I went into a huge pothole last year and bent it back about 20 degrees, still need to sand and paint. It also required heating by torch and a huge monkey wrench to bend it back. There's a certain beauty in that torch. Next up is to weld the tow hook back on and then the (dreaded) bushing install.....

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Drew Gregg

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Thanks to @EdG who sold me the trunk driver's side skin cover. I can only use the driver's side since the passenger side has the metal bracket for that USA-only vapor tank.
 

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