Exhaust Manifold Removal

[Jamo]

What's the best procedure for this do you think folks?

My friends are bickering over which way is the best way for me to proceed doing this.

1) Remove EM and replace with Engine in situ

2) Take the head off and replace head gasket, studs and cambelt in one go

3) Take it to Audiman (£££££££££££££££)

[mcandmar]

You will be lucky to get the EM off without the studs going snap, in which case you will have to take the head off anyway to fix it. BTDT.

If your changing to an RS2 EM you will have to change the studs, i had a look at this last night and there is 8 studs that are too long for the RS2 EM to fit on, i took a few pics if you want to see what i mean.

I'd say option 2, then option 3 to get the studs changed

[Jon441cc]

i agree with mcandmar if the heads off you can give every thing
a really good clean

i did

[baltiboyS2]

The studs area pain in the *** two snapped on me so i ended up taking the head off anyway
as for changing the studs to shorter ones to fit the rs2 manifold you wont need all off the studs

If your lucky they might all come out without much trouble but i doubt it

RAJ ABY

[Jamo]

Were you using stud extractors?

[Fat Audi 80]

Jamo,

With all the work you have planned, do you not think it would be a good idea to have the head, off check the bores, do the valve stem seals and generally tidy the head up while you are there?

Option 2 for me!

Cheers,

Steve.

[martinjs]

I'd take the head off Jamo, its a PITA to get to some of the studs under the EM, some of mine were rusted to hell and had to be cut off, then 2 snapped so had to take the head off anyway so wasted 3 days fecking around, i had to drill out the snapped studs, major PITA.
Its dead easy to take the head off anyway, do it yourself and save loads of dosh.

[mcandmar]

Thats the dilema, i broke a stud on my 7A head swapping the manifold and ended up doing a complete rebuild and port and polish. You just cant help yourself when its off :mischeif: One broken stud turned into this overnight http://www.cr-x.org/cq20v/manifold/manifold.htm

For my ABY build i want to go further with a complete rebuild with new valves etc, and a proper polish up, though i blame MarkH for that after seeing his awsome head work

Valve guide seals are a given though, if you pull the head its a must do job, and i would advise you change the cam chain as they get noisy with age.

[Jamo]

All these extra costs!!

Whats involved in valve guide seal change? any BTDT, if it's too hard it will have to stay as i'm on a budget of no credit cards which i've managed to adhere too and i have 75% of bits i need

[mcandmar]

You will need a valve spring compressor to pull the valves out (about $40) and a set of seals which are cheap. Takes about an hour or two.

[quattronutter]

its almost guaranteed that the ex manifold bolts will snap,its also much easier to assemble head manifold turbo etc..while its off and then plonk the lot on wholesale

[S2central.net]

Agree - get the head off... I'm going to have to do the same on mine soon enough with the RS2 turbo project - I'm going to change up to the RS2 EM and figured that taking the head off is less gruesome than attempting the manifold itself. Upside is that the head gasket can be refreshed along with VG oil seals and a general check for cracks and such....

Paul

[Jamo]

Head off it is then!

[SteveH]

Take the head off, you'll regret it if you don't. You can clean the head and change the valve stem seals while you're at it.

[Mark Halligan]

Off with its head!!!