Exhaust manifold nuts missing

[piotr]

Hi guys.
I will be replacing exhaust system on my S2 and on removal of down pipe i have found that some of nuts on exhaust manifold are loose and four of them are just missing I cant believe that it wasn't blowing past the gasket .Anyway im after advise how to prevent it from happening again?
it is Wagner manifold and I have used original nuts and the washers and I'm thinking of not using them washers anymore .Also now when the turbo (KKK7200)is removed would it be good time to do some mode to it??I was thinking about billet wheel,360 bearings etc ?What's your thoughts guys ?
thanks

[Tractor Dave]

They probably weren't torqued up correctly before. It's very tight in there and no chance of getting a torque wrench on most of the nuts. Don't ditch the washers but use new nuts as there is a locking head on the originals. Get a good swan neck ring spanner for the fiddly ones

[piotr]

They probably weren't torqued up correctly before. It's very tight in there and no chance of getting a torque wrench on most of the nuts. Don't ditch the washers but use new nuts as there is a locking head on the originals. Get a good swan neck ring spanner for the fiddly ones

Cheers Dave
why are you saying not to ditch washers buddy?
I'm thinking that they are the reason for nuts to become loose as they are not sitting deep enough on the studs
I have used torque wrench one the ones I could get to but on some of them i cant even put ring spanner as there is literally no gap at all between manifold and nut .i think on standard manifold this is not the case but the Wagner one is obviously different.

[Tractor Dave]

The washers are heavy duty thick things that help spread the load onto the manifold. Did you fit the Wagner? When I fit mine, you have to cut a few of the studs to fit. Perhaps some were cut a little short? If you ditch the washers I think there would be more chance that the manifold might crack as you will put more stress on a smaller area.
Getting into some of the nuts is a real challenge on the wagner. I heated up and bent an old ring spanner so I could get the angle right. I also bought a good swan neck. It still took ages though!

[newsh]

I was told that without the washers the studs can break.
IIRC the RS2 mani is even worse than the Wagner!

[tango123]

I was told that without the washers the studs can break.
IIRC the RS2 mani is even worse than the Wagner!

Agreed, fitting the rs2 mani was a right pita. i ended up grinding the spanner so it would go on the nuts without hitting the manifold.

[piotr]

I didn't cut any of the studs ,so they still are all the same length. I need to double check but I'm sure that on few of them nuts the only way to do them up is open ended spanner that is not ideal,unless I have got wrong nuts ??
Horrible designed manifold but on the plus side -i have done about 6k since it was fitted and It did took some obuse and no cracks so far.

[Tractor Dave]

Agreed, fitting the rs2 mani was a right pita. i ended up grinding the spanner so it would go on the nuts without hitting the manifold.

Snap!



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[piotr]

[Tractor Dave]

I see what you mean. I'm sure my nuts are shorter. I got new ones from autodoc. I will measure one.

[Tractor Dave]

Just checked. New from Autodoc 7.8mm tall. Original 8mm tall. Both 13mm spanner size. The original appear a little more beefy.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[piotr]

Thanks Dave .I will try to look for them nuts .

[piotr]

And i will use them washers as few people said the same thing now not to get rid of them so I better listen