Exhaust manifold removal

[Poncho]

I need to remove my head and have it checked for cracks to find a water leak. Any advice for removing cover, head, and exhaust manifold? Thanks

[tst]

manifold can stay on, be careful and do not break the head bolts

[RaymondDurban]

Take a hammer and rap the heads of the head bolts pretty good before putting a wrench to them.

[pickerandsinger]

Take a hammer and rap the heads of the head bolts pretty good before putting a wrench to them.

….Very important step…Personally I found it better to use an air wrench with the compressor set low and work your way up if the bolt is stubborn, using the hammer and increasing the compressor pressure a bit rather than a breaker bar….This is just what I do, luck is an important factor also…Don't forget anti-seize when re-installing them…The valve cover just needs some patience in reinstalling the bolts, and the exhaust has a strangely deigned nut access on two of them, allowing only small turns of a wrench…patience and shuffle the cards, works well in other things besides gambling…Have fun ….

[Glen]

Hi,
I've seen the experts write on here to use sealer on Cub cylinder head bolt threads, they go down into the water jacket. I've read where a man had a leaking head, and he found the shop had used anti-seize on the bolt threads, he had to do it over again and put on sealer.

[Poncho]

I'm going to try later this week, hopefully it will come off and show the leak through the gasket and not the head.

[pickerandsinger]

BTW, like Tim (tst) said you don't need to monkey with the manifold and valve cover if your just taking the head off….I didn't quite understand the post…My fault….I never heard of anti-seize causing leakage….Store bought long bolts are 1/4 of an inch longer than factory unless you buy head bolts specific for a cub,and they can protrude into the water jacket…( However I can see the possibility )…I have one just put together as we speak, but I have to do some Clutch work and painting etc….We shall see…Good luck…Dave

[Denny Clayton]

Hi,
I've seen the experts write on here to use sealer on Cub cylinder head bolt threads, they go down into the water jacket. I've read where a man had a leaking head, and he found the shop had used anti-seize on the bolt threads, he had to do it over again and put on sealer.

The leaking head was probably incorrectly torqued or the gasket not sealed properly. Use anti-seize on the threads and sealer on both sides of the gasket.

[Smokeycub]

FWIW - I believe most, if not all, the head bolts thread into open water jacket areas. I highly recommend using Permatex sealer or similar when reinstalling. Good luck!

[pickerandsinger]

….WaterJacket….Yep the head bolts do…Just unless you cut, the for example, Grade 8's some use from TSC, they protrude farther into the Water jacket...….I use the factory style head bolts, as Grade 8's don't stand up to 45 pounds torque and the Grade 9 factory bolts are designed for that…I have broken a few originals taking them out and putting them in just the same..Just my 2 cents…..

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

You can get grade 9 bolts from mcmaster.com, much cheaper than the IH head bolts, but the longer ones are 1\4 inch longer. I use antiseize on mine once, but the center front one leaked, and had to pull it back out, clean, and use pipe thread sealant, which took care of the problem

[Jim Becker]

The topic of coating the threads deserves some more comment. Since some bolts open into the water jacket, some type of sealer is needed. The same material should be used on all bolts so the torqueing down will be the same on all. Quite a few people (me included) have been using anti-sieze with no problems. Others have been using a sealer. I think that either choice can work well if properly applied (clean threads, adequate amount of material).

There are a few properties that make some materials a poor choice. It needs to be non-hardening and non-setting. The problem is that you need to go back and retorque head bolts after they have been through a heat cycle. Something that hardens (like a shellac) or sets (like RTV) will be sheared by the retorquing. This will both interfere with torque measurments and diminish the effectiveness of the sealing. Sealants like Permatex #2 or old fashioned pipe dope are "non-hardening" but do gradually stiffen up with time. Their effect on torque readings is probably minimal and they will conform to the surfaces if retorqued within a reasonable time period. A lubricant (like anti-seize) stays soft and shouldn't hurt the retorquing. The Teflon type pipe sealer is really more of a lubricant than a sealer and should work OK, really much like the anti-seize.

For my own use, I will continue to use the aluminum colored anti-seize. If I run into a leak, I may have to try something else (or be more careful in applying the anti-seize). If I try something else, I will avoid things that harden or set. I suggest the rest of you follow the same guidelines when reinstalling head bolts or manifold studs.

[pickerandsinger]

Spoke to a friend yesterday, who is a very good engine man, and he uses anti-seize on the threads and Indian head on the bolt tips….makes sense to me….Just thought I'd share that…I also found that Hamilton Bob has Headbolt sets of the appropriate size, grade 9, from a USA supplier ( don't know who supplies the supplier though) for 22.00 plus I think 6 dollars shipping…I use Mc Master Carr for some things but I hate the fact I don't know what the shipping is going to be until after they process my order…And its way more than 6 dollars.. Just drawing on my personal experience and passing it on for what its worth... Dave

[Ken (48 Cub)]

The late, great George Willer told me to use Teflon pipe sealer (the kind they use for gas pipe fittings) and that was good enough for me

No leaks after retorquing. Like Jim said.

[artc]

the head gasket needs Copper Coat spray on both sides as well