Hello,
I was thinking of attempting this. I keep reading about bolts breaking in the engine block. How often does this happen? What are some precautions I should take to minimize the chances of it happening? Also how long would this take? Thank you.
Even after a proper soaking of break free manifold hardware can break. If one does, are you prepared for the consequences and is the car somewhere warm surrounded by tools, lights and all the time in the world? Repair can range from dealing with a shank (at least you can get purchase on that with a welded nut or maybe vise grips) to a clean shear which requires an easy out or ultimately a time sert. If any of that happens it will make the reward seem small. Not trying to dissuade you but I would never do it again, I got my
986
through it but it was an odyssey.
I recommend soaking the week before with Aerokroil (the best stuff around) or PB Blaster/Liquid Wrench, while they are hot..do this a few times leading up to the day you do it. I did my 06 with 48,000 miles on it and they call came out with no issues at all. I used copper antiseize on the new bolts...
Copper antiseize in an aluminum head? Steel or stainless bolts? Doesn't sound correct to me. I would have chosen the aluminum-based compound. But then again, that's all I have...
OK I did some research and nickel-based is the best for steel into aluminum but copper is "general purpose."
Thanks so much for the awesome responses! I sprayed everything with PB after a quick warm up and luckily they weren’t in bad shape. Came right off using my impact wrench. I’d advise to have a really skinny extender for the bolt at the top closest to the front of the car and an angled adapter for the bottom bolt.
Hopefully you had steel
Porsche
exhaust gaskets, rather than the asbestos type. The stress on the exhaust headers from the engine motion and the exhaust muffler causes exhaust leaks. With steel
Porsche
gaskets, no leakes. That includes the tri gasket between the headers and the exhaust pipe to the muffler. I had to tighten mine twice, but still a leak, then change to the steel ones. That was a year ago, now without any leaks.
Porsche
knows what they are doing with these engines. Yes, there is more strain on the headers, but that is why they are made with oversized pipe tubing and thick header plates.
Great advice! I missed this post and I did have a leak after 2 weeks! It sounded like a motorcycle! I had them reinforced with steel gaskets and what a difference!
