996.1 missing manifold bolts and...

I jacked my car up for the first time and crawled under it to soak all the exhaust system bolts w pb blaster in preparation for new headers, 200 cell cats and valved mufflers from topgear uk install. I've been toying with doing it myself, so the first step for me is a reconnaissance, I've never attempted anything like this. I've watched videos on youtube, read projects 47 and 48 in the 101 projects book, and when the first box (mufflers) arrived on Friday I figured there was no time like the present for the first scout. I've had quite a bit of work done my an indy since purchase. He's replaced IMS, RMS, rear shocks, brake lines, plug tubes etc etc. totalling over 6K in parts and labor. Surely he should have noticed the missing 4 13mm bolts from the passenger side banks. There's only 2, 1 at either far end, holding the header in place. So the other 4 centrally located bolts are either just missing or seized and snapped off in the block. The other side is fine. I'll order some 13mm manifold bolts and try threading them in to see for myself what's involved. Should I find a new mechanic? I flat out told him to let me know if there was anything needed as I wanted the engine overhauled while the IMS/RMS etc were being done. Why would a garage miss such a thing. Now I'm worried that there's more that's missed and possibly failure prone. For example, there's a rubber hose at the passenger side rear corner engine bottom, that does a slight bend and is about 6 inches long, that is clearly old and soft, and ready to fail. I'll get that myself, it's held on by two clips around the hose at either end, but I don't know what's in it....Can I just yank it off and put a new one in? I think it's the 'to splitter hose' piece that connects to the heater hose and 'return to engine hose'. Thanks all.

That hose lives a tough life at the bottom of the engine exposed to header heat, road debris, and whatever is thrown at the car. It tends to look crusty (not soft) but I have not seen one that flat out breaks. Always good to change it pre-emtively. As for your mechanic not noticing the four missing bolts... depends on how long ago he was in there. Yesterday, sure. Six months ago, maybe not.

Assuming uour mechanic is experienced he will have seen it, recognised that the heads have snapped off and hopefully checked for any codes related to oxygen sensor readings. After that he probably came to the conclusion it was safe to leave as is since removing the remnants of the snapped bolts is so time consuming and awkward that he would not start the labour before being tasked to do so by you (thus you paying for it). But since everybody on here can only speculate just ask your mechanic what his thoughts were. Wrt the hose. It's filled with coolant and copious amounts will spill if you remove it. As long as the hoses don't bulge when the coolant is hot and the engine at operating temperature then leave them. You now know what the look like when all is cold so you have a reference. Bulging is most obvious right next to the clamps. Ask yourself this: if you replace this hose what about all the others that have lived the same life? Where do you stop? Coolant hoses are a lot more robust than most will lead you to believe. Long time exposure to fuel and oil are the only things that makes them fail prematurely. Heat, UV and ozone has rubber deteriorate but even then it takes a very long time till the damage progresses far enough into the material that it takes out the hose reinforcement (that's what takes the pressure, not the rubber) or makes the rubber develop leaks. Another thing to consider is that parts quality is always highest during the time a car is in production. Add to that any bans of chemicals used in the original parts and it starts to make sense that replacing old for new is not always the improvement in reliability and/or longevity one might think it would be.

All good advice thanks. Let sleeping dogs lie w me regards to the hose sounds good.

Cross posted from the 'what did you do to your 996...' thread, hope that's ok. For the second day in a row I jacked her up and tried, with very little success, to get the mufflers to come off. I spent 50.00 on some Flippy ratcheting box end wrenches, 13mm is what is needed to remove the 3 bolts holding the muffler to the bracket as per the pictures in the 101 book and pelican. I did manage to loosen 3 bolts holding the mufflers to the cats, except one bolt that looks like a rust experiment. The nuts on the brackets are going to be slightly more difficult and beyond my meager abilities. Despite the ratcheting wrenches there's just not room on the bottom one to get the wrench in. I gave up on it, used blaster on all the bolts again, and instead took another wheel off and cleaned all the filth and brake dust off the back of it, most of it anyway. At least I can manage that...So, I'm looking for options. Rather then take it to my Indy, I'm thinking I'll order all the hardware, everything needed for the exhaust replacement (I have headers and xpipe 200 cell cats coming, the valved mufflers are here already) and call around / do some research on exhaust specialists here in Wilmington NC, and call around asking for help. Does they make sense? Exhaust specialists probably have more experience drilling manifold bolts and cutting stupidly mounted brackets off than an import specialist shop right? Unless, the motor needs to be dropped to get the presumably seized and broken off manifold bolts out of the block?Maybe it's not needed? Has anyone any experience with this tool, sounds like it's a fix that can be done without dropping the motor? https://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog...;​Thanks all

A good Porsche independent shop " should " do a better job than a exhaust shop . First thing that comes to mind is snapping off header bolts in the head . An Indy shop is more likely to have a drilling jig vs an exhaust shop . And they probably have done it before . I would insist on whoever does the work put anti-seize compound on every bolt .

I have a ueed stomski jig that i am willing to sell. U dont have to drop the motor to use it. $325 shipped. Pm if interested.

If the header bolts are snapped oof use the Stomski jig. Makes it pretty much fool proof and will save you more than the cost if you make a mistake and damage the head. Boxster/996/997 Exhaust Bolt Repair Kit – STOMSKI RACING LC When you remove the bolts, you might want to consider using studs and nuts as the replacement.