Just developed aloud ticking on the passenger side of the engine. Thinking its a cracked header. Will break out the stethescope this weekend. In anticipation of the upcoming repair, can anyone tell me if it is necessary to remove the oil tank on the passenger to remove and replace exhaust manifolds? Does anyone have a step by step so I know what else needs to be removed to get to and remove/replace the manifolds? Thanks
Be sure to check the easy things first such as loose bolts on the flanges. I had a bad leak and I just tightened up three nuts/bolts and it went away completely. I have not removed the headers so I cannot comment on the oil tank. Rob
I'm hoping its something like loose nuts. Car has only 9k miles but am mentally preparing for manifold replacement.
I don't think you need to remove the oil tank--- One option is Larini: lifetime warranty, real stainless steel a little thicker than the OE and half the price...
The oil line comes out, I think alex drops the axles also to give himself room. The tank stays in place.
On the passenger side, oil line from tank to radiator comes out fan and oil radiator come out heat shield over the axle comes off (but the axle does not have to come off) Heat shield at the oil tank comes off Then you can maneuver that header out.
I removed both stock manifolds in my garage over the winter and replaced them with Fabspeed headers. The passenger side is more difficult but it's doable. Here are my notes: -Oil lines need to be decoupled but the tanks do not need to be removed. -The fan/radiator do not need to be removed. -The half shaft does not need to be removed -PROTECT THE CV BOOT ON THE HALF SHAFT-very important or you may tear it when removing the OE manifold. -It took me at least an hour to trial/error the proper way to rotate the manifold and get it out of the engine bay due to very tight packaging. It's doable but it ended up being line-to-line contact between the engine and the frame to remove. Remember the exact process if reinstalling OE manifolds. I installed Fabspeed headers which weren't a problem to mount. The driver's side was quick and straightforward.
I've located my leak. Its at the flange on the forward most exhaust port. I've removed the wheel well liner and under trays. I can get an opened end wrench on the upper nuts coming up from below but can't get leverage to loosen them. Also, How the heck do you get to the upper forward most nut??? Any tips/ tricks would be appreciated. I'm starting to think about just having a professional take care of this...Don't want to give up but I just can't figure out a good way to loosen all the nuts. Thanks for any advice. Jordan
I have to remove the fan, the oil radiator, but not the oil tank. Then a 3/8 ratchet, with a long extension, and a flexible socket (12 or 13mm depending on what nut you have) gets it off. That is the toughest one.
OK, I think I see your trick for the forward most nut. BUt what about the rest of the uppers??? Did you access from below or can you get to them from above. Just don't see how you can get a socket on them.
Don’t know if anybody is listening still, but just removed the headers on my 1995 car. Left side was a pain. Had to remove half shaft…. Might as well do CV boots. Now, the right side, holy cow. I was thinking of dropping the engine, seemed easier. In the end, removed oil lines, half shaft, loosened the oil tank, and still no joy. So removed the oil cooler and voila! My tips: 1. Bottom header bolts from the bottom, top header bolts through the wheel wells 2. Masking tape is cheap, go nuts, especially important when you start maneuvering the header to get it out… 3. Get all your Orings and seal preordered for the oil lines, they ARE coming out. 4. Don’t do it, just bite the bullet when the engine is out. 5. Oil lines you need: 32mm, 36mm and 46mm open ended wrenches. What else… might as well also think about changing fans and radiators, in my case fans were new but had some weeping coolant from right hand side rad. And oil tank is getting painted as well… I think 5.2s might be easier since both header exits to cats and bypass are kind of looking back (what I’ve seen from pictures), 2.7s have one exit looking back and another looking up and in.
I did my 95 back in 2021. Engine in. There were no problems that patience couldn't solve. No need to remove half shafts. And actually, I found the left side much easier because of the absence of oil lines and the oil tank. I found that if you unbolted the transmission mounts and raised the back of the engine an inch there was no problem getting the old headers out or new ones (Tubi) in. Not a difficult job but takes time.
