10-19-2008

I rebuilt my 74 engine in 1988 at 62k miles. swapped out (p.o.s.) Ansa exhaust for nearly stock exhaust with stock exhaust manifold.


My work on the B (which sat from 1998 to 2008) has resumed and one of the items on my list was to repair the side covers which were leaking oil.


So I pulled the carbs, manifolds, etc. and braced myself for the hell that is getting the six bolts out of the bottom of the exhaust manifold that connect the flanges to the exhaust system.

I slide under the car with a can of PB blaster figuring I'll soak them and come back to them tomorrow. I shine the work light on the bottom of the manifold and notice 2 things.

1. one of the nuts is missing from a stud...no biggie, that just means one less nut for me to wrestle with.

2. the rest of the nuts are shiney and clean.

I spray PB blaster on them anyway but decide to see if they have welded/rusted themselves tight like manifold studs and nuts usually do. I put a deepwell socket on one and turn and it slips free with almost no effort. I quickly try the rest of the nuts and they all turn easily. I removed them by hand with one stud coming out intead of the nut. I then proceeded to turn all of the studs out by hand!!!
Not one was frozen or rusted in place.

Then I recalled that when I first went through the hell of replacing the exhaust over 15 years ago, (broke an ear off, cracked the manifold and had to get another one!) my MG mechanic Butch told me to get special studs and nuts so the next time I would have no trouble. I did so though I recall them being somewhat pricey at the time.

I assume I used some type of high quality stainless steel stud and nut set though the nuts appear to be brass. I wish I could remember what they were so that I could recommend them but if you are going to replace yours (again, assuming they are stainless and/or brass) then use these.