so the 1st and last bolts on my exhaust manifold are gone, and shes starting to leak real bad. i plan to get headers soon along with a whole new exhaust and slew of other things, but with my 3rd job i picked up i havent touched my car in like almost a month. i just want to fix it for now so it wont leak so bad. does anybody in the bay area have a tap and die set they could lend me to put new studs in? should i just grab another manifold while im at it, or can i leave it on there while making the new threads for new studs?

 

this should help with the problem . . . .now all i need to do is find a tap&die and then get some studs for the new headers!!!!
also got my SS brake lines. not going to use the strut bar though.

 

why no on the bar? is it for front? dont throw it out...ahha hint hint

 

its the msa strut bar for the 240&280. needs to much work to fit the ZX. i got it from a friend though so i thought i would at least try it out. but im going to go with the cusco.

 

Hey Apollo I have the same problem with my exhaust. The rear top corner bolt and nut is missing on the manifold. It has a big exhaust leak. It does a lot of popping. I can't seem to locate the bolt and nut I need. Somebody please help!

 

wow, they gave you six brake lines like you're supposed to get. the stupid website said four came in the kit. I thought that was rediculous.

 

well the only way that i know of fixing the stud issue is to take the manifold off and tap it out the the old ones and put new studs in. . . . . . that is unless you want to weld the manifold to the head! j/k

 

If you get a tap and rethread the hole, all you have to do is get a stud that will fit the new hole. It doesn't have to be the same size as the old one. Especially since you're gonna have to drill the hole out anyways. You might have to slightly enlarge the opening on the manifold too. Then just get a nut to fit the stud. Just make sure you use the right size drill bit for the tap and make sure you drill that sucker straight. Otherwise you'll end up breaking off the tap. And thats not as easy to drill out as a bolt.

 

I appeciate the advice, but I am not verry good at drilling and tapping. I am actually afraid to even mess with it. What makes me mad is the fact that the damn thing is missing anyway! What was the previous owner thinking? I was thinking about taking it off my '81 since he isn't going anywhere for quite a while. If I have to use parts off him to get my '82 on the road I will do it. But I am not going to strip him out either. He has a lot of sentimental value! What can I do to take the stud off my '81? There has to be a way to do it. Please help if you can!

 

oh the bad experiences with taps.. may i suggest sharp needlenose pliers and LOTS of patience.. hahaha i already fell victim of the tap on my thermostat housing.. that was fun..

 

ok, so i finally got around to fixing the leak, got the intake&exhaust manifold off and i found that it wasnt only the 1st and last bolts that were all jacked, the 4th bolt was missing the head and the 5th wasnt even there! well . . . .after looking over things i was just checking the head out and noticed that the head had round ports, the new gasket that came with the headers had round ports and then, lo and behold, the old manifold had square ports

well i wasnt able to get the bolt out in time, but i will soon have it all taken care of. it was just about ready, but it got dark and the garage is full so, until tomorrow. i'll post pics soon.

 

Every stock exhaust manifold that I have ever seen had square sorta shape ports on it. I dont think there is such a thing as a stock round port exhaust manifold.

 

My last bolt on my exhaust is gone too.

 

here are some pics . .
cracked manifold
maifold kit
square manifold?
headers vs. stock manifold

 

Where did you buy those headers? MSA??

 

i believe they are MSA headers, but i didnt get them through MSA. I bought them "used". the guy installed them but never ran the motor.

 

so they are in FINALY. was a real hassle getting the head clear of broken bolts, but very worth it. so there is no more leak, and the car sounds pretty bad ***.
check out the link . . . its a quick start up from the interior with just the headers on. im trying to find a free webhost that will let me upload a file larger than 5MB.


http://www.zippyvideos.com/203578732640575.html

 

here are some pics of the install

 

Nice man, that Z sounds sweet! I want my '82 to sound like that! Let me know if you know exactly what kind of headers those are. I want the same kind when I finish my Z later on! I like that sound, it reminds me of a Ferrari sort of. Definately sounds like a Roadster, I believe that is how the Z's should sound like. Anyway I am not trying to copy you my no means. I just was looking for a specific sound that I liked, and yours is exactly what I was looking for! By the way what kind of exhaust, and muffler setup do you have?

 

the sound clip is of when i had just finished the header install and thats it. no cat, no muffler, not even the collector pipe. just the header . . .Im pretty sure its an MSA header. im not worried about you copying. get the headers. so the same exact setup. i plan to have all new 2 1/2 " pipe from the headers back with the cat flanged and the muffler as well so i can maintain a streetable exhaust yet just unbolt the cat and muffler when i want. i'll have a pipe to replace the cat and a flared pipe for the muffler so it'll sound just like it does in the clip. but only at the track. what you cant tell is that the Z is EXTREMELY loud in that sound clip. brought the neighbors out and everything.

 

So I am sure a Monza header will make him sound like a roadster. And yeah I would like to gut out the cat, and stick it back on. That way it looks like it is there, anyway thanks for the reply!

 

so its all done. got the new 2.5" exhuast welded up today and flanged so when i want i can take it out and have straight headers to the ground. As of now, it's kinda funny . . . it sounds like a 350, or Infinity. Not bad, i really like it. I just didnt expect that after hearing it with just the headers.

 

Right on man, post another vid of the Z with your new pipe installed. That would be sweet man!

 

http://www.zippyvideos.com/194380911758515.html

new exhuast

not the best clip.the intirior level is pretty quiet but i'll find a way to get a better clip

 

Dude that sounds sweet. I could swear I was hearing a Ferrari! Nice job man, my Z would rock with that kind of sound and exhaust! Thanks for the ideas!