exhaust manifold leak
is there any way to repair without taking off afraid of broken bolts
Forum Discussion
If Dutch is right about 460, Scott is 95% right that head has to come off. Common 460 problem. We had an 84 Class C with a 460 and warped manifolds. I was able to get every bolt out, but those were all intact bolts that I could bang on till the rust grip was released a little. A friend's 460 in a 93 Class C had broken bolts. Spent days, trying to remove, finally pulled the head. An automotive machine shop with a "belt sander" can re-surface heads and get them flat. A cylinder head machine can't do it.
With more than your low miles, I'd be justified in a Valve Job. Pull Heads, Recondition, New Guide Seals, etc. etc. A machine shop can get those stubs out. They'll be thankful you brought it to them before you broke a stud remover off in one, a drill bit in another, and so on.
You live in (well, near to... I've been to Culpeper...) a very populous area. There are professionals who go around removing broken fasteners. They use a metal disintegration device. Sounds like a Star Trek Disruptor Beam, and it's probably related to the plasma cutter bank robbers use in movies, but it vaporizes the fastener in place. You can drive the coach, so you might be able to get it to a shop that's equipped for the job. Call some hot rod or restoration shops. White Post (in White Post!) is an hour away. Another I know is Black Wolf in Woodbridge a little over an hour. I'm sure there are more, and you can also call machine shops and ask if they know of a service to help you.
Every once in awhile, somebody gets'er done at home. Goes in there, manifolds off, no more bolts broken, stubs out, done. Probably with new or re-surfaced manifolds, but done. The majority end up with something they can't drive. Classic Dirty Harry: "Do I feel lucky?"
With more than your low miles, I'd be justified in a Valve Job. Pull Heads, Recondition, New Guide Seals, etc. etc. A machine shop can get those stubs out. They'll be thankful you brought it to them before you broke a stud remover off in one, a drill bit in another, and so on.
You live in (well, near to... I've been to Culpeper...) a very populous area. There are professionals who go around removing broken fasteners. They use a metal disintegration device. Sounds like a Star Trek Disruptor Beam, and it's probably related to the plasma cutter bank robbers use in movies, but it vaporizes the fastener in place. You can drive the coach, so you might be able to get it to a shop that's equipped for the job. Call some hot rod or restoration shops. White Post (in White Post!) is an hour away. Another I know is Black Wolf in Woodbridge a little over an hour. I'm sure there are more, and you can also call machine shops and ask if they know of a service to help you.
Every once in awhile, somebody gets'er done at home. Goes in there, manifolds off, no more bolts broken, stubs out, done. Probably with new or re-surfaced manifolds, but done. The majority end up with something they can't drive. Classic Dirty Harry: "Do I feel lucky?"
