In the middle of a head gasket replacement. Intake manifold removed without problems.

Unlike most posters, I have had no problem with seized nuts on the exhaust manifold. However, I haven't been able to figure out how to get to the nut right behind the turbo. The space is too tight for my 1/2 or 3/8 inch drive ratchets, a straight 13 mm wrench won't reach. Do I need an offset 13mm wrench?

Brian Mee

Manassas VA

Looks like this post got long and complex, but the steps I did were:

Remove downpipe flange bolts. Remove turbo to manifold bolts. Remove manifold retainer nuts (and the spacers)

It sounds like there's a single nut? I remember only using my alltrade straight box/open wrenches. I wasn't able to fit a socket on anything.

Good luck!

EDIT: OH!! That little #%#^% of a nut.... I forgot about that one in the stabilizer bracket. I was pulling the engine at the time... I'll try to remember, but I think I was able to use a bunch of extensions and a ball-swivel joint or a box-enx to get it off. It was most definitely not easy.

Re-EDIT: Glad you got it off!

quite recently i replaced a head gasket on a 93 940 turbo and did the entire job in 6 hours. the procedure was this:

1. drain coolant and oil
2. remove 8 intake nuts and using a piece of rope pull back towards the drivers fender the manifold as far as you can and tie it off. ...remove the air intake hose of the manifold for more flexibility
3.remove belts and upper timing, remove t belt and clamp it so it does not come off the lower 2 pulleys
4.remove tensioner
5. impact gun the cam pulley nut off and remove, pull towards the radiator and ties off the rear timing cover so it clears the protruding 2 head studs. it will bend and not break if you're careful
6. remove the hoses from the turbo which cross the valve cover to the intake side
7. for better ease remove the large hoses which connect to the turbo
8. remove exhaust manifold nuts and throw away the protective covers bolted to the manifold, remove plug wires


9. use a long pry bar to separate by pushing back a bit the exhaust manifold from the head. the manifold is bolted to the bock underneath by a single nut so you will NOT have much room to pry it back but it will be enough to separate the head from the manifold
10 if you have pulled back the intake manifold enough you WILL have room to lift and remove intake side upwards the cylinder header off the protruding exhaust studs.

thats pretty much IT. it not only can be done this way it is VASTLY faster and easier.

by leaving the entire exhaust/turbo side integrated you save a huge amount of time and the risk of snapped bolts/nuts and major aggravation

Ted, great tips! One confusing point:
"The manifold is bolted to the block underneath by a single nut so you will NOT have much room to pry it back but it will be enough to separate the head from the manifold"

I assume you mean that once you remove the head bolts, one can use a pry bar to move the head toward the driver's side so as to bring the exhaust manifold studs clear of the fixed exhaust manifold which is still bolted to the block. Am I correct?
Steve
--
See the 700/900 "FAQ" at the menu bar top screen left side.

yes of course. my steps just presumed the head bolts were removed.
there are small bolts which hold the bracket to the block and one nut which holds the bracket to the bottom of the manifold.

this singular nut is nearly impossible to remove UNLESS you first remove the entire oil filter apparatus from the block.

life is so much simpler if you leave the entire turbo/exhaust STUFF alone

Thanks for the info. Here is what I have done so far which seems to match your technique pretty much. 1992 945T 244,000 miles.

1. drain coolant and oil --Done

2. remove 8 intake nuts--Done, the manifold could move about 5 inches away without much effort.

3.remove belts and upper timing,--Done remove t belt and clamp it so it does not come off the lower 2 pulleys -- Done but will clamp it

4.remove tensioner---Did not remove, I used the technique from the Bentley 240 manual to pry the belt and put a metal pin in the hole to hold the tension off the belt for removal.


5. impact gun the cam pulley nut off and remove, pull towards the radiator and ties off the rear timing cover so it clears the protruding 2 head studs. it will bend and not break if you're careful--Don't understand this one. I wasn't planning to remove the cam at all.



6. remove the hoses from the turbo which cross the valve cover to the intake side--Will do.

7. for better ease remove the large hoses which connect to the turbo--May have to yet, trying to minimize the number of things disconnected.


8. remove exhaust manifold nuts and throw away the protective covers bolted to the manifold, remove plug wires--Removed plug wires back when I checked the compression. Here is where I'm stuck all nuts but the the lower nut on #2 cylinder which is right behind the turbo came off without any problems. I got a universal 13mm socket and a 13mm / 15mm offset wrench last night to try on the remaining nut. Note: Some of the nuts seemed to have very little torque on them. I was expecting a struggle.


9. use a long pry bar to separate by pushing back a bit the exhaust manifold from the head. the manifold is bolted to the bock underneath by a single nut so you will NOT have much room to pry it back but it will be enough to separate the head from the manifold

10 if you have pulled back the intake manifold enough you WILL have room to lift and remove intake side upwards the cylinder header off the protruding exhaust studs.--Yes that is my hope.


11. Reinstallation question: Can you reverse step 10 after installing the new head gasket or do you risk sliding it out of place????

Brian Mee

http://www.harborfreight.com/4-piece-box-wrench-socket-and-bit-adapter-set-99618.html

PS

in order to pull forward the rear most timing cover you MUST remove the cam pulley or the cover won't clear

hi brian

as i recall that nut gave me trouble as well. harborfreight makes a a set of 3 (1/4, 3/8,1/2) inserts which you place in a 10mm,13mm and 15mm racheting wrench.

this allows you to place sockets onto the insert end and use the racheting wrench as a handle. the small footprint allows you to get into tighter places where clearance is an issue. this is what did for this nut.

on reintallation i suggest you do this:

pull the intake back as far as you possibly can and tie it off. all the work will be done from that side so more room is better. make sure the timing against the block is pulled to the radiator as much as you can to clear the head studs. i only suggested you remove the cam pulley as i assumed you would be installing a new seal being there and all.

when you're ready to go after all cleaning is done, place the gasket on the block.

GET SOME HELP for this part as it is easier. you will carefully move the head to the block and tilt in such a way the exhaust studs mate with the manifold holes.

DO NOT FORGET TO INSTALL THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD GASKETS ON THE STUDS FIRST OR YOU'RE HOSED

once you know the studs will line up and slide into the manifold it is a matter of sliding and motivating the head to do as you want. be gentle as you do not want to damage the gasket or the head.

THE ONLY REAL PROBLEM WILL BE IF YOU'RE ROUGH YOU CAN SCRAPE THE HEAD SURFACE ON THE 2 PROTRUDING LOCATING PINS ....EXHAUST MANIFOLD SIDE.......ON THE BLOCK

be mindful and careful. this is where and extra set of hands can help.

Dear trichard,

Hope you're well. While I don't have turbo-equipped cars, those, who do, will benefit from your clear description. You should submit it to Steve, for inclusion in the FAQs. If you can include some distance measurement estimates, e.g., how much space is needed to allow head removal, that would likely be very helpful.

Yours faithfully,

Spook

all i know about the distance is i removed the large air intake hoses off the intake manifold to gain more flexibility and really peeled the entire manifold with everything attached back towards the drivers strut tower. you won't get that far but you will be surprised how much room you will gain.

if you tie it off you're ready to go and you will save many many hours off the job.

Dear trichard,

Hope you're well. Your comments are hugely helpful. Please submit them to Steve, for inclusion in the FAQs. Many world-wide, will bless You, for sharing!!!

Yours faithfully,

Spook

Got 'em all: very, very good!
--
See the 700/900 "FAQ" at the menu bar top screen left side.

Thanks Trichard. Harbor Freight to the rescue. Actually they were out of the tool you suggested but # 65860 "Box Wrench Socket Bit Adapters" did the trick. They fit in a box wrench and allow you to attach any 1/4 3/8 or 1/2 inch socket. 10 minutes and the last nut was off.

Brian Mee