[rvicke]

This is driving me nuts, I have to know, so tomorrow I am going to try and pull the manifold.

The only problem I see is that I have neither a good jack (only the one on the car) and no jack stands.

Can I pull the manifold without raising the car? I have removed the engine shield (two plastic ones underneath), so that's not going to be in the way. Can I get under enough to remove the bolts at the bottom of the manifold?

I found the instructions herein, and they are just stating the three bottom bolts need to be removed from the bottom of the car...is this correct?

Thanks,

Rick

 

[Erdoc48]

They're 3 nuts known as the 3 amigos (that connects the header to the downpipe and main cat), and to be honest, you will have better access if you can get further under the car from behind (any chance you can rent ramps if you don't want to use jackstands and a hydraulic jack?). You want to see and have access to everything from beneath as well. Spray those liberally with penetrating oil on consecutive days (maybe 3-4) to make removing them easier (assuming they're rusted). Usual recommendation, DO NOT try to go under the car using the scissor jack alone or a pair of them- it's a dangerous mix.

Here's what the junction point between the header (removed) and the flange of the downpipe should look like (from above)- you need to remove the nuts from underneath and don't want to be feeling your way around and stripping the sides of the nut or not getting adequate leverage on them:

 

[rvicke]

Well, located all the bolts/nuts, got the liquid wrench (PB brand), and removed three of the five bolts holding on the heat shield....top two are being bastards....looks like I may have to drill/tap those out.

Got an O2 sensor wrench (autozone rents it to you....you pay for it, then get your money back after..no time limit on the rental...pretty cool).

I'm going to try and get this without raising the back of the car...just three nuts... I actually got pretty good at tight space wrenching working on the prior 2's...(and of course there was that intimate encounter a long, long time ago in the Fiat X-19 in the winter...grin). Worst case scenario is I break a stud, but that is attached to the header, so I can take that to someone to fix (motorcycle has a trunk) once it's off if I can't fix it.....a little more concerned about the studs in the head, but that's a shield away....

Good weather for three days.....that's my window...will pick up the gaskets/new bolts by Tuesday, back on Wed after work.....hopefully.

It's obvious I'm not a mechanic...it shows on my hands working tight spaces....lol.

 

[dogbreath]

Make sure that you use 6 point sockets on the 3 amigos. That is the only chance that you have of not rounding them off.

 

[Narcosis]

ramps were about 45 bucks from walmart, they have proven useful many times over, i would suggest purchasing

 

[rvicke]

Top two bolts on heat shield will not come off.....I'm drilling the bastards out.

While waiting on the drill to charge back up, I turned my attention to the amigos....I don't have a socket to fit....it will require a deep socket, and I can't be sure what I will need. Are these nuts 12mm?

Damn frustrating...

Rick

 

[T-bone]

000000000

 

[rvicke]

I know....I'll buy the ramps. The idea with buying a newer, lower mileage vehicle was to avoid some of this....laugh....didn't work, eh?

The amigos are 14mm, and I have two sockets that fit, both 12pt....so I sprayed them liberally with liguid wrench, let that work overnight, pick up a good 6pt socket tomorrow at lunch....fully charge the drill, and maybe I can get this finished tomorrow..., guess I need a damn light too.

I am NOT moving into a house with a garage....I have to make a stand somewhere.....lol.

Thanks for all of your advice on this....will feel better with this taken care of....too bad Toyota didn't offer a replacement header for this, at their cost.....sad.

Rick

 

[rvicke]

Another question....I found an online Spyder repair manual, and it shows I'm sure most of the components of the car but I look at the ignition system, and it all looks a bit odd. I know where the plugs go, but what about the distributor....it's no longer there, is it? If not there, are there common components that need to be replaced periodically, such as the distributor cap and rotor, or if you are old enough, points on older distributors?

I will probably be replacing the plugs after finishing the header check/cleanup, so I know when they were done....is there anything else that should be changed along with the plugs? I've already changed oil (Castrol Syntec...changed to Castrol Blend next oil change...can't afford to burn the expensive stuff.... and transmission fluid (Redline MT90).

Rick

 

[Erdoc48]

It's got a distributorless ignition- coil on plug setup. Assuming the individual ignition coils are OK, just swap the plugs. There's nothing else to change.

 

[OldMan]

Post Deleted

 

[rvicke]

That's cool, I guess......but it does bring up another question. For us who like clean engines, and who are familiar with washing engines with distributors (those little grocery bags were perfect to keep the distributor and wires dry)....any necessary precautions when washing the engine? I will be pulling the cover to change the plugs, can I wash it with that off (like the older DOHC engines), or ???

Still have the turkey baster I used to suck water from between the camshaft housing/plug recesses after washing the engine; it's probably 20 years old (it was used on my last Fiat and each of the 2's....)

Rick

 

[NHinNC]

Top two bolts on heat shield will not come off.....I'm drilling the bastards out. ...
Rick

I had to drill mine out too. I was able to get the remains of one out with visegrips after the header was off, but had to drill and tap the other one

 

[OldMan]

Post Deleted

 

[rvicke]

I too, had to drill them out. I started small and used progressively larger bits until only the threads remained. I then ran a tap through the holes to remove the remaining pieces. The bolts are soft, and drill easily. I replaced the bolts with stainless steel ones from the hardware store. I also used anti-sieze compound.

Thanks...nice to know I'm on the right track.

Definitely SS hardware, particularly on a flat surface like the top of the shield, since the roof has holes. It sure would have made this job a lot easier. I will put anti-seize on all studs/bolts.

I assume the bolts on the top of the heat shield are the same size/thread as the ones on the side.

 

[rvicke]

Well, I guess a good day. I finished drilling/cutting off the heads of the two top bolts holding the heat shield on, and after some cussing, figured out how to remove the O2 sensors and get the top shield off.

Shining a flashlight into the O2 sensor holes, it doesn't look like the pictures included here of peering into the O2 holes, but it definitely has the stuff inside, and it doesn't look broken up (guess that's a really good sign...will know more when I get the entire manifold off.

I then was able to break 1 of the amigos loose, couldn't get the other two...didn't press it too hard. I sprayed the other two again with liquid wrench, and will let them sit overnight. Tomorrow at lunch I'll pick up a short piece of pipe to slide over the ratchet and get some better leverage....they will come loose tomorrow.

I then went to the studs on the head, and broke all five bolts free.....that was easy. I was also able to get one of the brackets loose on the block.....

So, tomorrow, two amigos and one bracket bolt....and she should be ready to come out (can't wait to see inside the bottom and see what the cat-stuff looks like.

I feel I got to this in time, mainly thanks to you guys....can't thank you all enough.

Tonight I'll order the gaskets and bolts/nuts if I can....tried the local dealer and they don't have them (of course, Memphis seems to be the worst place for auto maintenance/repair)....argh.

I do have one question. I was able to remove the top heat shield.....do I need to remove the bottom or the back heat shield, or will both of those come out with the header?

Thanks again for all of your help.....felt like I wasn't doing this totally alone.

Rick

 

[dogbreath]

For the 3 amigos, I used a 1/2 drive with a breaker bar and they were still tight. I'd be careful using a pipe. You could easily put too much torque on your ratchet and break it.

 

[OldMan]

Post Deleted

 

[rvicke]

For the 3 amigos, I used a 1/2 drive with a breaker bar and they were still tight. I'd be careful using a pipe. You could easily put too much torque on your ratchet and break it.

Grin...a step ahead of ya....on the '88 SC, there was one bolt that I could not reach with a standard ratchet (too thick) when removing the alternator, so I went to a pawnshop and found a ratchet which had broken, and the previous owner had welded the ratchet nob to the ratchet...no selection piece (if that makes sense)...so, it was thin enough to get in the tight space when removing the alternator from the SC, but also welded in place....so no worries about breaking a ratchet...

 

[rvicke]

Total cost for parts from Toyota...with 10% tax, $61.77

Includes

exhaust manifold gasket (1)
pipe gaskets (2) little gaskets which look like o-rings
exhaust manifold nuts (5)
lower manifold studs (3)
lower manifold nuts (3)