Phoenix79

Swapping in a performer intake and street avenger carb...

I got every bolt off except one and its killing me. Those four center bolts on the left and right side of the carb don't have much room at all for my tools. Even though my description is terrible! Anyone who has replaced their intake manifold should know what I'm talking about.

Trial and error got 3 of those bolts off but one on the left side of the intake towards the rear of the intake has absolutely no space for my wrenches or ratchet. The process has also rounded a few of the corners towards the top of the bolt head. *Problem is I can't seem to get any tool to completely securely make contact with the bolt.*

Is there some kind of special tool needed to unbolt it? It is a 79 L-48 Intake Manifold.

Better yet what tools did you guys use to unbolt the intake manifold? Company Make...etc.

I rather buy a tool than use a drill to try and tap the bolt out. Sorry if I'm not making sense! I'm a bit wired and tired :)

81' Corvette Guy

Just take some *~~~~~~())))T N T ))))))))) to it..think this will loosen it right up! Jokin bro..hope someone can chime in and give you a hand... :smash:

Phoenix79

Heheh, you think maybe if I just use a teeny bit it'll blow the bolt clean out of the intake? I could either use TNT, drill it out, weld something to it and unbolt it, grind the metal around it....

Those ideas seem a bit too harsh for such a simple thing! Gotta be something practical I can do...

goofygrin

I get to do mine in the future so :lurk:

You might dremel a slot for a flat head skrew driver on it...

79corvette

It is possible to get it off with regular wrenches. I can't quite rember how I did it, I rember it being difficult though. I'll try and take a look at it tomorrow. Goodluck with it. I found out while working on my car it is best to take a few breaks and not think about it for awhile, then get back to it.

guppie

I had the same problem with mine and someone suggested the eagle claw sockets. WRONG! They were too big. What I did was take a cheap wrench and grind off the outside of the wrench where it was in the way till it would fit. If you were closer I'd let you borrow my wrench. GOOD LUCK! :cheers:

isosceles

oh YIKES! this procedure is in my not-to-distant future.. I just started a new thread asking a question about a new cam.

Are your sockets too thick? I know that's why Snap-ons were so popular with the techs at the dealerships I've worked in. Thin walled, but strong. The Husky and Craftsman were pretty strong too, but had much thicker walls and wouldn't access areas where the Snap-on tools could.

joe73vette

I don't remember having too much trouble on mine with craftsman wrenches and/or 6-point sockets. Make sure you clean out the gook around the bolt first. Now that it is rounded off, you might be in trouble. Joe

Crash Dummy

I had all kinds of problems pulling the intake off of my stock engine and rounded a few of the heads on the bolts. I'm not sure how you started out, but any old bolt needs to be shocked some way or another before you attempt to back it out. If there is a room.... a punch and a hammer to hit the top of the head of the bolt a few times to loosen it up. Also, some Liquid Wrench afterwards. If you've already rounded the head a bit try finding a metric socket that you can beat down on it. I think I even went to my 1/4" drive sockets and an extension since those sockets generally have less wall thickness & are shorter. I also have a set of Sears *Bolt-Out* sockets and think I used one with a swivel extension. If you can fit one in the space it will either break it loose or literally rip the head off. Pretty wicked spiral fluted sockets. Good luck! :cheers:

7T9Shark

Don't bother with a socket. There's not enough room to get a ratchet handle on it. I recently had the same problem with mine. I used a sharpened screwdriver to dig out all the accumulated gunk from between the bolt head and the manifold, then I took a thin walled box wrench and pounded it onto the bolt head with a hammer. Worked out real well. Don't forget the WD-40, too. If it still doesn't budge, get out a torch and heat it up.

Good luck.

mapman

Sears *Bolt-Out* sockets :thumbs:

Phoenix79

I got it out! GREAT! I just used a swivel attachment and it somehow gave me enough clearance. The bolts themselves were all in pretty good condition and easily unbolted. Now the next big problem is the intake manifold itself. The darn thing just doesn't want to budge from its home. I beat the heck out of that cast iron...still won't move.

And I thought this would all go by smoothly! :eek:

goofygrin

probably rusted in place!

The Money Pit

I have a universal bolt removing tool.Kinda looks like a cold chisle and 3 lb.hammer,and works the same way too!
Haven't seen a bolt yet that wouldn't break loose. :smash: :smash:

88'Cubka

Just get a 9/16 6pt short socket, get it on there, then take a 3inch wobble extention and crack it off.


David

Paul L

The ARP SS bolt kit gives you a 3/8" hex head. More room to get a socket on and torque.