Manifold stud removal jig?

924GT · 1 Feb 2025

I’m going to have bite the bullet and remove the exhaust manifolds and know it’s inevitable that I’m going to have sheared nuts so I’m looking to get ahead of the game and have the jig ready so I can crack on with it as soon as I’ve got the manifolds off.

I’ve seen the Stromski one which looks very good - but not cheap and was wondering if there were any other jigs available that are of a good quality?

Paynewright · 1 Feb 2025

Buy the stomski, use it and resell - you won’t lose much if anything. Maybe just need to buy some new drill bits which are cheap enough.

This is what I did.

Uncle Monty · 2 Feb 2025

The Stomski Jig is great but you do need a few unbroken studs to align it properly.
I had 5 snap off on one side on my Boxster many years ago so I had to make a little screw on guide for each one. It was a 30mm x 10mm cylinder of SS with an M8 thread half way up and the rest drilled 3mm dead centre on the lathe. You screwed to on what was left of the broken stud and it gave you a perfect centred hole to start drilling.
You need to file the end of the broken stud flat first. Go up in 0.5mm drill increments. I think an M8 tap needs a 6.3mm hole from memory but check.
Buy quality drill bits and take your time.

Paynewright · 2 Feb 2025

The stomski also has a threaded collar you can screw onto broken bolts.

I lucked out and only had 4 snap in total!

924GT · 2 Feb 2025

Thanks for the info. So although expensive, it’s good!

Uncle Monty · 2 Feb 2025

Put a "Wanted" Ad on here , someone might have one or rent it to you. I used to rent out my IMS tools years ago.

Paynewright · 2 Feb 2025

I wouldn’t have attempted the job without it. The risks of drilling freehand are far too high. You do have to align it still - I didnt pay enough attention to this. You won’t damage anything drilling but it affects how easy the thread peels out once drilled. I had one peel out perfectly in one piece, two came out in several pieces and one I had to put the tap down to remove anything. That said it may have been the level of corrosion rather than my drilling centrally!

martin t · 2 Feb 2025

I bought a Stormski jig to replace the manifolds on my 996.

I had the engine on the garage floor and it was still a pig of a job (as they say). The hardest part was drilling out the bolt where the engine number is.
Just so you know you need a long drill bit which does not come with the kit and I had great difficulty getting the right size and one made of the right material.
It took a while, I think I had to drill out 7 bolts, my camera broke when i was doing the job so I do not have any pictures to share but here is the punch line....... With the manifolds off, I had them blasted and lo and behold I discovered that they were made of stainless steel with a mild steel strengthening plate and it is that plate which rusts and looks terrible. So I painted the manifolds and put them back on and they were perfect. I do have a picture of before and after so will post them up later.
I would offer to sell you mine but I have a 996 and a 997 so might just need it in future.
I do have a pair of brand new shing stainless steel manifolds if you are interested.

Kersidan · 2 Feb 2025

I used colbalt drills as standard HSS drills go blunt too easily. You have to use the correct imperial size drills metric equivalents don't work. It's a long messy job, use lots of cutting fluid and take your time. A job I wouldn't like to do again!

Uncle Monty · 2 Feb 2025

Agreed it is a horrible job , took me about 6 weeks on and off, you have to be mentally prepared to attack them , the bolts are really hard so cobalt drills a must.
You must also make very sure you don't drill too dep and go into the water jacket. I put some tape around the drill bit at the correct depth.
Good luck

924GT · 2 Feb 2025

Paynewright said:
I wouldn’t have attempted the job without it. The risks of drilling freehand are far too high. You do have to align it still - I didnt pay enough attention to this. You won’t damage anything drilling but it affects how easy the thread peels out once drilled. I had one peel out perfectly in one piece, two came out in several pieces and one I had to put the tap down to remove anything. That said it may have been the level of corrosion rather than my drilling centrally!

View attachment 112152 View attachment 112153 View attachment 112154 View attachment 112155

While I think about, what are these pipes - the brace piece between mine is almost corroded away so possibly could change them at the same time?

Paynewright · 2 Feb 2025

Thats the support for the exhaust boxes - mine look dire but still doing their job!

924GT · 2 Feb 2025

Paynewright said:
Thats the support for the exhaust boxes - mine look dire but still doing their job!

Ah, I thought the pipes coming off carried coolant etc. Mine will need changing as they’re virtually nonexistent!

ndg · 3 Feb 2025

924GT said:
Ah, I thought the pipes coming off carried coolant etc. Mine will need changing as they’re virtually nonexistent!

Mine were the same. The sheet metal flange is made of multiple stamped pieces of apparently mild steel welded together. I assume porsche did this for manufacturability over a single thick piece as it's thickness to width ration would make stamping impossible. The tubes are stainless so survive well. I bought some stainless bar stock and remade the flanges than had a mate TIG them to the tubes for me. I did make a DXF of the profile as I was going to get it laser cut, but realised I had a mill and could do it quicker and cheaper 'in house'.

The dxf is attached, but as the forum code doesn't recognise dxf's you'll need to change the extension from txt to dxf to use it!

Uncle Monty · 3 Feb 2025

The ones on my 98 C2 are bad but your manifolds look really bad. I would tap them with a small hammer to get all the loose rust off and maybe do the same on the bolt heads to try and loosen them up but I doubt it will have much affect.
I'm afraid you're in for a world of pain but when you come out the other side you'll have done your car a huge favour.
No point using any fluids as it'll never get anywhere near the threads.
I remember doing as much as I could but still had 8/12 snap off. I wish you all the best.

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