Exhaust manifolds

This will be my third season coming up with my 82 2001. When winterizing I always skipped the draining of my manifolds & flushed them with coolant cause the drain plugs looked bad.Well my fear was on the money cause after removing the plugs one side is stripped out real good.I was able to get it back in & epoxy it for a temporary fix( only stays in for a quarter turn). I guess I need the manifold kit from skidim & two new manifolds.No reason just fixing one & having another old one.My question is - I guess I can clean up the risers & just replace the manifolds with the new gasket & hardware kit ? Any tips on putting them on would be great. The 8 bolts one the bad side already came loose so I guess I got lucky. Are these really easy to do ? Looks like they just bolt right on with the gaskets in the right places. I could go another season with the rigged manifold but I don't want to risk hydro locking the motor one day.The plugs are rusted up & almost gone . Thanks ! Dan

It's gonna be a while before I can buy any . I will send you a message if you still have them in Feb. X - mas broke me.So they are new & no rust yet ? If by some reason you sell them dirt cheap for extra low price for x mas $$$ let me know. I can't afford more than $100.00 before Feb. & I know they are worth more than that.Thanks Billy !      Danstephens69@hotmail.com

Thanks Pete for your help. They really need to be replaced. I could fix them for a couple seasons but they really are old & rusted out.The plugs are almost rusted out to were they are falling apart from the inside.If I had a larger new plug I could re thread them.Are the manifolds really as easy as just bolt on with the gaskets? Thanks.

Dan
Make it easy on yourself, goto the hardware store and buy four bolts that are about a half inch longer then your manifold bolts. Then cut the heads off those four bolts and grind a point on them. This will allow you to put two in each manifold and these studs will locate the holes. No messing around thread the other bolts in snug then remove the studs and replace with the last two bolts. This way it makes changing manifolds a one man job with out the hassle.

Mark Mel wrote: What about a helicoil kit?

If you are going to drill and tap for a thread insert why even bother? If there is enough meat in the boss area of the casting, just go to the next pipe size!

8122pbrainard wrote: Mark Mel wrote: What about a helicoil kit? If you are going to drill and tap for a thread insert why even bother? If there is enough meat in the boss area of the casting, just go to the next pipe size!

good luck taping cast iron to the next larges size.

Alos why bother cutting the heads off a bolt just buy some threaded rod or studs.

It's extremely hard and breaks taps.

Pete
Tap magic is great stuff. We use it at work and I have not broke a tap yet while using it.

79
I mentioned to use bolts because they are usually cheaper then buying threaded rod. Depending on where you get it from and what length of it you have to buy. But you method will work as well.