How To Replace Exhaust Manifold Bolts 1999-2007 Chevy Suburban

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Hi, I'm Mike from 1A Auto. I hope this how-to video helps you out, and next time you need parts for your vehicle, think of 1AAuto.com. Thanks.

In this video, we're going to show you how to replace the exhaust manifold bolts. This is the 2002 Chevy Suburban. It has the 5.3L but these manifold bolts are prone to breaking on any 5.3L or 6L GM truck or SUV. Especially more prone when you use your vehicle to tow and stress the engine more. Items you'll need are a new bolt set from 1AAuto.com, 10mm and 12mm sockets, a ratchet with an extension or with a couple of extensions shorter and longer, a large pry bar, locking style pliers, regular pair of pliers, torque wrench, and a 12mm wrench.

On our truck, we're going to be working on the left hand or driver side of the engine. You can see the very back bolt, that's my broken one. As I put the screwdriver down there there's actually no bolt head. You can see that. There's no bolt head there. You want to remove the other 5 bolts that hold the exhaust manifold on. There are three that are easy to see, and then there's another one further forward, and another one even further forward that's a little tougher to videotape. I like to remove these while the engine is still hot, and when you do that, you just have to be careful. So you see I have a 10mm socket and a ratchet and a longer extension. Once you get it on there you can hear I broke it free. My experience is that while the engine is still hot it's easier to break those free. So you can remove the bolts and then let your engine cool down to do the other steps. And depending on which bolt you may have to use a shorter or longer extension. If you do have to remove that rear one which is broke on mine, you may actually even have to use just a 10mm wrench and another wrench to break it free. And actually, once they come out most of the way, they come out fairly easily.

Once you have the bolts out, then I recommend removing all your spark plug wires. You want to grab onto the wire on the plug end and try, twist, and pull. A large set of pliers can help do this well, but you definitely want to try and twist the boots and break them free from the plug as well as pull them down off the coil.

Okay, once you have the bolts out, you'll see the manifold will pull away. You might want to use a pry bar or have a friend help you pry that away and then take the locking pliers and get them locked onto that stud as well as you can. Okay, apologize it's not the best shot, but you see the red handle that's right in the foreground, that's the pry bar I got put in there just to give myself some extra room to move. I'm just going to get in there with my locking pliers, and basically this is the hardest one because it's in the closest space in the back. But I can basically just turn that stud 1/8 of a turn at a time, unlock the pliers, relock them on, and keep repeating until the stud feels like you can remove it with your fingers. In this shot I'm kind of prying out and getting my fingers down in there. I'm taking that broken stud out of the way just with my fingers. Final one or two threads you can get out with your fingers. And there it is.

Okay, here you see the old bolt on top. I'm missing one, I dropped it. The far left one is the broken one. The new kit from 1A Auto comes with 12 bolts, which is enough to replace both sides. I'll definitely replace all of them on the side of the manifold that I'm working on.

Good idea just to replace the ones on the other side too. Here's a trek for reassembly. I'm going to pry out the manifold, and actually have the broken stud. I'm going to put that into one of the holes that's really easy to reach. So I pry it out, I put the broken stud just a couple threads into the one that's easy to reach. This is going to allow me to grab my gaskets, and pull out or pry out on the manifold again. Put the gaskets onto that stud, and that stud's going to hold them in place. I'm also going to be able to line the manifold onto the stud as well. From above you can see the gasket is on the stud. Unfortunately you can't see it here, but I reached down, grabbed the manifold, and pulled it into place to get it on the stud.

Okay, so there's the manifold lined up on the stud. And now what I'm going to do is take a jack and lightly jack up the exhaust on that side. You may not need to do this, but on this one it was just kind of sitting a little low. That helps get the manifold into place, and then I can start threading in all the bolts in the other holes. Okay, once you get those preliminary in, then you can unthread that stud. And remember, you just want to put that stud in a couple of turns. That way it's pretty easy to get out. And then use your socket and ratchet and you can tighten up all the bolts preliminarily.

Now use a torque wrench and start with the two middle bolts. Tighten those to 15 foot-pounds. Anywhere from 15 to 18 foot pounds. Two middle ones first then alternate. Go back one then go forward one and back to the last one and forward to the last one. And the last one on ours, actually couldn't get a torque wrench onto, so I'm just using a 12mm wrench. Heads on our bolts are 12mm. I'll just use that wrench and tighten up as tightly as I can with that shorter wrench, which usually gives you around 15 to 20 foot pounds.

Once you have the manifold all tightened up, then put your spark plug wires back on. Push them onto the coil, and then make sure you work it really well onto the spark plug. Push and twist and turn a little bit until it clicks on.

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