You dnt have to remove the radiator, its actually quite simple once you find the L shaped braacket right next to the downpipe connecting to the 02 housing. Remove that bolt and the bolts connecting to the head and the bolts connecting to the turbo. You can disconnect the licp to make it easier. I used PB blaster oil spray for the bolts. (Just spray and let sit for 5 min) .. hope this helps

 

I replaced my mani. Only jacked the car up to make it easier to work on. I didn't have to take off the lower IC piping, just used a short pry bar, stuck it into a spot against the engine block and pressed down to get the mani connected to the turbo housing again, then got all the bolts done, I'll have some pictures up later but didn't really take a step by step for everybody kinda wish I had thought about it now. All in all I took my sweet time, used Copper anti-seize for all threads, and Mr. Copper racing gasket as well as a new turbo inlet gasket. both gaskets combined cost about $75.
You'll need a pry bar,
Ratchet,
14mm socket
12mm socket,
12mm closed end wrench,
14mm closed end wrench,
extension and a joint/pivot extension for some of the harder to reach bolts/nuts
Copper Anti-seize for all bolts/threads
New gaskets (can reuse the old ones if you clean them off, but new is always better and more reliable).
Don't put a Megan Racing mani on unless your pretty much stock because they will not hold the power. Had mine on 400whp and it cracked in multiple places. Megan one weighs 9.0lbs, new custom mani weighs 13.8lbs and is much much more sturdy, and built so much better. The difference in quality can be felt just by holding the two. Hope this helped some

 

I'm curently putting everything back together and was wondering what kind of torque wrench you guys used to zip the manifold bolts up. Going to run to the parts store since I don't have a torqure wrench that'll fit in between everything. Thanks!!

 

I've got a problem While loosening the nuts on the front studs of the turbine housing the right one got caught up.

I broke it free and I must have been going too fast and it started to tighten again. Once that first turn on the wrench where I feel more pressure I stopped.

Should I try to heat the nut with a torch and go very slow and try to take it off? Or should I just not risk it and try to reseat the nut?

Can that stud be cut off, drilled out, and a bolt put in it's place? Or cut off the top, drill out the bottom half of the stud keeping the threads in tact/repair with a tap and buy another stud?


Anybody run into this issue? Thanks.

 

Update got the bolt off. Just sprayed another layer of liquid wrench on it. Let it sit for an hour while I ate dinner. Came back and just went extra slow and it unthreaded. There was some mishapened threads on the stud but it was reuseable. New manifold looks gooood.