FP Manifold install

Suprisingly, the hard parts became the easy parts, and the easy parts became the hard parts in this installation.

I have heard the stories about exhaust manifolds. I'm sure you have too. Broken studs, stripped bolts, frozen, stuck, etc etc. From the last occurences with the O2 sensor, and the oil pan plug, I knew this would hell.

I decided to test my luck first and took out a socket wrench and went to work with the heat shield. Suprisingly they came off with ease. I was all braced and ready to give it my all, and I almost fell back over when they just let go. Within 3 bolts, the shield was off. Lady Luck seems to be loving me today.

I took no chances with the exhaust though. Sprayed generous amounts of PB blaster and went to work. Again, they were pushovers. DSM gods were really on my side. However, the bolts weren't the real problem as I soon later realized. It was getting to them. Three of the nine were below the runners. There is practically no room in between. I was able to get all of them off but one. There was still one left in between runner 2 and 3. I didn't have the right tools for the job. The socket wrench was too bit to fit between the runners nor could I slip it underneath and then pull up. I knew i needed a wrench.

Unfortunately for me, I didn't have any. Well, not the 12 MM ones anyway. It was night time by then. I mostly spent the day on the internet knocking sense into this girl (she was really torn over her ex). A trip to Sears got me a wrench with a 6 point on the bottom. When I tried to fit it in, it would smack the runner. There was no way to get it on. I really needed a 12 point.

I went over to my friend's house, watched 3:10 to Yuma with her, played R6: Vegas, then slept with her till like 7:30 in the morning. Driving home, I got pulled over by the cops for doing 42 in a 30 zone. I could tell Lady Luck was no longer with me. Got home, slept till 2:30 in the morning and tried again.

An hour later, I gave up, called my friend who's a mechanic to see if he has any solutions for me. He told me to use a rachet instead and offered to bring some over. What a life saver. Worked that sucker out and I was ready to take it off....except I couldn't. I don't know if this is stock or somebody decided to do this but on my T-25, there are 3 bolts holding the manifold to the turbo and then one bolt for a nut to be screwed on. They must have run out of bolts or something.

I was pretty much in a shithole. I couldn't lift it up or anything. It would require me to flush my coolant and oil, undo the downpipe, and take the turbo off with the manifold. #### that. Believing in the laws of "I can do anything if I put my mind to it" I got a crowbar and a breaker bar. The bolt was too long to lift the manifold off of. The idea was to pull the manifold away from the studs and over. Easier said that done. It took me a good half hour to position it right and get it that way. But now it was at an angle where it was stuck with the bolt.

With the crowbar, I pry it up slowly, working the manifold up off the bolt. It took me another half and hour. Frustrated enough, I got out the FP manifold, and test fitted on there. Coated the nuts with anti sieze and began bolting everything back up. After a little trouble of forcing it what I wanted to do, it was a perfect fit. I already had the turbo bolts on. Working on the block studs, I put each one on. Somewhere along the way I broke a stud. I couldn't believe it. It was the top passenger side stud. Knowing if I had to, I would need to drill it out. No access to a drill nor bits. "#### it" I said.

I have the worst butterfingers. I managed to drop two nuts between the runners so it caught on top of the turbo. Had to wiggle around with my fingers to get them. I also was missing a bolt and washer. I broke one, so I reused that washer. I decided to bolt it on without a washer. I later found them in my pocket. #### me sideways.

With everything connected, it was time for the test run. It felt good. Not great, but good. I'm guessing the T-25 is too small to get any gains. Did some really hard runs and came back. Lifted the hood and shit was smoking. I think it's the PB blaster burning off. I let it idle for a bit, checking coolant and oil pressure. Everything seems perfect. I retightened some of the nuts down. The manifold has a rainbow color to it from the heat. I can't say much for the coating. It feels really hot. If my fan blades or alternator go, I'll get the JMF heat shield. ####in' DSMs