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[Derek_in_Penzance]

I have a blow from my 1998 mini-facelift 3.0 Elite RH exhaust manifold, quite bad, as you can hear the car coming down the road! I'm going to start tackling it today. I'm a newbie to Omegas so I don't know the best way to approach the job.  I have visions of sheared studs etc when trying to remove the manifold, maybe corroded mating faces, difficult access etc. There's something I read about about a dreaded Coolant Transfer Pipe too!

Can anybody offer any tips, of the sort that the Haynes manual doesn't tell me? Thanks.

[TheBoy]

Drivers side is supposed to be easiest of the 2 due to access, but that bloody coolant transfer pipe has to come off - most people struggle with that, some say its easy, I've never done it so cant comment.

[Elite Pete]

I found that removing the coolant bridge helped with access to the coolant transfer pipe bolts and a bit of grease kept the O ring in place (the second time)

The exhaust studs should be OK

[Jay w]

i cheated with mine  

I extracted all the studs, this allowed me to slip the old manifold out and slip the new one in.

double nut on each stud and lost of plus gas did it for me....

still took ages though

[Derek_in_Penzance]

Thanks for the tips, I'm now about to get the tool cabinet out. Watch this space!

[SteveD]

Make sure you check the flatness of the manifold faces with a straight edge before you re-fit & file flat if needed. You might find it's been eaten away where the blow was.

[Derek_in_Penzance]

I've spent the whole afternoon and evening trying to remove the infamous coolant metal transfer pipe that goes from around from the lower back centre of the V6 engine and alongside the RH exhaust manifold. And failed! These  engines are an accessibility nightmare!

I've removed virtually everything on the RH side inner wing, most of the rubber pipes around the rear RH corner including the heater bypass valve, and the plenum chamber. Now I have given up for the time being... sun is setting and for the coming week I must work on other cars. Maybe next weekend.

I can't help thinking that it may be better to remove the engine completely and then I can work on it far easier inside. At the same time I can attend to the other routine trouble spots on these V6s.

It's made worse by the LPG pipery around the top of the plenum chamber and into the inlet manifold, but I think I can disconnect that and leave it relatively intact.

I think I may have to remove the engine completely. It is half disconnected anyway now. At least then I can attend to other known trouble spots indoors and with relative ease.

[JamesV6CDX]

I've spent the whole afternoon and evening trying to remove the infamous coolant metal transfer pipe that goes from around from the lower back centre of the V6 engine and alongside the RH exhaust manifold. And failed! These  engines are an accessibility nightmare!

I've removed virtually everything on the RH side inner wing, most of the rubber pipes around the rear RH corner including the heater bypass valve, and the plenum chamber. Now I have given up for the time being... sun is setting and for the coming week I must work on other cars. Maybe next weekend.

I can't help thinking that it may be better to remove the engine completely and then I can work on it far easier inside. At the same time I can attend to the other routine trouble spots on these V6s.

It's made worse by the LPG pipery around the top of the plenum chamber and into the inlet manifold, but I think I can disconnect that and leave it relatively intact.

I think I may have to remove the engine completely. It is half disconnected anyway now. At least then I can attend to other known trouble spots indoors and with relative ease.

Take the plenum and trumpets out, the pipe will be very accessible then I struggled with my first, but after that I can do them pretty fast...

[Elite Pete]

As James says, inlet manifold has to come out and remove the coolant bridge, you will find it so much easier

[cem_devecioglu]

whole job take nearly 11 hours  

coolant transfer pipe (hose) must be out.. (which become a headache after)

plenum,inlet manifold out..(to reach coolant transfer pipe)

as stated previously..

[Derek_in_Penzance]

Thanks for the advice and encouragement, I will do as you advise. These sorts of jobs are always frightening the first time around and it is so tiring leaning into the engine bay all afternoon! So, back on it tonight.

[Dazzler]

Thanks for the advice and encouragement, I will do as you advise. These sorts of jobs are always frightening the first time around and it is so tiring leaning into the engine bay all afternoon! So, back on it tonight.

If you take out the front trumpet system(very easy) you can climb in, i found it much easier to reach the back of the engine then.

[Derek_in_Penzance]

My goodness, what a job this is!

I have just discovered that there was no exhaust manifold gasket blow after all. It was a split rubber joint in the Air Injection System (whatever that is). I never knew this existed so it did not occur to me that it could be the cause of the noise.  The rubber had hardened and cracked. But I should have known that the loud "hole in the exhaust pipe" noise as the car came down the road at handover didn't sound like the chuff-chuff of a blown gasket, and looked a bit closer amongst all the stuff in the engine bay on that side. All that heartache for nothing. I could have fixed it in 5 minutes if I'd realised. Lesson No 1 in car mechanics -never jump to conclusions. But at least I have learned how to take about a third of the engine apart!

Anyway, I'm replacing the gasket regardless having come this far, as the back edge looks as if it may not last much longer.

[curly]

hi mate,when these manifold gaskets are replaced now with a metal/stainless one in place of the paper/cardboard originals,it will be a very long time before you have to do it all again,as much more heavy duty,i would sooner do cam belt or cam cover gaskets than them?,good luck,curly.

[Elite Pete]

I have removed the SAI from my car