[BlkGS]

Digging into my long tubes install, speed engineering on my 09 AWD. Had 2 bolts broken off before I started, but think they'll both come off with vice grips.

My question is how the eff do I get to 2 of the bolts on the passenger side. The middle bolts I just can't seem to get to. The ones where there's 2 in the same pocket, I got one but the other I can't get to with any combination of wobbles and extensions. I THINK I could get it from above with a fine tooth ratchet and cheater bar, but it'll be a pain. I'm pretty sure I can also remove the UCA and have direct access as well. The bolt just forward of that one, I got nothing for. It's directly behind the shock tower, so I have no direct access to it. I could again probably get it from above with a magical fine tooth long reach ratchet, but don't have one so haven't tried. All the other bolts came out easily from the wheel wells with wobbles, extensions, and the impact gun.

Any ideas are appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Rmvurtop]

U should be able to just snake ur hand in there. The back one is easiest through the wheel well

 

[BlkGS]

I'm gonna give it a shot with an icon extra long ratchet and see how that goes.

 

[scott750]

The ones on the passenger side I got to thru the wheelwell with extensions and u-joint.

 

[BlkGS]

I'm thinking of I unbollt the motor mounts I can shove the engine towards the driver's side a big and reduce the angle, should get me onto the bolts I think.

The extra long ratchet was a no go. Couldn't get. A good enough grip on the bolt, and started to round it off. Got a spline tooth ratcheting wrench coming today, that's gonna mangle the bolt, but hopefully a bit of MAP gas, freeze off, and that will do the trick.

 

[Snomongoose]

My header bolts started to loosen and put Stage 8 fasteners in. Used Double Box End Wrench Set (ratcheting) only thing I could get to work.

 

[BlkGS]

I ended up getting them with the big ass icon ratchet. I removed the air intake box, and pulled the washer tank and moved it. That gave me enough room to get on them from above with the big ass ratchet.

The funny part was the big ass ratchet was top big to remove the bolt and the ratchet come out. I had to basically break it loose with the ratchet and then come back in with the ratcheting wrench to remove it. Silly, but got it done.

Feeling like removing the manifolds should be the hardest part of this. Hoping so at least.

 

[Snomongoose]

Glad you got them out. I was lucky with having the headers already installed.

I've hear horror stories about the manifold bolts breaking off in the head.

Having to weld nuts on or removing heads.

There is light at the end of the tunnel. I'm thinking about taking the headers off to wrap them.

 

[BlkGS]

I used Eastwood ceramic coating spray on mine. It's really intended for the inside of them, but I had.leftover so I put on the outside too. It flakes off the outside quickly if you touch it, assuming you haven't heat treated it per the directions.


I did the outside with leftovers, so not too worried about it. I've always heard wrapping headers was a bad idea (at least in FL) as it traps moisture by the headers and corrodes them faster.

 

[Snomongoose]

If my car saw rain in the past year I might worry about it.

Only is out when there is no rain or snow in the Northeast.

 

[Mitch808]

I did the Eastwood coating too. But as directed, inside my kook ceramic coated LT'S. I can't tell if either really helped. At least with wrapped stuff, you can touch it for a second before being burned where as I'll sizzle and blister even with "coated," parts.

If it were coated and wrapped, I'd not worry about rust. Of course there is extra cost and time. Not to mention that 1/8" of extra thickness can make or break fitment now a days with various variables on a tbss. E.g. Frame rail touching or steering shaft touching or plug wires touching

 

[BlkGS]

I used it inside as well. Hopefully it works out.

 

[BlkGS]

Still working through this crap. Got the manifolds off, got the driver's side on. Did break the coolant temp sensor in the process, so replaced that.

Driver's side was not going in with the drive shaft in. Pulled the 4 bolts that hold the u joint in and popped it out of the transfer case. U joint fell apart, so that's getting replaced too. Yay.

Passenger side came out easy enough but won't go in for the life of me. Hits on something, can't tell what, everyone says to lift the motor an inch or so and it's easy..well I can't get the effin motor to lift. Pulled the bolts that to to the motor no good..pulled the 3 that hold the two brackets together, nope. Everyone says to pull the nuts on the top and bottom of the rubber mounts, well the bottoms are blacked by half shafts, the tops aren't accessible.

At this point I figure my only real option is to pull the 3 bolts that hold the brackets to the frame and do them that way, which means pulling the struts. Kinda wish I had started with that, since I wanted to take a strut spacer out of my belltechs anyways... Would have saved a few hours of work time.

Anyways, this job has been a real pain in the ass, much more so than I expected.

 

[Civteck]

Sounds kinda like my install.. drivers side had to pull the front shaft and (notch the crossbrace) pass side had to remove the mount and lift the motor. Not from the 3 frame bolts tho. Noticed at this point my mounts were weak and motor was sagging pass side, check the mounts and check options there were 2 or 3 guys here making nice mounts.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[BlkGS]

Pulled the mounts, that went easy. But I swear this passenger header just refuses to go in. I jacked it up to the point that the intake manifold is touching, it hits on the trans.

I unbolted the 2 bolts that mount the trans to the trans mount thinking I could shove the motor over like people say to do, no go. It moves like very slightly if I push hella hard on it. The only thing I can think of at this point is maybe run a ratchet strap around the motor to try to pull it towards the driver's side.

I watched a video from rev hard garage and when they did it they're able to move it around like it's nothing. That is not my.experience at all. What am I missing?