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Changing exhaust manifold - any tricks / tips?

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I'm planning on changing the stock exhaust manifold for a stainless jobby this week, just waiting on the gaskets to arrive.

Ideally I want to do this without having to remove the turbo but know that getting to the 4 mani > turbo nuts is going to be a pain in the tits.

I managed to change the elbow yesterday with the turbo in situ so can qualify myself as being competent at getting very tight bolts off in very confined spaces, as that's pretty much what I do for a job anyway, but I'm just wondering if anyone has changed a manifold without removing the turbo, I imagine it is possible but very difficult....

So... any tips or tricks? Or am I going to be flogging a dead horse by trying..?
 
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Have you got braided lines on the turbo for oil and coolant? If they're the standard ones I'd change them at the same time and I can't see them being at all flexible. The oil return at the bottom will likely cause issues as well should you need to drop the turbo at all.
I took mine out the top. Mani, turbo and elbow as one.

I'm not sure it could be done easily enough the other way to be worn trying. Be interesting to know though.
 
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Cool, I won't bother until I upgrade the turbo then. And no I don't have braided lines yet either.
 
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As above man best way if you already changed the elbow is to remove the nuts on the elbow mad take the turbo mani out as one
 
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Ok thanks dude, if I am feeling brave and decide to do it, will I need to drain the coolant as I imagine the water and oil lines will want to empty themselves? It's just disconnecting those bits that I'm not 100% with as I haven't done it before, nuts and bolts are fine. Just don't want to end up getting air in the coolant system or anything like that.
 
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+3 on the above, it makes it so much easier to bolt the turbo up to the manifold if you remove it when taking out the old manifold. You would not be able to get enough torque on the turbo to manifold nuts by leaving it on your dump pipe and alignment issue will be another problem.
 
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Ok well I'll need to get some braided hoses then as I might as well replace them at the same time, and I'll be able to get some better torque on the upper elbow-turbo bolts too. Any recommendations for reasonably priced hose kits?

And will I need to bleed the coolant off after reconnecting the new lines as I'm concerned about air getting into the system.
 
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Think I got my hoses from hose solutions. http://hosesolutions.co.uk/turbo-oil-feed-water-feed-and-water-return-for-nissan-s15-silvia.html
I also replaced the copper washers which werent included with the kit.
I'd drain the coolant and replace it at the same time.

Edit: May have been overkill but I also changed the pluggy/nut bit with the holes in (No idea what theyre called) that hold the lines in to the turbo and engine. Cant even find them now someone will know what I mean.
 
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S15_SAM

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Pluggy nut things?? Or do you mean banjo bolts?? Ha ha. Yeah worth it if your cars old but they will be fine if you've got new washers! :)

also with hose solutions quote the sxoc and you'll get 15% off!
 
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