Manifold Swap

[wutagoalie]

Hey guys, My 03 limited has the famous drivers side manifold leak (rotted away).
I have been looking on rock auto at different manifold/cat combos. My question is , how difficult is the removal and install of the front left manifold? I have a friend who is willing to help me with the swap for a case of beer :rockon:

He is very mechanically inclined , but i am just trying to gather as much info on how much this will entail. What are some of the major issues that I will be looking at?
Thanks

 

[Velonici]

I havent done it (although mine is ticking slightly when cold.) I have heard that they are a pain in the ass to replace. Even for mechanically inclined people. Im holding out on the hope that someone makes a nice set of headers for the 04 crowd.

 

[Mike07SE]

Doable job. The older and rustier the more of a PITA obviously. I did this by myself installing Doug Thorley Long Tubes a long while back. Takes time and patience and is definitely a much easier job when working with someone else. Check the link in my sig for the thread of my writeup.

Make sure you have all new hardware to go with this (gaskets, bolts).

Start soaking all around the manifold bolts and studs in PB Blast a few days ahead.

You don't say or list in your sig if you have a V6 or V8 (good to do to help people out when asking ?'s like this). I did the DTLT headers on my V6. Ok enough room to work with. I did have the issue of having to remove the studs in the head just so I could get the manifold flange to clear enough to remove. Buying fresh new studs and nuts not a bad idea, they were cheap to have on hand

If you do have the V8, this could be harder to do as it's obviously a bigger motor plus the vee is 90* vs. 60* for the V6 placing the exhaust manifold closer to the frame rail

 

[CAN-03runner]

Get new hardware studs, nuts, gaskets etc....

Doing the V8 is tight.

Mine is a 2003. Had to retap some of the threads. The studs...bolts that were used appeared to be self tapping style that Toyota uses all over the place. I think that might be part of the problem. If it doesn't go in at the perfect angle it still makes its way in since it self taps. So what ever machine, robot, human + robot machine combination was used the calibration of the bolt alignment was off. Maybe because it's so tight the tool that was used in the factory doesn't quite fit 100%. Anyways all I know is my new studs weren't all screwing in right until it was retaped.

 

[wutagoalie]

Doable job. The older and rustier the more of a PITA obviously. I did this by myself installing Doug Thorley Long Tubes a long while back. Takes time and patience and is definitely a much easier job when working with someone else. Check the link in my sig for the thread of my writeup.

Make sure you have all new hardware to go with this (gaskets, bolts).

Start soaking all around the manifold bolts and studs in PB Blast a few days ahead.

You don't say or list in your sig if you have a V6 or V8 (good to do to help people out when asking ?'s like this). I did the DTLT headers on my V6. Ok enough room to work with. I did have the issue of having to remove the studs in the head just so I could get the manifold flange to clear enough to remove. Buying fresh new studs and nuts not a bad idea, they were cheap to have on hand

If you do have the V8, this could be harder to do as it's obviously a bigger motor plus the vee is 90* vs. 60* for the V6 placing the exhaust manifold closer to the frame rail

Sorry, V8

 

[CruzadoBlanco]

i did my driver side manifold i a couple of hours, but then again im REALLY lucky and have zero rust on anything of mine. just a day of PB soaking and everything came off with t 3/8s ratchet.i did use new locknuts and gasket but i did not use the studs i bought. but again everything is rust free, hell even the o2 sensors came out with little effort........i am the minority:hiding:

 

[wutagoalie]

i did my driver side manifold i a couple of hours, but then again im REALLY lucky and have zero rust on anything of mine. just a day of PB soaking and everything came off with t 3/8s ratchet.i did use new locknuts and gasket but i did not use the studs i bought. but again everything is rust free, hell even the o2 sensors came out with little effort........i am the minority:hiding:

Wow 2 hours, that's pretty good. I need to change the drivers side as well. that's is the side I am leaking on.
Is there anything that's stands out that I need to worry myself with?

 

[wutagoalie]

Wow 2 hours, that's pretty good. I need to change the drivers side as well. that's is the side I am leaking on.
Is there anything that's stands out that I need to worry myself with?

TTT Please

 

[CruzadoBlanco]

Wow 2 hours, that's pretty good. I need to change the drivers side as well. that's is the side I am leaking on.
Is there anything that's stands out that I need to worry myself with?

oh my bad i totally forgot about this thread. check all of your studs and make sure they look good, if they are corroded or severely rusted you might be in for a long project. and before you put the new manifold in clean and check each mating surface to make sure theyre flat. oh and the best tools for the job is a universal, deep 14mm socket, 2FT of extension (yes really two feet im not kidding), and a breaker bar. 3/8s seems to fit in there the best but you might need to use some 1/2in stuff. oh and dont be afraid of the anti-seize when you goto put it all back together.