Slightly off Topic - Wrench Types and Techniques- Removing Stubborn Nuts

[verbotenwhisky]

I am trying to separate a turbo charger from the exhaust manifold. The manifold gasket needs replacing.

There are 4 studs in the manifold and 4 corresponding nuts holding the turbo charger on. The manifold - turbo charger pair are on the vehicle and one of the manifold bolts is shielded by the turbo charger. I believe the turbo charger must be removed first.

One of the 4 nuts is accessible with either a box end or crows foot, the second nut is accessible by a box end. The other 2 nuts are only accessible with an open end wrench. I am concerned if I try to loosen those last 2 with an open wrench I will round the corners of the nuts and then be really stuck.

Are there intermediate wrench types that are half way between a box end and an open end? It would have to slid on via 2 sides and then rotate to 'lock'.

I haven't tried heat. Will simply starting the engine and waiting for the manifold to get to 500 degrees or help? Or is this method band and I need to try direct heat on the nuts as best as I can?

What have I missed? I can't be the first one to run into something like this. After braking things for decades I have learned to slow down. However at this point I am well and truly stuck. (although I haven't made is worse yet.) Thanks in advance - Dan

I would use a small soldering tip on the torch and heat the nut without heating the rest of the manifold and turbo. I agree with Pontiac428 though, pull the whole thing and deal with it on the bench....

 

[verbotenwhisky]

I have 15" Crescent with a black oxide finish, made in USA. I managed to round over a nut on a 2-5/16" hitch ball with it although I apparently broke the rules by using a 4' extension. We had to cut the nut off with a torch. From the Crescent site, "Never attempt to increase the leverage of a crescent wrench by lengthening the handle with a pipe. If you cannot open a fastener with a crescent wrench, do not hammer the handle; use a longer wrench or a box-wrench of the proper size."

that falls under rule 106, it ain't stuck if its liquid....

 

[ChazzC]

Here's a pic (grabbed at random, I've never shopped this company. HD and Lowe's should have them.)

RopeSoapNDope

ropesoapndope.com

GsT

HD doesn’t carry Vise Grips, Lowes & Grainger don’t have these, Zoro dies (but $31 and not available). Amazon has for $14 ($15 for 10”). Found a photo showing how a nut fits:

 

[verbotenwhisky]

Here is another option:

Then there is always a nut splitter option....

 

[RJSakowski]

I would use a small soldering tip on the torch and heat the nut without heating the rest of the manifold and turbo. I agree with Pontiac428 though, pull the whole thing and deal with it on the bench....

The OP said that the turbo is blocking the last manifold bolt.

If possible, I would be inclined to cut the head from the manifold bolt and use a stud extractor to remove the remainder of the bolt once the manifold/turbo was removed. The threads in the block are not as likely to be frozen Failing a stud extractor. weld a nut to the stud and use a wrench.

 

[Jake M]

I have three sizes and the smallest ones will go (just eyeballing them) on a #10 nut,........
GsT

Cool. I had not seen that size. I stand by the geometry taking a lot more room than an appropriately sized adjustable wrench, and not really an answer for this particular job, but I did not know that they'd done a smaller one. Probably even more useful since smaller hexes are the hardest to work with by other means. I'm sure I'll have one sooner than later. Thanks for that.

 

[toprecyler]

Here's a pic (grabbed at random, I've never shopped this company. HD and Lowe's should have them.)

RopeSoapNDope

ropesoapndope.com

GsT

Side note, this type of locking pliers work awesome at pulling finish nails and staples from wood. The large round side makes for great leverage to pull fine nails. I set the adjustable screw just tight enough so I only pressure with handles without locking.

Screenshot in case link goes away.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dansawyer]

Thank you all. A couple of answers:

The turbo blocks one of the manifold bolts. I tried to remove the pair, however that bolt prevents removing the manifold w/o removing the turbo first.

The engine is a cat 3126. The PO replaced the turbo about 5 years ago; the paper air filter was pulled into the turbo. The nuts are supposed to be 40 ft lbs, however that is before any heat cycling or rust.

There is relatively good access to 2 of the manifold - turbo bolts, the 2 furthest from the head. I can get a good crows foot on them. I am pretty confident that with soaking and heat those will come off.

The 2 closest to the head will allow a thin box end, but not much clearance for either a long wrench or travel once it starts to move. I may have to use a lever to get enough purchase.

There is not enough clearance for either vice grips or a nut splitter.

I will take a first swing at the heating cycle tomorrow, Monday the 8th.
This response has been fantastic. Thank you all.

 

[mac1911]

I am trying to separate a turbo charger from the exhaust manifold. The manifold gasket needs replacing.

There are 4 studs in the manifold and 4 corresponding nuts holding the turbo charger on. The manifold - turbo charger pair are on the vehicle and one of the manifold bolts is shielded by the turbo charger. I believe the turbo charger must be removed first.

One of the 4 nuts is accessible with either a box end or crows foot, the second nut is accessible by a box end. The other 2 nuts are only accessible with an open end wrench. I am concerned if I try to loosen those last 2 with an open wrench I will round the corners of the nuts and then be really stuck.

Are there intermediate wrench types that are half way between a box end and an open end? It would have to slid on via 2 sides and then rotate to 'lock'.

I haven't tried heat. Will simply starting the engine and waiting for the manifold to get to 500 degrees or help? Or is this method band and I need to try direct heat on the nuts as best as I can?

What have I missed? I can't be the first one to run into something like this. After braking things for decades I have learned to slow down. However at this point I am well and truly stuck. (although I haven't made is worse yet.) Thanks in advance - Dan

Do you know if the studs and nuts are stainless.
If you use heat , quickly heat the nut and give it a go to see if it breaks free.
Sometimes the long way is the short way. Get everything out of the way until you can get a nice 6 point socket on there.

 

[Jake M]

The engine is a cat 3126. The PO replaced the turbo about 5 years ago; the paper air filter was pulled into the turbo. The nuts are supposed to be 40 ft lbs, however that is before any heat cycling or rust.

I lied then, it's not 8mm, it's 10...... Whoops?

That DOES use the fancy locking nuts, and they are one time use. No guarantees on how a previous owner put it back together. Especially one prone to putting in air filters cheap enough to shred when they plug..... Fancy nuts that are reused, and "standard" nuts that are used off spec, either way they can be quite stuck. If the previous owner used new nuts, they usually "crack" with a good snap (and lots of effort) but they just about (not quite) spin off with your fingers after that.

Anyhow, my memory of those, aside from anger and frustration, is that three of those bolts could be done with a box wrench, and one of them, from the bottom, I used to get with a socket wrench, extension, and a deep socket, with the actual ratchet handle being awkwardly positioned inside the frame rail. Take a look at your configuration and see if you can make a socket and extension fit in there. I'm thinking (it's been ten years since the last one went away, and way longer since I had a turbo off...) I'm thinking there's no direct line of sight, you've got to put your head where you can see the nut, and feed the socket/extension in from over by the frame, and kind of "feel" for straight by how the socket fits the nut. Again, it's been years, so grain of salt, I kind of remember using a swivel socket on that job, but I can't remember if it was the Cats or the Cumminzes.

Snap-on Store

shop.snapon.com

While you're waiting for the new nuts to come in , take a peek and see if that method might fit your configuration. They're not all the same, but the ones we had were pretty much standard unless they were specialized for something specific.