Stock Manifold Heat shields

[K5 Jess]

Anyone take them off? Ive got my manifolds off and the plan is to spray them with some VHT ceramic coating. To do so I need to get the stock heat shields off, spray the manifolds then rivot them back together. Anyone done something simular??? Is it spot welded???? and I guess I know better but is this going to be straight forward or a P.I.A???? Im guessing PIA, cus this truck fights me on everything!

 

[dhcomp]

Why are you spraying them? The spraying won't be tough, but the removal/installation of the manifold in general will be. Unless there is a major problem, don't play with them. Bolts often break, etc.

If they are already off, do what you want with them...just remember they will shrink when you go to put them back on, and bolt holes won't line up. I drilled my holes out a little larger when i HAD to remove them to get them to line up, or you can do this:
http://www.google.com/products?q=ma...esult_group&ct=title&resnum=3&ved=0CCMQrQQwAg

After all the times i've wrestled with manifolds, and normally end up worse off, i say don't touch them. Remove when ready to upgrade to headers.

 

[K5 Jess]

Why are you spraying them? The spraying won't be tough, but the removal/installation of the manifold in general will be. Unless there is a major problem, don't play with them. Bolts often break, etc.

If they are already off, do what you want with them...just remember they will shrink when you go to put them back on, and bolt holes won't line up. I drilled my holes out a little larger when i HAD to remove them to get them to line up, or you can do this:
http://www.google.com/products?q=ma...esult_group&ct=title&resnum=3&ved=0CCMQrQQwAg

After all the times i've wrestled with manifolds, and normally end up worse off, i say don't touch them. Remove when ready to upgrade to headers.

why would they shrink???

 

[dhcomp]

They just do. Once tension is removed from the bolts, and the manifolds are pulled off the motor, they tend to not fit back where they were before. Not huge shrinkage (), but enough that the bolt holes don't line up properly.

Manifolds get heated/cooled so many times that they want to shrink up when off the truck and cold.

 

[K5 Jess]

well, there already off. There getting sand blasted now and I should get them back today or tomarrow. then Ill spray them and when the rain breaks Ill go put them on. i didnt have a problem with any of the bolts comin out. All the shielding was a PIA tho

 

[4X4HIGH]

Exhaust manifolds on GM vehicles are notorious for shrinking and that's why there is a tool made called an exhaust manifold spreader. I would suggest that before you do anything else make sure the manifold will still bolt on without any trouble then go about what you want to do with them.

The shields are riveted on and you can easily get them off by using a chisel and carefully hitting the rivets from either side (not too hard or you'll break the rivet off) and once the shield becomes a little loose (rivets starting to move) you can use a pair of side cutters to remove the rivets. Once you're done with the coating then you just simply lay the shield in place and hammer the rivets back in.

 

[K5 Jess]

Exhaust manifolds on GM vehicles are notorious for shrinking and that's why there is a tool made called an exhaust manifold spreader. I would suggest that before you do anything else make sure the manifold will still bolt on without any trouble then go about what you want to do with them.

The shields are riveted on and you can easily get them off by using a chisel and carefully hitting the rivets from either side (not too hard or you'll break the rivet off) and once the shield becomes a little loose (rivets starting to move) you can use a pair of side cutters to remove the rivets. Once you're done with the coating then you just simply lay the shield in place and hammer the rivets back in.

Mine were spot welded and I drilled them out. I will drill new holes in the heat sheildds and rivot them back together myself.There all masked off and Ive got paper rolled up and stuffed down all the screw holes. I took pics of my make shift spray booth and Ill hang them and spray them tomarrow and post pics. Guess Ill find out the hard way when I got to put them back on. but the motor sat for atleast a month before I pulled the manifolds off in this freezing arse weather.

 

[4X4HIGH]

Oops, i forgot about the later ones, yes they are two halves that are spot welded together.

 

[K5 Jess]

well, the usual happened when sprayin the manifolds! Before I started with the second can, I tested it on the cardboard booth and it was freakin light blue!!! So I got on the phone and a nearby Napa ahd it but it was almost 330 and I had to get ready for work. So Ill pick it up as soon as they open today and finish.

 

[vortec]

i left my manifolds off for several months after my engine snapped a rod. they bolted up just fine when i installed the rebuilt engine. no shrinkage. maybe i'm just lucky.

 

[cuervo]

I've had issues with the manifolds and bolting them back up on an 87 and I know a friend that had one break when the dealer was trying to put it back on.

 

[dhcomp]

I've had issues with the manifolds and bolting them back up on an 87 and I know a friend that had one break when the dealer was trying to put it back on.

My 94's with 155k on them didn't bolt up after they were off for 30 min.

 

[K5 Jess]

i left my manifolds off for several months after my engine snapped a rod. they bolted up just fine when i installed the rebuilt engine. no shrinkage. maybe i'm just lucky.

Ya, I think Ill be lucky too

 

[K5 Jess]

Sorry about the wait but I had to take off for a funeral. Plus, the second can of the header ceraminc paint was not black! Thank god I tested it on the cardboard booth I set up in the garage. Damn thing was light blue!! then I couldnt get to the parts store to get it in time that saturday and had to wait till sunday to get two more cans.

 

[K5 Jess]

 

[K5 Jess]

 

[K5 Jess]

sorry if its hard to fallow. Im still getting used to posting multiple pics here. I sprayed the manifolds with about 7 coats. the heat shield/smog thing got two or three coats of what was supposed to be a matte gray.