VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 40 Special Deluxe, exhaust manifold bolt

Working on repairing exhaust heat riser spring and manifold gaskets. I got the slot in the heat riser spring cleaned out and new heat riser installed. I've been cleaning gasket surfaces and I think I have a bolt broken in the rear of the head. When I took the bolts out I didn't find anything in the rear of the manifold. Any ideas? I can't see anyway of drilling that bolt out. Its broken off flush and even dips into head area. Do I dare put it back together and hope things will seal without the rear bolt in?
Thanks
Don

I would put it back together and see what happens. From about 1949 and up the ends just had a smooth guide stud with no threads on the ends and they never had a leakage problem.

Don, On all my 1940 Chevys the ends of the exhaust manifold go onto two studs and are held with brass nuts. Sounds like the stud is broken off. You might get away without exhaust leaks if not replaced. If you need to replace the stud, be careful when drilling for an easy out. You can try using a very narrow chisel to make a slot in the top of the stud, and then use a screw diver to turn it out. This doesn't always work, but it's a safer shot and doesn't take long. Good luck. John

Don, All my fourty Chevys have the tang on the exhaust pipe. The new ones I bought do too. I bought one from Chevs of the 40's and one from Parks pipe's. I like the one from Park's better. Anyway, I couldn't see any reason for the spring as far as support or even for absorbing flexing of the pipe. It appeared that it was there to aid in installation and alignment. The spring is too small and weak to give support. Anyway, just another opinion to think about. John

The spring was a static ground for the exhaust system.

Chevgene...I always get a charge out of your answers...ha..ha..ha..ha

dtm

Cool, I bet it was so the on board computer didn't get a static charge.