First repair on the Malibu.

[ls1mike]

Just hit 90,000 miles. Did an oil change and notice a bolt head laying on a spot on the engine block.
Son of .... Broken exhaust manifold bolt. I thought it was odd as it does not seem to be common on the LTG.
Maybe a bad bolt? The other ones were fine and came right out.
Well now the turbo has to come off to get the exhaust manifold off...Which isn't difficult but time consuming and
I just wasn't interested.

My kid has been taking welding for a year and we bought him a welder for Christmas.
He took a look and said "Easy Dad". Maybe for him.
Let me show you success...

It is in a tight spot. The fix was successful. I replaced the rest of the fasteners with ARP stuff one at a time.

I think the boy and I might be able to do some damage together.

 

[KGMtech]

Excellent!

 

[ls1mike]

Excellent!

No doubt the whole thing took less than 45 minutes from start to finish. I am going to throw him a little cash. He saved me a ton of money and/or time.

 

[michaelluscher]

No doubt the whole thing took less than 45 minutes from start to finish. I am going to throw him a little cash. He saved me a ton of money and/or time.

W son
Practical Christmas gifts are the best Christmas gifts

 

[HemiBenny]

Nice work! A job well done is very satisfying. That same job being done with help from your Son or Daughter makes it even better. Kudos to the young man for jumping in and saving you a lot of time and labor!

 

[repairman54]

Kudos to you Dad for doing a good job in child rearing. Maybe the future isn't as bleak as it seems sometimes.

 

[ls1mike]

Kudos to you Dad for doing a good job in child rearing. Maybe the future isn't as bleak as it seems sometimes.

I tried, he likes working with his hands so I encouraged that. College is not for him, at least not right now. He will be 18 in October.
I didn't finish up college until I was out of the Navy.

 

[andyd]

Wabbout a technical school for one of the licensed trades? Plumbing ,electrical, HVAC, merchant marine etc

 

[ls1mike]

Wabbout a technical school for one of the licensed trades? Plumbing ,electrical, HVAC, merchant marine etc

He takes welding at a local tech school every afternoon after his normal morning classes. It is a 2 year program. He is just about done with year one. Places like Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, CSX, Union Pacific and the oil companies hire straight out of the program.

 

[4WD]

This Mike would also approve !

 

[Malo83]

Gonna have a look see on my 17 Regal.

 

[ls1mike]

Gonna have a look see on my 17 Regal.

I don't think it is common. I couldn't find anything about it. I think I had a bad fastener.

 

[The Critic]

What's with domestics and exhaust manifold issues?

 

[ls1mike]

What's with domestics and exhaust manifold issues?

I think it is mostly trucks that tow heavy. Like I said I couldn't find anyone else who had the problem with the LTG. I think it was bad fastener or over tightened. I have pulled broken exhaust manifold bolts out of Tundra that towed heavy.

 

[GMBoy]

What's with domestics and exhaust manifold issues?

LOL - I thought and laughed hard at that because you are right! - GM 4.8/5.3/6.0/6.2 car and trucks, Dodge Hemi 5.7 in cars and trucks etc....like it happens a lot! I personally had my Sierra and RAM break studs.

 

[The Critic]

LOL - I thought and laughed hard at that because you are right! - GM 4.8/5.3/6.0/6.2 car and trucks, Dodge Hemi 5.7 in cars and trucks etc....like it happens a lot! I personally had my Sierra and RAM break studs.

My 20 Ram 5.7 has cracked exhaust manifolds at <25K; manifold kits are on an intergalactic backorder.

 

[4WD]

I think it is mostly trucks that tow heavy. Like I said I couldn't find anyone else who had the problem with the LTG. I think it was bad fastener or over tightened. I have pulled broken exhaust manifold bolts out of Tundra that towed heavy.

Could be - never had one part on me …

 

[350Rocket]

Just hit 90,000 miles. Did an oil change and notice a bolt head laying on a spot on the engine block.
Son of .... Broken exhaust manifold bolt. I thought it was odd as it does not seem to be common on the LTG.
Maybe a bad bolt? The other ones were fine and came right out.
Well now the turbo has to come off to get the exhaust manifold off...Which isn't difficult but time consuming and
I just wasn't interested.

My kid has been taking welding for a year and we bought him a welder for Christmas.
He took a look and said "Easy Dad". Maybe for him.
Let me show you success...
View attachment 135483
View attachment 135484
It is in a tight spot. The fix was successful. I replaced the rest of the fasteners with ARP stuff one at a time.
View attachment 135485
View attachment 135486

I think the boy and I might be able to do some damage together.

Wonder if it could be like the ls engines where they can sometimes spit several bolt heads off and still not leak.

 

[Donald]

Exhaust manifold bolts live a tough life.

 

[ls1mike]

Could be - never had one part on me …

You have been lucky, really common on earlier LS based engines, even on my L96 in 2017 truck. I replaced them as soon as I got it with ARP fasteners.