Nearing the end of my recent valve job escapade I go to attach the header. Torqueing down the nuts and bolts I find one of them to be oddly loose... like broken bolt loose...
one of the studs had broken off inside the head... baby jesus began to cry...removed what was left of the stud inside the head and removed the other stud for good measure but I'm left with a dillema. A week long wait for any of the studs or bolts from honda.
the question:
Would using bolts to attach the header work out allright? Do the studs serve any perpose other than aligning the exhaust manifold gasket and easing installation?

 

Which bolt is it?

 

It was one of the studs... one of the two on the far corners...#21



Modified by miahmouse at 3:41 PM 8/16/2006

 

you can run without one for a while.

 

you can either use bolts or stud's or just run with it missing, u might have a small exhuast leak from it, like mine currently, i believe studs have a stronger seal than bolts or something like that

 

i replaced mine with different studs but they snapped again. you'll hav a huge exhaust leak if u dont replace it and u run the possibiltiy of your down pipe breakin off and dragging on the road. it sucks let me tell you! make sure you use new parts!

 

the ITR uses bolt with the exception of two places, the far end on each side, lower studs, to keep the header hanging on the head, and it attaches with bolts, i havent seen an ITR that doesnt do that, so it should be alright.

 

Thanks all... I ended up replacing the studs with bolts...
One thing to note, the studs are a little higher than all the others so it aligns all the others holes dead center when the manifold is hanging there by the studs. If anyone ever does the same thing, put the bolts in where the studs should be first... all the others will go in with ease after that... and have a friend nearby, f-n header is heavy trying to get bolts in while holding and aligning with one hand...