Now I'm on to the other side. Big thanks to those who helped me on the exhaust manifold; it's backed off of the head now. How in heavens name do you get at the IM bolts that are RIGHT beside the fuel injectors? Can't get any socket on them and my crows foot wrench doesn't clear the head to get an extension on it. Only thing that even partially fits is an open end wrench but I only get millimeters worth of swing and it looks like its just rounding the bolt, not turning it. Help!

Also just to add I'm not doing a full remove, just enough to disconnect it from the cylinder head.

 

This is what I have and they work wonders mine are 10-19mm. don't use the open end that's just asking to round the head of the bolt

I got mine in a set but I've seen them sold separately at tool stores/trucks

 

Thanks for replying!

Yeah I already tried the open end on a standard wrench as it was the only thing that would fit but I think I stopped before I did any real damage. I found a 12mm ratcheting wrench locally but the socket area is too thick for it to properly seat on the bolt. The swivel head might work but then the problem becomes if the bend is too low then it won't clear the head.

I'd love to know who's bright idea it was to position the nut IMMEDIATELY adjacent to the solid metal casting for the fuel injectors...

I wonder what the techs at the dealer use? Clearly there must be some sort of tool that'll have those nuts out of there in 2 seconds.

 

They do what I did, and what everyone I know of does. Remove the fuel rail, use a socket, stubby extension, and ratchet.

 

I did everything with socket and ratchet lol. The bolt that's under the intake mani is a bitch to get off unless you go under the car.

 

I had no problem getting at it from under the intake manifold, but above the car.

 

I'll try in bolting the fuel rail to see if that makes it easier but from what I can see its not the problem, the bolt being beside the metal ridge for the fuel injector is. I guess it'll allow me more room to get in with a ratchet.

 

Wait wait wait ! you tried doing this WITH the rail still in place ? no wonder, you'll still need a wrench for some of them rather then a ratchet/socket combo. Same I have small hands so I can get in there great one of the WORST manifolds to do that on is the stock GSR one.

 

I didn't have too much trouble breaking each of those bolts loose from the top (without removing the rail) using the box end of a standard 12mm combo wrench with a 14mm combo wrench hooked around the top for extra leverage. The middle one is the toughest bolt to reach, but it can be done. Now getting them back on, once you're done... THAT'S the fun part. The middle one, I *had* to drain the oil, remove the oil filter and reach up from underneath in order to get it started back on the stud.

 

You can leave the manifold on if you want as well and remove it with the head, just remove the parts like fuel supply & return, some vacuum lines, electrical connectors, intake manifold to block brace, etc.

 

I'd thought about doing that but the machine shop needs it with the intake removed so it seems like less work to just unbolt it in-engine. I tried the wrench daisy chain but its just slipping on the nut. To prevent rounding the nuts any further I'm going to pop the fuel rail next chance I get to work on it. My understanding is once the rail is removed is need to replace the o-rings on the injectors?

 

As long as you don't nick them, you don't need to replace them. I've pulled and reinstalled my injectors multiple times without having to replace their O rings. Alternatively, you could pull the injectors with the rail, leaving them on the rail. Then you can basically forget the O rings even exist.

 

That thing is hard to get off on an engine stand... I usually end up going with a wrench for a couple of them and torquing them to 2 grunts (that's a technical term). Good luck.

 

Alright so I pulled the fuel rail without any problems, but I still can't get at these nuts. There's one near the dizzy side of the manifold that a socket does not even fit on. The actual shape of the mainfold is getting in the way of sitting a socket on it. When I tried a box-end wrench? Rounding. The nut will not budge and is virtually inaccessible. Sorry but I'm near my wit's end with this...

 

If the nuts are rounded, you might have better luck with a 6-point box end or a flare nut wrench. If they're STILL too rounded to come out, then you might have to remove the head with the intake manifold still on... they'll be easier to get to, once the entire assembly is off the car. That way, you can get a set of locking pliers or an extractor socket on them. Make sure to put a new set of nuts on when you reinstall it.

 

Before removing the intake and head as an assembly, if it gets real ugly, you might want to try a chisel on the nut to see if it will turn, and then replace the nut once its loose.

 

the end bolt by the dizzy use a 1/4 in with a swivel and the middle bolt on the bottom use a 10 inch extension brings it out behind the manifold all the rest use a box end wrench

 

should take no more then 20 mins to remove the head

 

I'm going to try the chisel trick as that's my last shot. The nuts are pretty much welded in place and the only flare-nut wrench set I could find is, like everything else, too thick to fit properly on the nut because of the casting where the fuel injectors go in. If I can't get these nuts off by tonight I'm giving up. I'll just undo the head, put in the new gasket and put it back together, praying it wasn't warped. I've been without my car for over 3 weeks now and this is getting ridiculous.