Changing Front Inlet Manifold

[ianfletcher]

I have got another front inlet manifold to put on the car as the screw holes have stripped out of two of the holes that hold the plenum down and one of the holes for the engine cover too.
What i need to know is when i take the small coolant hoses off will coolant come flooding out and so i will need the block the hole off or is there nothing to worry about?

[Cymrudragon]

Upper inlet manifold, if this is what you are changing then there isnt any coolent hoses, what i think you mean is the breather hoses which push in to little red fastenings, why not re-tap the original bolt holes and renew bolts just a thought

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab232/cwmrudragon/50qxw6-1.jpg?t=1286457486

[ceb]

Upper inlet manifold, if this is what you are changing then there isnt any coolent hoses, what i think you mean is the breather hoses which push in to little red fastenings, why not re-tap the original bolt holes and renew bolts just a thought

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab232/cwmrudragon/50qxw6-1.jpg?t=1286457486


Is that your engine bay:eek:, I think I feel faint....:clap::clap::clap:

I'm at home all day tomorrow and have a spare brush and bucket if you wouldn't mind;)

[Cymrudragon]

I think you need more than a day mate:D yes it is my car and the wife did a good job to, ill send her over she is a bit of a cleaning nut .....O.C.D, i think its called:getmecoat:

[ianfletcher]

There is a small right angled coolant hose that comes off the manifold aswell as the breather hose and this is the one I'm worried about taking ff in case I loose alot of coolant. I have already tried re tapping the holes but they are that badly stripped that the holes are too big to get the right size thread for the bolt so when I put the new one on I can check the thermostat and pipes plus I can put the oem gasket on instead of the cheap type that I put on last time

[rrobson]

are we definitly confirmed that this component pictured (black plastic upper inlet manifold) is the one you are talking about? of are you talking about the lower ones (silver metal cast ones)
cant really advise you without knowing but if it is the plastic one you are refering to, then there are no coolant pipes that feed into this. and there are only two types that are around the top.
one is the breather pipes, and one is the petrol pipe that goes past.

if it is the lower section, there are also no coolant pipes feeding this, the only coolant pipes around the area between the battery and the engine are the large goses that go the the thermostat. other than those three there are no other coolant pipes.
so you shold have no worry in taking anything off.

if you are still unsure, take the car for a 10 min run, and phisically feel all the pipes. if they are very hot, they are coolant pipes. if they are warm or ambient engine bay temp, they are either breather pipes or petrol pipes

[Cymrudragon]

No need to remove coolent if this uim is what you are removeing? ignore oil tank


http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab232/cwmrudragon/Untitled.jpg?t=1286476294

[Cymrudragon]

are we definitly confirmed that this component pictured (black plastic upper inlet manifold) is the one you are talking about? of are you talking about the lower ones (silver metal cast ones)
cant really advise you without knowing but if it is the plastic one you are refering to, then there are no coolant pipes that feed into this. and there are only two types that are around the top.
one is the breather pipes, and one is the petrol pipe that goes past.

if it is the lower section, there are also no coolant pipes feeding this, the only coolant pipes around the area between the battery and the engine are the large goses that go the the thermostat. other than those three there are no other coolant pipes.
so you shold have no worry in taking anything off.

if you are still unsure, take the car for a 10 min run, and phisically feel all the pipes. if they are very hot, they are coolant pipes. if they are warm or ambient engine bay temp, they are either breather pipes or petrol pipes


Reading your post i think he does mean them both as the threads are us for fixing down the upper inlet manifold, mentioned in the first post.. i think

[rrobson]

Reading your post i think he does mean them both as the threads are us for fixing down the upper inlet manifold, mentioned in the first post.. i think

just had a re-read also and if your refering to the metal pipe that is just to the right of the lifting hook on the picture, then thats the petrol pipe. be careful when you take this off as there will be a little pressure in the pipe, and when you take it off petrol will obviously come out. just make sure youve got plenty of rags down to catch it all, and some to wrap round the end so you dont get dirt in it.

[ianfletcher]

I mean the metal manifold not the plastic as per the title front manifold. There is definately a coolant hose between the red breather pipe hole and where the injector lives and this is what I am asking the question about. I will try to upload a pic to show what I mean

[chris75]

I read it that Ian is planning to remove and replace the cast alloy front lower manifold , as the threads that secure the black upper manifold have stripped.
When I removed this part to get at the thermostat housing , I did have a minor flood into the inlet ports as the manifold does have coolant ports in it !( they do not have any external pipe connections ).
I had drained the level down as I thought , by taking off the lower hose but this apparently does not empty the head .There is a drain plug on the front of the block which has to be removed.

[ianfletcher]

The right angled pipe with the spring clips

[ianfletcher]

How much is a minor leak chris as I want to don't want to empty any coolant before I remove it

[chris75]

Had to go and check ! THere are external conections ; I think they go to the expansion tank via a tee-piece . My comment about the drain plug still applies.:}
Jim McGlynn's excellent photo guide for the thermostat job shows what to expect - the pipe you refer to is shown in photo 34 .
http://www.jimmcglynn.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/zt/projects/thermostat/index.html

[chris75]

How much is a minor leak chris as I want to don't want to empty any coolant before I remove it
It was too much , Ian. I had to mop out the head ports with a cloth ; luckily the valves were mainly closed as I was concerned some may have got into the bores , but no harm was done ! Maybe an eggcup- full in the worst affected :shrug:
However , in the end I did get away with it ....................

[jn12]

Best to drain coolant as Chris has pointed out when the manifold is removed the ports get water in them! and the Vee fills up a tad, not good.

If it is drained it will be dry :) oh and don't use a reproduced gasket when refitting others have had problems! TheLandrover badged ones are good and a bit cheaper then original MG Rover.

John

[ianfletcher]

I was thinking that maybe before i take it all apart i disconnect the coolant hose and plug it with a bolt will that stop coolant spilling out everywhere?

[chris75]

I was thinking that maybe before i take it all apart i disconnect the coolant hose and plug it with a bolt will that stop coolant spilling out everywhere?

Don't think so . The spillage happens when you break the gasket joint between manifold and head .:(

[jn12]

No as it is full, all still in the block. You might as well take the bottom hose off and let it drain does not take too long.

[ianfletcher]

The only reason i ask is because i hate refilling the system back up without getting air trapped

[jn12]

I understand, have you a Haynes book? the guide is good and i have had no problems after using this method. Done this 4 or 5 times for various reasons on a V6.

[chris75]

As per my post 11 , the bottom hose didn't drain enough. You need to undo the drain plug on the front face of the block .(access from under the car , behind the exhaust manifold )

[ianfletcher]

No i dont have a haynes because i get all the info i need from this site. I will just have to drain before i do the job