Project 1
Stainless Intake Manifold Bolt Replacement
Applicable Years: C1, C2, C3
Skill Level: 1 Wrench
Tools Required: Appropriate sockets, torque wrench, wrenches; factory service manual or correct torque specs for your engine year/model; new stainless steel bolts and washers
Time Required: 1-2 hours
Parts Source: www.boltdepot.com, local hardware, fastener supply, or home improvement center
Be sure to remove a single...
Be sure to remove a single bolt at a time, then replace and tighten it to the correct torque with the stainless parts. This will minimize the chances for coolant leakage and manifold warping.
As you can see, the manifold...
As you can see, the manifold and thermostat housing bolts aren't exactly what you'd call show quality thanks to rust and oxidation. Replacing them is an easy and quick affair.
Though they aren't correct...
Though they aren't correct by NCRS standards, these stainless steel bolts and companion stainless steel washers are a decided appearance improvement over the stock steel bolt, shown above on the upper left.
There's a lot of moisture and humidity in the part of the country where I live, and this makes keeping up with and ahead of rust a constant challenge, especially when it comes to the engine bolts on my Corvettes. I've always been a big fan of stainless steel fasteners because they don't rust and always maintain a nice appearance. I also should mention that I don't enter my cars in judged shows, so I'm not really concerned about correctness. That being said, I decided to replace all the intake manifold bolts on my '67 big-block coupe with spiffy stainless fasteners. This is an easy project to do, but you want to make sure you only remove one bolt at a time, and insert and tighten the stainless replacement to the correct torque before removing the next one. This is done for two reasons: First, it minimizes the chance for any coolant leakage, and second, this won't create any great disturbance in the overall torque of the manifold so there won't be any warping.
I ordered the replacement bolts from www.boltdepot.com, but you can also get them from the local fastener supply, a well-stocked hardware store, or a home improvement center such as Home Depot or Lowes. Replacing all the bolts should take about an hour on most models, although it may take a little longer on some (e.g., tri-powers) if there is more plumbing to contend with. It really dresses up the engine, and it eliminates rusty-bolt syndrome for good.