Removal of exhaust manifold C5 PETROL 2003

[spiff]

Have any of you most learned gentlemen had to remove or replace the exhaust manifold on a Citroen C5 petrol 2003 ?

I have tracked a rattle down to the manifold, having replaced the cat and secured the heat shields it is all that is left.

I hope : )

There are apparently plates inside the manifold that have been known to rattle.

Do the studs present any problems, as they look rusty due to the heat.

I do no want to end up with one shearing off, just to stop a noise on an old car.

I have read and seen a picture of a repair on the manifold to stop the noise, once it is off I will attempt that first : )

A used one could end up with the same problem and new they are not that cheap.

Any advice appreciated : )

God Bless Spiff

[teuski]

Been there, done that.

Those nuts that don't come off from above can be opened from below after removing just the downpipe. You need lots of extensions for your sockets.

There is just enough space to wiggle the manifold out from above.

After removing the manifold just weld the inner pipes together at the end.

Those "plates" are actually separate exhaust pipes inside a common cover.

[spiff]

Good morning teuski,

From a very wet and windy Mullion Cove Cornwall.

Thank you for your message.

You also had the rattling noise and it was caused by the end of those pipes.

It has been a problem on the car even before we purchased it a year or so back, having been mentioned on several service documents and MOTs.

Every time it was assumed to be the catalytic converter, it certainly sounds as if it is coming from the cat.

We replaced the cat last year only to find we still had most of the rattle, it did stop a sound like dried peas rattling, which was loose bits of metal in the old cat.

I have a Mig welder which I have not used yet, so I had better get some practice in first.

I thought of putting some ease it oil on the manifold bolts the night before taking it off.

Did the bolts come off fairly easily ?

Another question did the old gasket clean off easily ?

One more, did you use a sealing compound ?

Thank you for you time : )

God Bless Spiff

[Hell Razor5543]

Spiff, if you were not going to use the car for a few days, night I suggest you (if you can get any access to them) spray some Plus Gas onto the threads? It does help a lot (not for nothing is it also know as dismantling fluid). It works best if it can be applied daily for a few days, to allow it to soak in.

[spiff]

Thank you kindly Hell Razor that sounds a good idea, we do not use the car much at all.

It sits in its garage most of the time, out of the salt air : )

I shall look up Plus Gas, possibly like WD40 ?

God Bless Spiff

[Hell Razor5543]

Plus Gas is nothing like WD40 (the original stuff); it was designed to penetrate down into the threads and help loosen thing up.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/FORMULA-801-10 ... s=plus+gas

Here is the story about the development of WD40;

https://www.wd40.com/cool-stuff/history

[spiff]

I have just been reading other threads about removing difficult parts.

There is a whole science out there for un-sticking stuck parts : )

Thank you for the link.

God Bless Spiff

[Hell Razor5543]

I have used Plus Gas on numerous occasions, and (provided it is given time to work) it is very effective. The first time I used it was on the brake bleed nipples on a Xantia (they were VERY crusty), but a daily application over a week meant that I needed very little effort to undo them.

[myglaren]

WD40 now do a penetrating oil/dismantling fluid if you can't get hold of Plus Gas.
Haven't tried it myself, only Plus Gas.