Removal of exhaust downpips from manifold

[perry113]

Decided tonight to drop my exhaust which is in dyer need of replacement but ran into a nasty osbstacle. After removing the six bolts that clamp the manifold to the downpipes, I found the pressed in  connection between the two to be completely seized together.  

Is heat my only option? Has anyone run into this and have any other angles?
Thanks
 

[ja17]

Hello Perry,
Take a big hammer to the front pipes. Do not strike the mainfolds since they are brittle cast iron unless your W113 is an early 230SL with the headers.

Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio

[perry113]

Already beat the daylights out of the lower down pipes. Can't get any movement. They feel like their welded in there. I've done exhausts on other cars before but never seen such tight fit.
I don't have a torch but I'm feeling heat may be my only solution. No feasible that i can pry on them without damage to manifold.

[perry113]

Heated up the back flange only to discover the rear manifold is cracked and rotted above flange. I did the right thing and took the intake and manifolds off. The front is OK and I will have a muffler shop heat it up to remove lower pipe.
I can repair the rear flange but would prefer finding another one.

Plan is to sandblast and gloss jet coat manifolds. They look like they might have been white originally. Anyone know what color they should be?
Peter Perry
pperry444@juno.com
518-210-1869

[sebring64]

hey Perry, I just went through the same project yesterday, my rear pipe was frozen in the manifold, so I just took a hacksaw and cut the down pipes off right at the first bend, then took the manifold out with the remaining pipe,wd40'd the heck out of it bashed it a little with a hammer and it came loose. Much easier to do out of the car. I am having a heck of a problem with my front manifold though,how do you get it off without removing the a/c bracket?
Brian

quote:Originally posted by perry113

Decided tonight to drop my exhaust which is in dyer need of replacement but ran into a nasty osbstacle. After removing the six bolts that clamp the manifold to the downpipes, I found the pressed in  connection between the two to be completely seized together.  

Is heat my only option? Has anyone run into this and have any other angles?
Thanks
 

Brian
1971 280sl 4 speed
1971 280sl auto