Anyone install exhaust manifold clamps to help broken studs? ***Updated***

[Scrapman]

***UPDATE***

Finally got time to try to install both Kral clamps this morning. Passenger side took about 2 hours, Driver's side took about 2 1/2. Here is what I did.

Took passenger side wheel and inner fender off. Unbolted dipstick hold down and removed next to last spark plug wire. From there it was just a matter of taking my time to get the part over the dipstick and under the last spark plug wire. It took longer to remove the tire and inner fender well. I took off the screw for the tin cover over the exhaust manifold where the clamp went over the manifold. This allowed me to bend it back and get the bracket in place. After installing the bracket, I took a socket extension and hammered the tin cover back in place with the end of the extension over the bolt hole. This got the cover close enough that I could replace the small bolt that held it into the exhaust manifold.

I wasn't looking forward to trying the driver's side because I have heard to many horror stories.
Definitely the thing that helped me the most was unbolting the transmission mount and slowly jacking up the transmission(while watching for anything getting bent or crimped) I did not remove the tire or wheel well. After jacking up the transmission, I had just enough room to get a wrench on the nut that holds the engine ground and break it loose. I then went to the top and unscrewed it the rest of the way with my hand.

I installed the top bolt with the bracket from the top, and the bottom bracket bolt from the bottom. I had just enough room to get the bracket bolts tight from the bottom and the hold down bolt from the top.

I also relocated the ground strap to one of the many holes on the side of the head above the exhaust manifold.

Hopefully this is some cheap insurance and no more exhaust manifold bolts break!

 

[Joseph Garcia]

Thank you for detailing your work. This will help other folks with a similar issue.

 

[mmosh]

A friend of mine has a Chevy truck with a 5.3 and developed an exhaust leak from broken exhaust studs. Of course, this made me want to check the studs on my 07 Tahoe. I do not have an exhaust leak yet, but the heads of the rear most studs (closest to the tail pipe) on both the passenger and the driver side exhaust manifolds have broken off.

I bought some of the Kral (KAP) clamps that bolt into existing holes on the head and clamp the exhaust manifold down where the stud is broken thinking that I am going to save myself a huge repair extracting the studs from the head.

https://www.kralautoparts.com/product/exhaust-manifold-bolt-repair-kit-kap169/

On the driver's side, the clamp uses the bolt that holds the engine ground strap and also another hole on the back of the head.

Has anyone here ever installed these on a 07-14 Tahoe/Yukon/Escalade??? For the life of me, I can not get a socket on the driver's side ground strap. There just doesn't seem to be enough room. I tried from the top and bottom. The ground strap is crimped close to the hole that the bolt fastens it to the head goes through; so it seems to need a socket instead of a wrench. The wrench will not slip over the bolt head because of the crimped part of the ground strap.

Has anyone had better luck? I could use some pointers.

Thanks

Had the driver side bolt head break off on my 2013.. bought the same part and Midas put in in for me.. worked great.. no struggles

 

[Gustavo47]

I put 4 Dorman clamps on my 04 Denali about 2 years ago. Purchased from Rock Auto for about $15 each. Did the firewall passenger side one similarly. On the drivers side firewall one I took the wheel off and sqeezed in that way then wd40'd the hole on the back side of the head and started the bolt by hand then finished with a ratcheting wrench. Next time I would consider taking the intake off to make it easier. I would also atempt to clean the crud produced by the leak off the block. Over time it started to leak again even after replacing the gaskets. I recently had the engine replaced after 312k and noticed a lot of carbon built up around the port. The mechanic said the clamps were a good way to go. ALSO...keep an eye on your upstream O2 sensor. I had a bank 1 lean code pop up some time after that I believe was caused by the offset from the exhaust leak. The sensor was fouled.