Posted by Peter Gillies on Tuesday, April 12, 2005 at 3:49PM :
In Reply to: Exhaust Manifold Bolt posted by Dave on Tuesday, April 12, 2005 at 9:47AM :
As many of you know the US Military built a pipeline from Norman Wells NWT (on the Mackenzie River) to Skagway during the later part of the second world war, as they were afraid that their supply of oil from overseas would be cut off. This was one of the first pipelines installed over permafrost and failed miserably.
I was fortunate to be taking a bulk sample at a mineral exploration property along that pipeline on the Yukon/NWT border. One morning we took the helicopter and flew towards Normal Wells to do a liitle scrounging from the trucks that are stacked up like cordwood along the length of the pipeline. Let me clarify that a little there are a number of sites where the trucks are lined in rows, no longer road accessible. These trucks were professionally salvaged after the pipeline was abandoned, just after the war. The point of the story: Most if not all of the vehicles had exhaust manifold STUDS and BRASS NUTS. I have tried to do the same on my vehicles since noticing this method. No matter how much heating and cooling the exhaust manifold is subjected to, when you have to remove the manifold the brass nut will come undone or strip unlike a steel nut that will cause the problems you or your friend is currently experiencing. I usually keep a few spare brass nuts in the glove box. Brass nuts can be sourced from a varity of vendors...if you are near the coast...try a marine hardware/supply store. Although I am currently a long ways from my truck and in a different part of the NWT(300km NE of Yellowknife) I belive that the nuts are 3/8ths fine (24?) thread.
Best of luck. Peter
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