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ATS Manifold install? Things to look out for

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Well i was quoted over 600 dollars for my ats manifold + gauges to be installed :eek: :rolleyes: . Id like to install the manifold myself. What do i have to look for and be careful about. I know i need to remove the turbo... . how dangerous can this be. . Can anyone give me some pointers/help on this.



Nick
 
Nick,



It's pretty straight-forward. Jack up the right-front tire, remove the tire, then remove the wheel-well liner. This will give you the best access to the turbo. Disconnect both negative battery cables (this will become important later, so do it first).



Remove the V clamp holding the exhaust to the elbow, then remove the oil return line from the turbo. From up top, disconnect the intake and discharge tubes, and remove the oil supply line.



From underneath the truck, remove the two turbo mounting nuts from the inboard side of the turbo (a 15mm deep socket and long extension will get it done). From up top, or through the wheel well, remove the other two 15mm retaining nuts, and the turbo will come free.



Remove the manifold heat shield, then start removing the 12 manifold bolts, noting which locations get studs, and which get just hex-head bolts.



The tricky part will be the heater hose bracket on the back of the manifold. You need to pull it off the mounting stud, and it's not exactly easy to do. Remove some of the adjacent hold-down bolts on the hard line to allow the line to flex a little. With a pair of Vise Grips on the bracket, and a screwdriver/prybar behind it to help, it can be pulled off the mounting stud (working through the wheel well). Some guys get frustrated and just cut the bracket with a Sawzall, then tie-wrap it to the trans dipstick when they're done. To each his own...



Once the manifold is off, use it as a template to assemble the ATS manifold. Put the male part of the manifold in the freezer, and the female part in the over at 350°. Take them out, put a little anti-sieze on the joint, and assemble. With the difference in temperatures, it should slip together easily. Get it aligned properly, and install it back on the truck. I used new gaskets when I did mine, but you can probably re-use the old ones.



If I remember correctly, you have to remove the studs from the old manifold and install them in the new one. Either use a stud remover, or just use two nuts from the turbo to remove the stud (jam the nuts together on the stud TIGHT, then turn the lower nut counter-clockwise to remove the stud. Use the same technique to install)



Get a couple of bolts started on both sections of the manifold, to be sure you have the alignment correct. Re-install the rest of the bolts, wrestle the heater bracket back over the mounting stud (if you didn't give up and cut it in two), and torque the bolts to spec. Bolt the turbo back into place (make sure to get the gasket back in place, as well), torque the nuts in place, put the oil lines back on, re-attach the exhaust to the elbow, tighten up the clamp, re-install the intake and discharge tubes, and you're done.



Good luck



-Tom
 
Nick,

I could not imagine paying someone that kind of money to do this. If you can turn a wrench you are capable of doing it yourself. You don't have to remove the turbo just remove the bolts attaching it to the manifold. I have done a few it is pretty straight forward. Good Luck.
 
I will for sure. I just have to wait for it to stop raining (forcast to rain the whole week) and it has to be good weather. i am going to run the pyro and boost right away along with doing the manifold.



Nick
 
Good info from every one. I'm getting ready to do my install and wondering if your not changing the turbo does it help to remove the wheel well liner?



Thanks,T. Dragna
 
I'm getting ready to do my install and wondering if your not changing the turbo does it help to remove the wheel well liner?

If you're going to try and salvage the heater hose bracket, definately. If you're just going to cut it off and re-secure with zip ties, probably not.



The liners on the 3rd Gen's are much better than previous years - no plastic pop-rivet fasteners. There's about 10 small sheet metal screws that get removed to drop the liner out.



-Tom
 
Nick, I have never done one but I could come up and assist you when you are ready. I don't know where you got your quote from but there are shops that I think could do it for much less. PM me if you want a name or two.



Dennis
 
Performance wise on a stock truck, it should make it a little laggier on the bottom end.

Top end a little bit of an increase.



Nick, have you considered waiting installing until you get an aftermarket turbo?

Save a little time doing both at once?



--Justin
 
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