removing AVO manifold

[mossy]

Anyone got any tips on removing an AVO manifold, I've got the top bolts off but can't get to the bottom ones.

[93_Clubman]

mossy, i'm pretty sure i remember this coming-up in a fairly recent thread (last 6 weeks), & sabretooth mentioning that he had come up with a home made special tool to get at the bottom bolts, however i just had a quick look but i couldn't find it

[Garry]

Most places advise you to remove the engine the get access to the bolts I think the guy that designed it should personally remove every one when they require maintenance, same thing with the person that designed the SP dump pipe.

[Lucky_Luke]

Hey guys.. worksa been pretty busy.. long time no posta..

When i did mine I bought a sacrificial 14mm open ender and ground down the sides to allow it to fit in between the runners. even still you can only do like a 1/8 of a turn each time..

Half of them you can reach from the top and the others i had to reach from underneath through the wheel well when my aircon compressor was unmounted, its pretty fiddly ..took me about 45min to get it on with turbo/dump pipe attached.

Luke.

[lowmiata]

When i did mine I bought a sacrificial 14mm open ender and ground down the sides to allow it to fit in between the runners. even still you can only do like a 1/8 of a turn each time..

Half of them you can reach from the top and the others i had to reach from underneath through the wheel well when my aircon compressor was unmounted, its pretty fiddly ..took me about 45min to get it on with turbo/dump pipe attached.

Luke.

2nd that I got an AVO spanner too!

you have to grind a fair amount of it and access it from underneath
despite what people say you can get it of with the AVO dumpipe and turbo attached

just takes a bit of patience!

[Garry]

Does anyone have a spare \"AVO\" spanner they dont need? I dont have access to a grinder.

[Lucky_Luke]

If you've got a file you could just file it down...

That'll work .. it'll just take a little longer thats all.

[Sean]

Does anyone have a spare "AVO" spanner they dont need? I dont have access to a grinder.

I have one you can borrow if you like, I've ground down the open end so far that it flexes open if teh bolts are really tight, but I've also ground down the ring end down which us great for getting off the really tight ones...

I'd put the top nuts back on first, to relive some of the tension on the bottom ones...

If you need to borrow it though, let me know.

[mossy]

Thanks guys, I ground down a 14mm spanner but the fit on the nut was far from perfect so I tried it anyway, one stripped nut. I thought it might be the spanner so I bought a sidcrome spanner and tried it on one of the bottom nuts, another stripped nut. I think its wise to stop there so I'm getting a mate whos a fitter and turner to come and help me out, I hate working on cars!!!!