1st time Manifolds and Risers on 5.7 What tips?

[Black Snow Slide]

I am changing out my manifolds and risers on my VP 5.7 2006 for the first time. My mechanical skill is a 5/10. I have good access to both sides of the motor. The marina who does my work wanted $1300.00 parts and $650.00 labor. Money seems high but they always do a good job. Looking closely at it, I think I want to save same money and do it myself.

I have ordered all VP parts so no chance of things not lining up. What I ordered : VP 5.7 repair manual for my year of motor, exhaust manifolds, risers, exhaust manifold gaskets, riser gaskets, new bolts for risers and manifolds.

Tools I think I will need: 8 point sockets with both 1/4 and 1/2" drives, Torque wrench, 3 and 5" extensions, breaker bar, regular head screw drivers, hard plastic scraper, emery cloth, shop rags, shop vac and PB blaster.

What steps I think I will be taking to do the job.( I don't have the repair manual yet but it is ordered with parts.) : The 4 bolts on top of each riser and 6 manifold bolts on each manifold been getting a good shot of PB Blaster every day for 5 days. Take drain plugs out of manifolds to drain water. Disconnect the water inlet hose that goes into manifolds. ShopVac drain holes to make sure all water is out. Clean bilge. Loosen the 2 champs on the rubber on top of riser and slide off. Disconnect the two wires from the sending units on top of the risers. (What are those and should I order 2 new ones?) Take off the 4 riser bolts.(they have some pretty good rust where the bolts go into the manifolds. Any tips?) Once all four bolts are off, there are a few things that are attached to the riser bolts that I will move to the sides and secure with zip ties. Knock the risers loose with a rubber mallet. Once riser is off, shop back the center where exhaust goes through to hake sure nothing has fallen inside manifold. Put rag inside and then scrape off any loose stuff to try and keep clean.

Manifolds: Break each bolt lose.( How is the best way to do this as the last thing I need is to beak sheer off a stud head? I don't see any rust on any of the bolts. ) Pemove one of the studs and go to Lowes and buy same thread but 2 inches longer. I will buy 4 and cut the head off them and use them as pins to hold manifold as I take out others studs. Slide manifolds off pins and out of boat. Lightly vacuum exhaust ports and put rag inside to keep clean.

Cleaning surface for new gasket and manifold: using the hard plastic scrapper clean off as much as I can. I don't want a metal scrapper as I don't want to mar the metal surface. Final clean will be with enery cloth.

Reassemble: it will be the reverse of disassembly. I will use the headless bolts to hold gaskets in place and the risers as a guide on. Finger tighten everything. Tighten to half torque then to full torque in whatever sequence the manual states. Risers the same.

What am I missing and any tips? Any incouragemant? Any warnings?

 

[Bondo]

Re: 1st time Manifolds and Risers on 5.7 What tips?

I am changing out my manifolds and risers on my VP 5.7 2006 for the first time. My mechanical skill is a 5/10. I have good access to both sides of the motor. The marina who does my work wanted $1300.00 parts and $650.00 labor. Money seems high but they always do a good job. Looking closely at it, I think I want to save same money and do it myself.

I have ordered all VP parts so no chance of things not lining up. What I ordered : VP 5.7 repair manual for my year of motor, exhaust manifolds, risers, exhaust manifold gaskets, riser gaskets, new bolts for risers and manifolds.

Tools I think I will need: 8 point sockets with both 1/4 and 1/2" drives, Torque wrench, 3 and 5" extensions, breaker bar, regular head screw drivers, hard plastic scraper, emery cloth, shop rags, shop vac and PB blaster.

What steps I think I will be taking to do the job.( I don't have the repair manual yet but it is ordered with parts.) : The 4 bolts on top of each riser and 6 manifold bolts on each manifold been getting a good shot of PB Blaster every day for 5 days. Take drain plugs out of manifolds to drain water. Disconnect the water inlet hose that goes into manifolds. ShopVac drain holes to make sure all water is out. Clean bilge. Loosen the 2 champs on the rubber on top of riser and slide off. Disconnect the two wires from the sending units on top of the risers. (What are those and should I order 2 new ones?) Take off the 4 riser bolts.(they have some pretty good rust where the bolts go into the manifolds. Any tips?) Once all four bolts are off, there are a few things that are attached to the riser bolts that I will move to the sides and secure with zip ties. Knock the risers loose with a rubber mallet. Once riser is off, shop back the center where exhaust goes through to hake sure nothing has fallen inside manifold. Put rag inside and then scrape off any loose stuff to try and keep clean.

Manifolds: Break each bolt lose.( How is the best way to do this as the last thing I need is to beak sheer off a stud head? I don't see any rust on any of the bolts. ) Pemove one of the studs and go to Lowes and buy same thread but 2 inches longer. I will buy 4 and cut the head off them and use them as pins to hold manifold as I take out others studs. Slide manifolds off pins and out of boat. Lightly vacuum exhaust ports and put rag inside to keep clean.

Cleaning surface for new gasket and manifold: using the hard plastic scrapper clean off as much as I can. I don't want a metal scrapper as I don't want to mar the metal surface. Final clean will be with enery cloth.

Reassemble: it will be the reverse of disassembly. I will use the headless bolts to hold gaskets in place and the risers as a guide on. Finger tighten everything. Tighten to half torque then to full torque in whatever sequence the manual states. Risers the same.

What am I missing and any tips? Any incouragemant? Any warnings?

Ayuh,.... Donno what yer gonna use the 8-point sockets on.... Most are 6-point, or 12-point...
8-point sockets are used for square head fittings..

Also, once drained, the shop-vac is unnecessary...

You'll also find that a plastic scraper ain't stout enough for the job,...
I use a razor blade, 'n holder, then clean up with a powered wire brush...

 

[Black Snow Slide]

Re: 1st time Manifolds and Risers on 5.7 What tips?

Sorry , I ment 6 point.. Oops. I do have a wire brush and a drummel tool. I also forgot to mention I have taken 20 pictures, 10 of each side. Razor knife added to the list. Thank you.. Anyone else? Please.

 

[Glastron_V210]

Re: 1st time Manifolds and Risers on 5.7 What tips?

Are you doing manifolds and risers? I'll assume you are.

I like to break the risers off the manifolds and get them out of the exhaust boots first. It's easier than trying to wrestle the 70lb manifolds out of the boots all together.

When I pull the mani's I usually do it alone, and if they slop they break off the spark plugs which are right below them (Don't ask me how I know this). I like to rig up a 2x4 and use a ratchet strap to take up some of the weight. I place it on the far end, then remove the near end bolt last and hold up the unstrapped end until I can get 'out of the hole' and horse the sucker out of there.

Scrape and wire brush the exhuast ports like alredy mentioned. Get 1 piece marine exhaust manifold gaskets and you're set. Get the appropriate riser/maifold gasket type (Blocked for full closed cooling, open for raw water cooling), and off you go.



Chay

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: 1st time Manifolds and Risers on 5.7 What tips?

If your boat is a 2006?? Why are you replacing the manifolds??
They are designed to last 15+ years.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: 1st time Manifolds and Risers on 5.7 What tips?

What could possible go wrong? Oh, yea, rounding off the bolt heads, etc.

you might want to have some of those bolt extractors handy . . . But if the manifolds are only 6 years old, then they should be in decent shape.

what causes you to change them?

 

[Senior B]

Re: 1st time Manifolds and Risers on 5.7 What tips?

Just did mine this past year. My boat is a 2002 and my Risers were clearly on their last legs with most of the inner gasket sealing surface gone. My manifolds looked like they could have gone another 10 years but any how, not a hard job at all. The bolts are not torqued very tight on these. Spec is less than 30ftlbs. The Riser bolts get some rust on the exposed threads but come right out. (mine did) Drain your manifolds, take off all the boot clamps, remove the 4 bolts on the riser, then "Rock" the Riser, from the top, side to side to break the seal, then lift off the base, twist it to break it loose in the rubber boot and pull it out. Next take your old riser bolts and cut the heads off of them with your dremmel. These bolts are the same thread size as your manifold bolts. Remove the L&R outer and 2 center manifold bolts, install your now riser stud bolts, then remove the remaining 2 manifold bolts. The stud bolts will support the maninfold and allow you to rock it a bit to break the seal, then slide it off. You'll use the bolts again to hold and install the new gasket and manifold so don't chuck em. Take your time and do a good scraping and cleaning of the gasket sealing surface on the heads. A good razor blade scraper with some fine grit sand paper for the tuff spots work fine. It's very wise to clean and chase the manifold head threads with a Tap. Believe mine was a 3/8-18. Use permatex copper gasket sealing compound on both the Manifold and Riser Gaskets. I used the tube stuff and not the spray. I torqued both Manifolds and Risers to 300 inch pounds which is 25 foot pounds and had NO issues. I checked the torque again after my first 2 runs on muffs after cool down and first 2 outings. This job isn't hard at all, just takes a little time. Good Luck.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: 1st time Manifolds and Risers on 5.7 What tips?

If your boat is a 2006?? Why are you replacing the manifolds??
They are designed to last 15+ years.

In what world is that? If you are in salt water, they can easily be gone in 5 years. I find that typically the risers are clogged way earlier than the manifolds.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: 1st time Manifolds and Risers on 5.7 What tips?

Use permatex copper gasket sealing compound on both the Manifold and Riser Gaskets. I used the tube stuff and not the spray. I torqued both Manifolds and Risers to 300 inch pounds which is 25 foot pounds and had NO issues. I checked the torque again after my first 2 runs on muffs after cool down and first 2 outings.

Use whatever the instructions that come with the Volvo Penta gaskets. They used to be always installed dry but Volvo updates these instructions when they come out with different gaskets.

No need to use any sealer between the manifolds and the heads.

Riser bolt torque is 12 to 18 lbs is in the manual but may be superseded with instructions that come with the new gaskets.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: 1st time Manifolds and Risers on 5.7 What tips?

Originally Posted by jerryjerry05
If your boat is a 2006?? Why are you replacing the manifolds??
They are designed to last 15+ years.

In what world is that? If you are in salt water, they can easily be gone in 5 years. I find that typically the risers are clogged way earlier than the manifolds.

I only got 13 years out of my manifolds in salt water . . . feeling like I got jipped by 2 years

 

[bruceb58]

Re: 1st time Manifolds and Risers on 5.7 What tips?

I only got 13 years out of my manifolds in salt water . . . feeling like I got jipped by 2 years

My boat is a 98 and was put into service in 99. In 13 years, I have already replaced my manifolds twice.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: 1st time Manifolds and Risers on 5.7 What tips?

My boat is a 98 and was put into service in 99. In 13 years, I have already replaced my manifolds twice.

That salt water is ripping you off, Bruce.

 

[Black Snow Slide]

Re: 1st time Manifolds and Risers on 5.7 What tips?

Thank you everyone for your comments. I greatly appreciate it. I have 6 years on my risers and manifolds. I spend 90% of my time in salt water and have never missed flushing with salt-away. I am fresh water cooled (heat exchanger) but the manifolds and risers get salt cooled. A good friend of mine just changed his after 6 years with similar flushing. No chance of failure but it was definatly time. I would rather change early and be safe then be big cash for a new motor. Any other tips?

 

[Black Snow Slide]

Re: 1st time Manifolds and Risers on 5.7 What tips?

All my parts and manual came in today. Checked all parts and gaskets and everything looks good. Reading the manual to see what I am missing.

 

[Bondo]

Re: 1st time Manifolds and Risers on 5.7 What tips?

All my parts and manual came in today. Checked all parts and gaskets and everything looks good. Reading the manual to see what I am missing.

Ayuh,.... Are the gaskets green paper, or metal/ graphite,..??

I like the metal/ graphite myself... dry, on clean metal surfaces...

 

[Black Snow Slide]

Re: 1st time Manifolds and Risers on 5.7 What tips?

Metal ones

 

[stspinner]

Re: 1st time Manifolds and Risers on 5.7 What tips?

All my parts and manual came in today. Checked all parts and gaskets and everything looks good. Reading the manual to see what I am missing.

Exhaust Tubes ??

 

[bruceb58]

Re: 1st time Manifolds and Risers on 5.7 What tips?

Exhaust Tubes ??

Not unless he burnt them up which it doesn't sound like.

 

[SteveMcD]

Re: 1st time Manifolds and Risers on 5.7 What tips?

I had Barr Marine manifolds and risers. I don't know if they were VP original, but VP gets a lot of their stuff from somewhere don't they? My local boat shoppe had them on the shelf, $250 for the manifolds, and $150 for the risers. Before I even thought about pulling a manifold, I was walking through a sporting goods dept and saw a three sheave block and tackle setup for lifting big game. I don't remember the price, but it looked too cool for school, and inexpensive, so I got it. Little did I know at the time. My starter bit it later and I had to take off my starboard manifold to reach it. I put a 2 x 4 across the rails and hooked it up. I was able to lift/hold/maneuver the manifold with one hand.

 

[Black Snow Slide]

Re: 1st time Manifolds and Risers on 5.7 What tips?

Today I started the job. Every riser bolt except one snapped. I gave them PB Blaster on all bolts 2 times a day. The manifold bolts came off very easy. The rubbers that go between the down tubes and risers were tuff. I took a flat head screw driver and pried them apart and sprayed WD40 in and made the rubbers come off slick. The studs that I bought at Lowe's and cut the head off worked slick as can be.

It will be about a week before I can get back in the engine room for gasket scraping and cleaning. Any tips?