GQ RB30 EGR Exhaust Manifold

[dom14]

Cheers for the reply's.

Dom14 the existing manifold looked to be leaking from the gasket and the EGR pipe fitment and not from this newly found hairline crack which is visible from the outside and inside of the manifold. I don't see much much point in bolting the old manifold back up with this crack and actually probably can't anyways as i have massacred the nut trying to undo the EGR pipe attached to the manifold.

If I'm going to throw extractors in i'm guessing it's best to find some that have a 2 1/2 inch end pipe and replace the Cat back section with 2 1/2 inch. Any one know of anywhere that does a cheap complete system? I really don't want to have to weld a flange on the end of the extractors to bolt up to the new / exisiting system.

Im based on the sunshine coast. Which I guess you would know if I got over to the intro section

Now to go buy some easyouts as two studs didn't play nicely pulling the manifold off.

Cheers all.

Yeah, it is PITA with the spot where the EGR pipe joins the exhaust. That's where mine cracked the pipe and I decided to plug it.
And yeah, absolute PITA when the studs break on the exhaust manifold or even on the cylinder head, but it is pretty common.
I had to spend hours extracting the broken stud & tapping it when mine had the same issue of broken studs.
I used stainless steel studs with the hope of having to never face the same problem. Only time can and will tell stainless steel studs are any better.

@mudnut 's suggestion to make the EGR look authentic is the way to go to keep yourself our of trouble if you're ever faced with a roadside inspection. What most people do is to simply use a blocking plate on the intake manifold port where the EGR pipe from the EGR valve joins the intake manifold, or where the EGR pipe joins the exhaust manifold, or both. You can either purchase the matching blocking plate from ebay or make your own out of a piece of sheet metal as i did. If the EPA decide the sniff test vehicles then the stealthy approach won't make any difference. But, there will be lot of cars that will end up off the road if they do, so I doubt that can happen soon.

I think, if you don't wanna do the welding part DIY, then make few visits to local exhaust shops and search for a good deal.

It is possible to repair that crack on the stock manifold, but probably ain't worth the trouble.
When the EGR pipe cracked, I basically applied some maniseal on it and wrapped with an exhaust wrap, and kept going like that for
quite a few months before I pulled out the whole EGR system & plugged the hole on the exhaust. Cost me only five bucks to buy the plug from Pirtek.