Passenger side exhaust manifold removal, advice needed.
 

I've had the blue beast 24 years as of last December 5 and the sum total of work I've done to the engine is oil changes, coolant changes, changed spark plugs once, and water pump once...pretty impressive considering all of the autocross thrashings me and my daughter have done over the years. Time has caught up with me and now I have an exhaust gasket leak at the passenger side exhaust manifold/head. After doing searches on this forum and reading my FSM, I dug into it using the tricks learned from my search. I have all bolts out except for two, one is loose and the other is still tight, no problems proceeding with bolt removal. Everything has been easy so far thanks to research before starting, just tight working quarters.

The EGR pipe is still attached and that is what my question is about since I haven't found anything in the FSM or my searches here...where do you disconnect the EGR pipe? It looks very difficult to unbolt it from the EGR valve but possible. Can the clamp at the exhaust manifold be removed easily and reused?

Also, I've seen posts saying there are only five bolts and a stud/nut holding the manifold on while the FSM seems to show 9 bolts and a stud/nut. I have six bolts but no stud/nut...did the stud/nut fall out? What about the other bolts shown in the FSM? Did those fall out too? (I did find the back three bolts loose.)

I'm in Spain and will be shipping the car either to the Middle East (Bahrain) in ~3 months or back to the states in 11 months. I can't make any mistakes that'll result in delaying the car for shipment since I'm not allowed to leave Spain unless my car has shipped. There can be no issues with the car or they won't accept it for shipment, I have to have this leak fixed. I haven't been able to enjoy the car here like I thought I was and now this...I really wish I hadn't brought it.

Thanks in advance!

Fact that you are asking about EGR tells me you have later year Z. Having installed a few headers with other WAZOO guys, I noticed later cars did not have stud/nut between #3/5 and "4/6 like early cars.

As for the EGR, I had no intention of reconnecting EGR after the header install, never tried to save it.

I've got a '91, so no EGR experience. I do know my stock manifold had 9 bolts in place and the stud/nut as well. I went back with headers and copper exhaust gaskets. Working underneath allowed me to get 14 exhaust manifold bolts in with relative ease. I would expect this may be more difficult if you are keeping the stock exhaust manifolds.

Yes, it's a '93.

Thanks to both for the info on the bolts and stud/nut, I'm going to try to go back with as many bolts as possible...I can maybe get 3-4 more in without too much trouble.

My brother made a good suggestion since I'm only replacing the gasket...put a bolt in without the spacer and pull the manifold away just enough to replace the gasket, there is enough flex in the EGR pipe to allow the small movement without disconnecting it. I'll see how it goes tonight if I get off work early enough...

I haven't done a later car, but I can get a manifold off in 2 to 3 hours. you may need to disconnect the exhaust system from both side so you can pull it back an inch or two which will let you wiggle and drop the entire thing.

you must take the motor mounts nuts out and raise the engine up a couple of inches to get at the fasteners along the flange.