Removal of rusted hose nipples?

[William G.]

Hello,

I have an aluminum intake manifold and am trying to remove the bypass hose and heater hose nipples from this manifold. All parts are original and to my knowledge have not been replaced before! If anyone has a suggestion about removing the old rusted nipples, I would appreciate it. Sure don't want to crack my original manifold!

[Joe L.]

Re: Removal of rusted hose nipples?

Hello,

I have an aluminum intake manifold and am trying to remove the bypass hose and heater hose nipples from this manifold. All parts are original and to my knowledge have not been replaced before! If anyone has a suggestion about removing the old rusted nipples, I would appreciate it. Sure don't want to crack my original manifold!

William------


All I can tell you is these can be an absolute BEAR and there is absolutely no easy or damage-proof method. Even in a cast iron manifold removal of these can be extremely difficult. In an aluminum manifold you have the additional complication of galvanic (dissimilar metal) corrosion. Forget about penetrating oils. You can apply these until dooms day and you'll never get the fittings off.

My advice (although I hate to say this): how bad are the existing fittings? If you can clean them up and they're at all serviceable, that's your best bet here.

By the way, if you do need to remove the fittings and you're successful, replace with stainless steel. To hell with originality in this case.

[Dennis O.]

Re: Removal of rusted hose nipples?

Here's a completely "off the wall" suggestion. I have been using a product called "Evaporust" to remove rust from all kinds of items. It's one of the few products I've come across that works as as described. As I understand it, it works by an ion exchange process called "chellation" that absolutely does not do anything but disolve rust. I had a set of seat belts that had a lot of rust in the webbing from sitting in a wet environment that looked terrible and the buckles absolutely would not move. A few days soaking in "Evaporust", and all the rust was gone. After a good washing in a detergent, they looked like new and worked perfectly. I'm not saying it's the solution to your particular problem, but I've had such good luck with it that it might be worth giving a try.

The only drawback is price. You would probably need a 5 gallon bucket of the stuff (you need to immerse the entire object for a day or two), and that's about $90.00. The good part is that it's reusable (to a point) and it's really handy to have around. If Joe doesn't have a direct solution to a problem like this, it's time to start thinking "outside the box".

[Gary C.]

Re: Removal of rusted hose nipples?

William,

Try CRC Freeze Off http://crcindustries.com/auto/?s=05002 Freeze Off is available at most major auto parts stores.

I successfully used Freeze Off to remove steel studs from a '57 FI manifold plate. Spread each stud at 5 minute intervals 6 times over 30 minutes. Freeze Off worked good with dissimilar metals. It might take the whole can.

Gary
....

[Larry E.]

Re: Removal of rusted hose nipples?

FWIW: Save yourself a big headache; send the manifold to Jerry MacNeish to get reskinned and he will remove the fittings and replace them
with new original ones. This is one fellow that will get the job done correct. Larry

[Edward J.]

Re: Removal of rusted hose nipples?

Bill, As Joe L. says these fitting will likely will not come out without some damage to the threads. I would use a wire brush and clean up and use dull Zinc, a small cup and acid brush and spray paint spray into the cup. and just make it look somewhat as factory.

[Joe L.]

Re: Removal of rusted hose nipples?

FWIW: Save yourself a big headache; send the manifold to Jerry MacNeish to get reskinned and he will remove the fittings and replace them
with new original ones. This is one fellow that will get the job done correct. Larry

Larry------


That's the solution that I've used. However, I must say that Jerry was not too happy about my request that he remove the fittings. I got the impression it is a service operation he'd rather not perform.

[Edward B.]

Re: Removal of rusted hose nipples?

On both my original intakes (68 Camaro 3933163 and 69 Corvette 3947801), I sprayed them every day for a week with PB Blaster. No good. I then sprayed them every day for a week with Freeze Off. No good. I then used a torch to heat them up, cool them down, heat them up, etc... No good. I then tried heating them up and taping on them with a hammer. No good. As Joe said, nothing worked.

I ended up cutting them off close to the intake and then I cut four slots inside (at 12:00, 3:00, 6:00 and 9:00) in what was left, making sure NOT to cut into the manifold threads themselves and took a flat blade screw driver and a hammer and was able to chip the four pieces out. Most of the threads DID have small cuts in them from the hacksaw blade, but not deep enough to cause any leaks when I put the new ones in. And this time I used some anti seize on the threads so hopefully next time (if there IS a next time) I won't have to go through this again!

And by the way, you're right. Jerry HATES to do this and I don't blame him!

Ed

[Joe L.]

Re: Removal of rusted hose nipples?

William,

Try CRC Freeze Off http://crcindustries.com/auto/?s=05002 Freeze Off is available at most major auto parts stores.

I successfully used Freeze Off to remove steel studs from a '57 FI manifold plate. Spread each stud at 5 minute intervals 6 times over 30 minutes. Freeze Off worked good with dissimilar metals. It might take the whole can.

Gary
....

Gary------


I've heard good reports of this product although I've personally never used it. However, I'd be very interested if anyone has used it successfully to remove coolant nipples from an aluminum manifold. That would practically be the "ultimate challenge" for the product.

[Joe L.]

Re: Removal of rusted hose nipples?

And this time I used some anti seize on the threads so hopefully next time (if there IS a next time) I won't have to go through this again!


Ed

Ed-------


Use stainless steel nipples and you WILL NEVER have to do it again. The ones I used were US manufactured and absolutely beautiful. And, FOREVER.

[Jim S.]

Re: Removal of rusted hose nipples?




If as Larry said , Jerry MacNeish will indeed remove and replace them for a few extra dollars while re-skinning the manifold as well , knowing what I know now , I would go that route in a heart beat !




Jim

[Edward B.]

Re: Removal of rusted hose nipples?

Use stainless steel nipples and you WILL NEVER have to do it again. The ones I used were US manufactured and absolutely beautiful. And, FOREVER.

I thought about that Joe, but I wasn't sure about stainless and it's properties with aluminum. And if I used stainless and DID have to do this again, I'd really hate to try and cut through stainless steel! But if you say there won't be any issues, I'll probably get a set and swap them out. Do you have a specific manufacturer you could recommend?

And I did the same thing as Jim, but I didn't drill mine out first, and I used a screw driver to chip them out instead of a pair of vice grips like he did. But this basic procedure seems to be the ONLY way to get these things out!

Ed

[Jim S.]

Re: Removal of rusted hose nipples?

I see that Edward and I did almost the same thing ! The only difference being I did not cut them off . Quite the contrary , I used the outside portion as something to grab on to and therefore was able to collapse and then twist them away from the threads. As I said ,I literally pealed them off the threads

Jim

[Joe L.]

Re: Removal of rusted hose nipples?

I thought about that Joe, but I wasn't sure about stainless and it's properties with aluminum. And if I used stainless and DID have to do this again, I'd really hate to try and cut through stainless steel! But if you say there won't be any issues, I'll probably get a set and swap them out. Do you have a specific manufacturer you could recommend?

And I did the same thing as Jim, but I didn't drill mine out first, and I used a screw driver to chip them out instead of a pair of vice grips like he did. But this basic procedure seems to be the ONLY way to get these things out!

Ed

Ed-------

If you use the stainless steel nipples, when this job needs to be done again, I guarantee it won't be your problem. It'll be a problem for some guy or gal who hasn't even been born yet. Actually, even if you used stock-type nipples you'd probably never have to do it again but I'm an aficionado of overkill. Plus, I HATE RUST and I LOVE stainless steel.

I see absolutely no problem with stainless on aluminum. Certainly, no more than mild steel on aluminum. However, you can still use anti-sieze on the threads.

The nipples I've used are from an outfit called Performance Stainless. Beautiful pieces. The ones I bought and used were made in the USA. I don't know if they still are, though.

[Edward B.]

Re: Removal of rusted hose nipples?

Thanks Joe. I'm assuming THIS IS THE PLACE?

Ed