MSA Manifold Nut & Stud Kit

[Costjo]

I am replacing my gasket for my header leak and was wondering If I need split lock washers. I did not see any on the MSA Manifold Nut & Stud Kit. I tried searching here but getting mixed answers as to the proper way.

How do you torque the nuts on the lower ones that you cant even get a torque wrench on? Are they all accessible with a socket wrench? I'm thinking I can only use an open end to get to those nuts.

Do I need to take the thermostat housing off to get to bolts underneath?

[Zed Head]

I think that the original setup uses plain washers. You can see them called out in the attached link. The nuts are hard to reach, a stack of two or three extensions, short and long to get the right overall length, a mirror, and a good eye will let you reach all of them. It's easier if you take the heat shield off.

But for your header, you better make sure that the header flange is the same thickness as the intake manifold flange or modify the "thick washers" (yokes by Nissan terminology) to get good clamping. And you're probably better off to use one of the thick intake/exhaust gaskets, instead of a thin one (Fel-Pro for example). The MSA gasket is good, and Victor Reinz brand. Also check the flange for flatness.

You can still get the studs and nuts from Nissan also. They're not expensive. I don't know where MSA gets theirs.

Datsun 280Z Manifold, Egr. Index

[Costjo]

Anybody know the torque settings for the studs and nuts for the header/intake?

[73str86]

I think it was 14 ft. lbs. IIRC. Someone will have to verify. You don't need to remove the thermostat housing. As Zed head said, I used a couple extensions along with a socket swivel/joint. I couldn't have done it without the last tool.

[siteunseen]

Get out of round nuts from your Nissan dealership. The ones from MSA spin down too easily on the stud threads which means they'll spin up too causing another exhaust leak. Or you could re-torque them once a year.

[Costjo]

Do you know the nissan part# that work with MSA studs?

I already installed the MSA kit and there is no room for lock washers on the ones that I put the manifold spacer that hold the header/intake together.

I am getting mixed answers on what is the correct thing to do. No washer, lock washer, out of round.?..What is working for people using the MSA kit without having to re torque all the time?

Get out of round nuts from your Nissan dealership. The ones from MSA spin down too easily on the stud threads which means they'll spin up too causing another exhaust leak. Or you could re-torque them once a year.

[Mark Maras]

Just a hunch, the studs on my L26 stick out 1 1/4". Hope it helps.

[Zed Head]

You could go to the hardware store and get self-locking nuts (steel out-of-round, not nylon). The part number for the original Nissan nuts is in the link in Post #2, but I don't know for sure that they're self-locking (I've never seen new ones).

I used the MSA gear on my first gasket change and I had little room for the nuts and hardware also. I used the MSA gasket, which is thick. The studs are only supposed to be finger tight when installing, if you double-nutted them and drove them in to the head you lost room to work.

Apparently, if you get the right group of parts, you can mount the exhaust manifold using the three inner bolts, start the nuts and washers on all of the studs, and slip the intake manifold between the washers and the head. I've never had enough room to do that myself, but it's been described.

[Costjo]

I didn't know the studs were supposed to be finger tightened. I found wrong information that the stud torque was supposed to be 25 ft lbs. My first one I almost stripped out the head. I had to slowly back it out and thread it again. I did the second stud the same but didn't want to risk pulling it out so its in pretty far into head but enough for me to get a nut on it so I left it. I put the nuts at 8 ft lbs only on the ones the torque wrench could reach and used open end on the rest.

How often after initial tightening should I check torque again? Is it possible to get some sort of swivel socket and get all with torque wrench? What sequence do I tighten them in? I did the circle sequence.

You could go to the hardware store and get self-locking nuts (steel out-of-round, not nylon). The part number for the original Nissan nuts is in the link in Post #2, but I don't know for sure that they're self-locking (I've never seen new ones).

I used the MSA gear on my first gasket change and I had little room for the nuts and hardware also. I used the MSA gasket, which is thick. The studs are only supposed to be finger tight when installing, if you double-nutted them and drove them in to the head you lost room to work.

Apparently, if you get the right group of parts, you can mount the exhaust manifold using the three inner bolts, start the nuts and washers on all of the studs, and slip the intake manifold between the washers and the head. I've never had enough room to do that myself, but it's been described.

[siteunseen]

Theses are the ones I used on the ends because they break sooner, 2 I tapped out to the #10 size. They were for an 8 cylinder Nissan truck. The smaller ones are a part number close to what's in the picture but I can't remember right now. If you go to the dealer they'll be able to find you the ones, I believe he said they are on older Altimas and other smaller motors, I think they were #8s. Just make sure it won't finger tighten, the out of round manifold nuts will just turn on a couple of threads with your fingers but if you tighten it then take one back off then you've ruined the self locking function. Sorry I can't be more helpful but it's been awhile and my nogin ain't too spongy anymore.

If you have a Fastenal in your area they'd probably have them.

Edited February 27, 2014 by siteunseen

[siteunseen]

25 lbs on the studs? No. Barley tighten them in the head, the nuts on top of the manifolds do all the work.

And use Anti-Seize in the head holes, steel going into aluminum.

Edited February 27, 2014 by siteunseen

[siteunseen]

I'm sorry for not having this sooner, I was a little late waking up this morning. I went through my re build file and found this number on a receipt, Nissan #14039-W1500. I'm almost positive that's the smaller ones on my head studs in the middle because I bought 10, the other 2 are the big ones posted above. And the anti-seize isn't a must so don't sweat it if you already have them in, it was recommended in a book I went by to prevent corrosion and rust in the future.

Did you put the longer threads on the stud in the head? I'm asking because I have about a 1/4" of threads above the nuts on mine but I put the short end in the head.

Edited February 27, 2014 by siteunseen