Need your opinion on whether you have to pull the manifold to install EGT probe. If left on do you need to worry about the shavings getting into the cat. I have read a couple of topics about doing it with the engine running, but would this be any better as far as the shavings go. Need input


Thanks


Paul

I left mine in. It's not the cat you need to worry about, it's the turbo. I wouldn't go to the trouble of removing that manifold personally.

Do it the right way and remove the manifold. I know it takes alot more time, but why take the risk of shavings going to the turbo?http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Cry.gif Pull it off, drill, tap and install hardware and put it back on. A good mech can do it in less than 2 hours.

If you are going to tackle it for the first time, You would probably be safer removing it. The passenger side manifold can be removed in 10 minutes of less, probably 5 minutes. The driver side can take 30 minutes or more. At least that is what I noticed.


I know many think idling the engine while you drill and tap, But I do not like that at all. All it could take is a larger drill shaving to get in the wrong place. If you do leave it in place, I'd suggest using oil or grease on the drill bit and then use a magnet in side the manifold after you complete the job. Take your time, and make sure you clean up inside really good.

Almost everyone on this board who has installed the EGT thermocouple did NOT remove the manifold. It's a waste of time IMHO.

I drilled mine while the engine was running. Use the article in DYI forum. It's a piece of cake. As you drill the soft chips fall away outside the manifold. It's not until you actually break through that a chip could fall in but the pressure from the exhaust blows it out while drilling. If somehow a chip did get by, the turbo is spinning slow at idle and there is plenty of room for the soft light chips to simply go on their way out the exhaust.




Edited by: hoot

Almost everyone on this board who has installed the EGT thermocouple did NOT remove the manifold. It's a waste of time IMHO.

I drilled mine while the engine was running. Use the article in DYI forum. It's a piece of cake. As you drill the soft chips fall away outside the manifold. It's not until you actually break through that a chip could fall in but the pressure from the exhaust blows it out while drilling. If somehow a chip did get by, the turbo is spinning slow at idle and there is plenty of room for the soft light chips to simply go on their way out the exhaust.




Not to undermine your idea, But how did you determine these drilling's are soft? Isn't the manifold cast? Unless it is aluminum, I wouldn't think it was soft. But I do not know everything when it comes to metal, iron, zinc, aluminum, and others.

I was very leary of doing it with the mani on the truck. But was actually supprised how easy it was. It is CI but I was supprised how easy it drilled and taped, it seemed alot "softer" than I was expecting. It acted like taping mild steel actually. If you decide to tap with it on the truck while running I would recomend a couple things. First take your time and make sure you are starting your hole in an area that your probe will have plenty of room. Second use proper taping techniques. Dont try to tap the thing all the way down without backing it off every now and again. You dont want to break a tap in there. Along the lines of you dont want to FUBAR something, use highquality tools. Dont tap till the tap bottoms out, take it out and check to make sure the probe collet things wont bottom out before the threads start sealing and getting tight.


And most importantly. WEAR EYE PROTECTION!!!!http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Geek.gif Those chips and shavings come zooming out at you!!! I was worried about something making its way into my turbo untill the shavings started flying.


JMO I did the hoot method and it was easier than I though.....

Cast iron in thin chips is very soft. You can bend and break them with your fingertips.

I used the Hoot method and the biggest problem I faced was from butterflies and shaking hands at the thought of damaging a seriously expensive engine. But, all went very well. As others have said, the idling engine blows the chips away and anthing that gets past is probably not going to hurt anything. Drill carefully and tap very, very, carefully. I used lots of cutting oil and only advanced the tap a part of a turn each time before backing it out. The probe has been in there since February with no apparent ill effects.

TC

Used the Hoot method and it worked fine. Thought about removing the manifold until I tried to remove the flange bolts http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Cry.gif they were siezed in tight. Took my time drilling and the only thing I might add here is if you drill the manifold in place make sure you pick a spot where you can spin the tap holder 360° without hitting anything. Otherwise it's going to take a while. Use a good anti sieze on the probe threads too.

Even this office worker managed to drill and tap without removal. Like its been said - take your time, use high quality tools, and a big yes to eye protection!

The Hoot method is the way to go. As Tsckey has noted, the worst part is getting going.


As far as anything going through the turbo, occasionally there are lots bigger, tougher chunks of stuff coming out of your combustion chambers, than any of those chips which MIGHT find their way into the manifold.

I didn't remove the manifold....two times.

i left my manifold alone. i took a narrow piece of hose and a tiny magnet that fits right into the hose. put it in there and turn it a few times clean it off. then took that hose and taped it to a big vacuum and sucked out as much as i could get too. i was suprised to find out how big of chunks fell in!!

I didn't remove the mnifold however I did make one mistake. I didn't account for the tap handles to have enough space while turning in my drill angle. Took 20 minutes to tap instead of 5 but everything went well. It did seem very soft compared to other things I've tapped.