MC 2100 conversion blues

Ahoya!

Tired of the sputter and hesitation, needing to rebuild my carter('73, 258) I opted for performance: Procured the requisite junkyard parts, and began cleaning them up. Soaked the studs on the aluminum intake manifold with penetrating oil for days. First one out like a champ, next one snapped off flush. A friend convinced me he could weld a washer/nut on and extract it, I asked if he could also remove the remaining two studs.

Weeks pass, and I finally get the intake back, two out, two iin. I understand my friends reluctance to deal with the remaining two, (PITA!) He suggested I leave them in and tap them. Everything I've read about the conversion says to remove the studs.

Should I take the intake to a machine shop, try to snap off the remaining studs myself, or find another junkyard? Hellp, need sage advice!

 

Try heat. Aluminum and steel heat at different rates. You can try using a regular propane torch. Try heating the aluminum first, as, (in theory) the hot aluminum should expand, loosening the stud. Then try heating the stud if that doesn't work. No doubt there has been some galvanic corrosion between the two dissimilar metals that has caused the stickiness.

I think you'll have to have the studs out in order to bolt on the adapter plate.

 

Once you get them out, use antiseize on the threads when ya put them back in. Stuff works wonders. If you have a drill press, drill out the studs and run a thread chase down the holes or retap.