Well have a cracked exhaust manifold. Not looking forward to doing, just not being able to see the bolts that go into head. Assuming its easier to get bottom bolts from underneath? Looks like its going to be a pain in the ass. Even worse if I break a stud.

Anyone have an advice or suggestions to make it easier?

 

You can remove the nuts and studs from the top, just remove the air box, air box bracket and the heat shield.
careful with forcing the fasteners and soak them with PB Blaster. Same for the 3 exhaust pipe flange nuts. Those are easier to get to from underneath . I see most new manifolds come with gaskets and fasteners now

 

Really debating on changing motor mount? Anyone done that when doing the exhaust manifold?

 

You mean the rear transmission mount, or the upper engine mount, over by the windshield washer tank?

 

Must be the rear trans mount I am seeing by the flex pipe.

 

The rear mount is very easy to replace when the exhaust is out of the way. There is a 4th engine mount on the driver's side, below the fuse box. This mount is the most difficult of the 4 mounts to replace, as I just replace all 4 in my HHR and this one had me scratching my head as to how to get it out. But I succeeded!

 

Concerning the exhaust nuts and studs….PB Blaster is good but what I have the best results with on something like that, I would take the airbox off and the mounting bracket for it then temporarily hook the airbox and MAF back up and crank the car and run it till gets up to temp and then remove airbox an stick a candle to each exhaust nuts/studs and the 3 flange bolts and nuts. It will “wick” the paraffin into the threads….if it ever moves, it will come off. As I remember the exhaust studs are only torqued to 89 in. lbs. so shouldnt take a lot to get them off.
I recently had to replace my exhaust manifold too. Did it from the top on exhaust studs. And I found someone had broke one mine off below surface of the head on extreme driver side. I had to make a drill jig from manifold gasket dimensions that used adjacent manifold studs to locate and hold it in correct position. Then I carefully drilled and checked it was centered. On mine I could tell when the under sized bit broke thru what was left of the old stud. The bit I chose to use was the correct size for me to drive a torex bit into the old stud. Fortunately for me it wasnt to hard to get out. Just make sure if any of your studs come out of the head to coat them with anti-sieze before you put them in thise aluminum threads to prevent dis-similar metal corrosion

 

Changed mine today, took a good 4 hours, I was amazed how loose the nuts were. Mine must have been replaced once before as there was a double manifold to head gasket, they must not have removed the original one? Or doubled it up intentionally? Took a good 4 hours for me to do (I think its rated for an hour and a half). Not a bad job to do.

 

The gasket is supposed to be a triple layer of metals, easily mistaken for multiple gaskets.
The nuts are torqued to only 10 lb-ft.

 

I’m happy to read you were successful in changing the manifold, well done!