Specifically the GP to Medford area? I'm in RR, so either direction is fine.

Need an exhaust manifold bolt extracted on a wrangler in a tough spot. Broke off naturally, and I'm not sure if I trust myself, and prefer not to remove the head.

Right up against the firewall, and most likely flush or below the head surface
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Genes in Roseburg has treated me well in the past. I had them do some exhaust work on my pickup because I didn't know how to weld at the time.


Other than that I can't help you.

Better than no options. Thanks

It's going to be expensive. We had something simular and it cost $800 and that was about 6 years ago. This is really just kind of a brutal job getting into a tight spot like that. Just don't be shocked if you get a huge bill. It is what it is.

On my truck I thought about it afterwards (the guy ground off the rivets holding the suspension onto the frame and went in through the inner fenderwell) and I thought if I had to do this again I'd just pull the engine to do it. It's probably easier to pull the engine than to take the heads off in frame. Sometimes it's more work trying to avoid work, if that makes sense.

Understandable if the cost is high.

If I had a 90 degree drill, and the balls to do it, there is no fender liner and flat fenders, so attacking it from the side is possible. Maybe that would knock a couple hundred off the bill

But good work costs

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I'm in Medford, if someone asked for a mechanic I would say Ken Scales; they are local to me, our company has had work done there, but they are a shop and going to be expensive (like every other place)

Me, I'd try it myself.

Like you said, a 90 degree drill.  Get a set of left handed drill bits.

Get a can of PB blaster and squirt that broke bolt morning, noon and night, before and after every drive. Do that for days, let the heat cycles bust the corrosion loose and that PB work it's way into that thread.

Take off every part you can to reach it.  Take lots of pictures.  Have a clean and neat area to work.  

Pulling the engine is a LOT of work, but you can do some amazing things with a floor jack under the engine and undoing the motor mounts.  You can "float" the engine in the compartment, push it around with some 2x4 levers... might just get that extra inch to use the 90 degree drill.

Good Luck!!

I'm tempted to try it. Trying to find good stubby left hand bits is tough.

I did find another busted bolt on the passenger side, front top bolt. The shaft is level with the manifold, so some PB and vice grips should suffice there

I'm going to call around to a couple shops, but I was hoping to find that hole in the wall mechanic that knows his shit kind of shop. I usually do all my own work, but bolt extraction is not my strong suit.

Are you sure that not a guide dowel? Do you have a leak? From my own experience, if it's not leaking I'd just keep driving it.

It leaky on the driver's side one. Enough to throw the 02 sensor off, and give a +4 trim on that bank.

The other is for sure a bolt. There on no dowels that I'm aware of on the chrysler 3.8 exhaust manifolds