exhaust downpipe/head removal

[Benrevs]

Basically what is involved in removing the downpipe from the manifold??  Am i needing a special tool for this as by the looks of things i cant just unbolt the manifold from the head??  any thoughts would be helpfull!...

[golf mk2 tornado red]

you have a gti right. are you removing the head also.

the best way i found was to split the exhaust from the first box and leave both manifolds on .its easy to slide the head up and jiggle it all out in one lump the strip it down far easier

[cняis]

iirc the manifold is held onto the block with sprung mounts keeping it under tension, so u need a special tool for untensioning these.

personally ive never removed one so i cant be any clearer 

[Benrevs]

Ahh right so it will all come out.. I was wondering whether it could be persuaded.  Yea I am having the head off to swap it for a new one, can see it bien a pain in the arse either way, but hey gotta try!  Cheers

[golf mk2 tornado red]

Ahh right so it will all come out.. I was wondering whether it could be persuaded.  Yea I am having the head off to swap it for a new one, can see it bien a pain in the arse either way, but hey gotta try!  Cheers

did mine this way for same reason was so easy its abit heavy/trickey alone but i stood on my battery and chassi leg and out it popped like a wife with 15kids.

[Benrevs]

Cool, a job for tomorrow!  Next question then... any tricks for timing? for example putting it back in exactly the same position as it came out etc....  or am i just testing my luck?!!!

[Conker]

...any tricks for timing?

Check you can find all the relevant timing marks on each sprocket etc. before you strip it down, then it will be clearer what each one should point to when you rebuild it. Perhaps make a drawing of it as this will make more sense to you than a Haynes diagram. If desparate, you could also put dots of tipex on the curent cam belt with matching dots on the sprockets/engine, then you could put matching dots on the new cam belt and then line it all up!