Exhaust Manifold Help!

[th3_f15t]

I have a 1991 Digifant engine in my mk2 Golf GTi.

I need to get the cylinder head off, and it's vertually impossible to get to the bolts that hold the exhaust manifold to the cylinder head. The next place to take it apart is the exhaust-manifold-to-downpipe but this again is impossible. The only other way I can see is to seperate the downpipe where it joins the mid silencer and then pull the cylinder head out and ubolt it when the manifolds are more exposed.

Any help of how to do this please, been at it for 2 days now and a hacksaw is getting really close to the downpipe!

[Diamond Hell]

It's not that impossible.

You *are* using a 12mm spanner and a six-sided socket, not a 13mm, aren't you?

[rubjonny]

as above, even if they round off ive managed to get them off with mole grips eventually.  if you can pop the front silencer off the downpipe then the head will come out with the manifold and downpipe attached, ideally have a mate to help lift it as its awkward.