454 exhaust manifold leaks

[LarryAlida]

Manifold bolt head broke off front at front hole of the right manifold.Exhaust leaks until the engine warms up.I'm sure it still leaks. Is this a common problem? Larry.

[C Nash]

Yep, sad to say but this is common on the 454. Need to repair as it can burn gaps in the head at the ports. Take them off and invest in a good pair of headers. Be sure and check the heads for even at the exhaust ports and mill as needed. Can do a pretty good job with just a big flat file.

[Kirk]

Both the 454 and the 460 were well known for that problem. It is one of the best reasons to go to headers, but you also gain significant improvement in performance. You can get headers from Banks, Gibson or Throley.