Pulling exhaust manifold

[tombrcc]

So I've been working on rebuilding the hot side of my exhaust. I've broken the heads off both bolts and working in the cramped confines of my Catalina 30 engine compartment isn't going to cut it. That in mind I'm going to pull the manifold and work on it at my workbench.

Here's my 1st question, which of the two options works best?

1 - disconnect the carburetor from the manifold leaving gas lines and throttle & choke cables as they are and disconnecting the scavenge tube where it connects to the manifold

2 - bring the carburetor with the manifold disconnecting the gas line, throttle cable and choke.

I'm leaning toward 1 as I've had no issues with fuel leaks and I'm afraid messing with them will lead to some leaks I really don't want to have to deal with.

Additional question, should I plan on replacing the exhaust manifold gasket or inspect it after I pull it? $8 isn't a big deal but another ~$15 to ship it from PA to Baltimore is something I'd like to avoid if I can.

[ndutton]

If it were me I would take the carburetor home for a cleaning along with the project at hand. If you do this be sure to plug the fuel hose and close the tank valve. If the tank is over half full the fuel level is higher than the carburetor and a siphon will likely start resulting in a bilge full of gasoline and the boat interior with an explosive atmosphere.

Consider adding flare fittings to the fuel line where it connects to the carburetor to eliminate hose damage with disassembly as seen in this post.

New gaskets for sure.