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[pete1666]

How easy is it to change manifold gaskets on a V6 ?

[TheBoy]

OK ish one side, challenging the other.  Officially, passenger side is head off job, but can be done without.  If the studs snap, heads have to come off.

[Mike Collins]

Driver's side, possible but long winded. The worst part for me was removing and replacing the coolant pipe that runs to the rear of the engine. Access is very limited, you are working nearly blind.  Luckily no studs broke, it took around 12 hours including removing the cat to drill and tap the holes at the rear end.

Passenger side I have not attempted, search on here and you should find reference to partly removing the engine!

[Matchless]

Drivers side is reasonably easy, you have to remove the metal coolant pipe (dont bend it as th garages do, it may start leaking at the flange) remove the scuttle and plennum to gain more room then take out the HBV complete with hoses....this may seem excessive but you need good ccess to ensure the coolant pipe seal goes back in properly.

To do the passenger side is (in theory) a head-off job but we recon that it should be possible if you undo the engine mount and jack the engine up on the LHS, if you have access to an engine support beam or can improvise one then remove both engine mounts and slew the engine across in the engine bay slightly.

[Matchless]

BTW, use the later multi-layer metal gaskets available from Vx dealers, dont use the metal-fibr composition ones available from autovaux etc.
Check that the manifolds are flat and flatten on a sheet of emery if in doubt.

[CaptainZok]

Can you give us a clue what an engine support beam would look like?
Gotta do N/S manifold on my reflection before I can MOT it.

[Matchless]

I would have used a spare fence post and some 3/4 ply to make one but was able to borrow this monster:

[Owen]

Thats a nice bit of kit matey!