I blew the head gasket in my 1989 300SE. Rebuilt the head and installed. Re-installing the intake manifold and all bolts align except for the two on the ends. Doesn't make sense to me since all others line up properly. I probed in the bolt space by #6 and it seems like the head is slightly in the way. How is this possible? Any ideas as to overcome? My first rodeo here, so any suggestions would be very helpful since I am beyond frustrated.

Make all of the other bolts very loose and then carefully use a small pry bar to push the intake in the direction it needs to move.
Patience will pay on this to avoid stripping the head.

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"Rudeness is a weak man's imitation of strength" - Eric Hoffer

Thank you for the advice. I will try, the only thing that I can see that might not cooperate is the fixed position bolt coming out of the head. Do you think this will be an obstacle?

The center stud will probably help the situation by keeping everything thing in the "ballpark".

This isn't in the book but from the busted knuckle bachelors program... although you shouldn't have to, don't hesitate to oblong the hole in the manifold with a rattail file OR put a stud and nut like the center bolt to facilitate the install. The stud and nut could remain forever.

This is critical, do you understand the one way ratcheting chain tensioner?

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"Rudeness is a weak man's imitation of strength" - Eric Hoffer

Ah. OK. I will pursue on the manifold.
On the chain tensioner, I know this is a majoy key issue. I did not get to that reinstall yet, but I have read and will read more, but if you can share I would appreciate and am all ears.

Let me know after you read up on it, it only tightens and will quickly tear up the gears and chain if not done properly. It must be disassembled to be installed, no way around it. Once it was removed it went to full tight automatically.

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"Rudeness is a weak man's imitation of strength" - Eric Hoffer

Any issues removing the manifold? Is the center stud bent?

Something isn't right here....

MILS this does sound off, I don't remember is there a centering sleeve/collar on the head for the intake similar to the head gasket?

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"Rudeness is a weak man's imitation of strength" - Eric Hoffer

to Sugar Bear - thank you. I will read up more. Not there yet. Have to get the manifold situation under control

To MILS - Thank you too, but stud is straight. Nothing visibly wrong. I had the six inner bolts all in the head. Only the two outside would not line up and go in.

I am going to try some of the suggestions today & will report back. Any other ideas though as to why they don't match? Very odd since they are the same components that were married already. I'm very confused as to why they don't go together again.

The hole at each end won't line up. Does it look like the manifold is somehow too long overall or does it look like it is too far back or too far forward?

It could also be the gasket holes are slightly different, compare the gaskets old to new or try dry fitting the intake.

Could get two longer bolts, cut the heads off, thread only those two into the end holes and try to install the manifold. This may allow you to see the problem.

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"Rudeness is a weak man's imitation of strength" - Eric Hoffer

The manifold appears to line up perfectly. Why I am confused is that it is in fact the same manifold and head. And, that I had all of the middle bolts - six of them - screwed in place. I don't think it's the gasket because I inserted an awl, very carefully, in the #6 bolt area to see how strong the obstruction was and it felt like the head, not a gasket. I do have a very small camera that I am going to peek down that bolt hole and see if I can determine more. I know you said that I could file the hole on the manifold, but would that be a cause for potential air leak?

No it wouldn't cause an air leak, but filing the hole would be my last choice/ option as I think something else is the issue. The seal is created between the intake runner and the port in the head with clamping force on the gasket, the bolt only supplies the clamping force not a seal. If filing is necessary we are talking about a few mils e.g., 0.010" not an 1/8". If a few mils doesn't get it home something else is wrong.

This is a long shot but are the manifold and the head being kept at roughly the same temp? e.g., the manifold was in a warm house and the head was in a cold garage? The intake is aluminum and would expand faster and more in the heat than steel.

You are working properly by not forcing the bolt and trying to figure it out.

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"Rudeness is a weak man's imitation of strength" - Eric Hoffer

Thanks again Sugar Bear for your advice.
Both car and manifold are in the engine compartment in the garage - same temp. I was thinking the same thing as far as the filing goes. Last resort because you can't reverse that. And given that these two pieces were connected at one point ... I will be going back in shortly to do some more investigation. I will keep you posted. Many thanks again.

I removed the manifold from the car again. I examined both the head and the intake manifold and the gasket mating. All match up. Prior to removal, I did use my camera and the head was definitely in the way of the #6 area bolt. Now that the manifold is out I pondered the situation again. The manifold has to go to the left, so I was thinking that maybe the water pump somehow is in the way slightly? Is that possible? Again, the other 6 bolt holes all lined up OK, so I am thinking that if I move the manifold to the left to accomodate the end bolts, will that not put those 6 out of position? But, will that even be possible given the fixed position of the center bolt??