I presume you are getting the leak from where the manifold meets the cylinder head? The best plan of action is to get a spare set of manifold studs before you start....sometimes a bolt will unthread from the cylinder head and you might as well replace it with a new stud. Penetrating oil should be sprayed onto the nuts when the manifold is warm...NOT HOT or it may catch on fire...preferably a day in advance and 2-3 times in-between..if you cant afford the time off the road then make sure you give it at least a couple of hrs...use PLUSGAS and dont bother with WD40...it just doesnt penetrate as well. Then get a few spanners that are the correct size...it is amazing how much difference there is between different manufacturers tools. What would really help would be to find the widest spanner you can find...access is tight along the bottom studs and you want the spanner to sit on the nut as securley as possible...i say to use a spanner for a good reason, with a socket there is less feeling for the stresses involved and you have more chance or snapping the stud....with a spanner you get a real feel as to the amount of tension you are putting on the nut/stud and if you start sweating or straining then you are about to break something...step back and apply more oil or look at using a nut breaker/chisel.
If the worst does happen, the studs tend to break where the nut was sitting...this will give you a stud that once you have removed the manifold, you can wind 2 nuts onto and tighten against each other..then straddle a socket over both nuts and try to unwind the stud....if this snapps or the stud snapped close to the head then you really have no choice but to remove the head and have the stud drilled out....but i have never had this happen if you are careful in the first place...guess next time i do this job it will now all go wrong when you put the lot back together dont be tempted to overtighten the manifold nuts...nice and tight to start with then start the car and get it hot...allow to cool then have another go at tightening the nuts...you may get another half turn on the nuts and that will do.
Good luck.

 

Good luck and welcome to SaabScene

 

Thanks for the pointers green man, I guess it is going to be a bit nervewrecking. I will keep you posted of my progress.

 

Dont worry too much...i have replaced loads of these gaskets...i replaced my 8V Turbo gasket not too long ago and i have either been lucky or its not really the problem that some would have you beleive...i havent come across a cracked manifold YET (i have a couple sitting in the garage if this ever does happen but like i said i havent seen one yet)
Go for it and think of the power boost you will get when all of those gasses are going where they should

 

The B series turbo engine manifold was notorious for cracking. Used to crack between cylinderd 1 & 2 IIRC. There was a recall in about 1980 (from memory) that modified/added a clamp from the gearbox to the exhaust to try and stop this. I don't think there was such a problem with the 8-valve H series (B201?) engine.

 

The H manifold has a web cast in where the B cracks. It reduces the number of manifolds that crack, and moves it to the end of the web, but they still crack.

I have 4 B turbo manifolds, and all have cracks. I had 2 welded up, one was put on the car 3 years ago, just looked yesterday and it's cracked again

Not overly bothered in the swing of things as all it means is a very slight leak.

 

Sorry to hear that Nutcase...i must just be very lucky then and i stand corrected....i will shut up now before it all goes pear shape with my car...sods law etc.

 

This pic here shows the change from the B to H manifold:

And I took this pic yesterday of my welded and cracked again B manifold: