Arrgh I was attempting to disconnect the exhaust manifold from the downpipe but 2 of the 3 bolts are seized! We've sprayed them with some heavy duty WD-40 type stuff and I guess we will keep doing that everyday until they come off...

Any tips? We were using an impact gun too. I can't see how we could get a cutting torch in there to get them off...this blows! Any ideas? Or will they eventually come off if we soak them enough?

 

How strong is your impact gun? You may want to try to get a breaker bar under there too and see if you can get it that way.

 

We had a 1/2 inch impact gun I believe and lots of pressure. Unfortunately at the time we were just beating on a regular socket. I should go pick up a 14mm deep impact socket and give it another shot. Either way this was a big ****-off, I'm still leaking oil from my oil pan gasket, but I had to finish the oil change so I could drive again. Lesson learned: don't drop the oil out UNTIL you get the downpipe off...

 

soak up the bolts for a while, get a 6pt socket and breaker bar, you should be able to get them out after all that. another thing the dp may be sitting at an angle so see if you can jiggle it around at all so the bolts come out straight instead at an angle where it touches the dp flange.

 

Yeah, find a nice 3 foot breaker bar & 6 pt. socket, brace yourself against the side of the car, & lift with your legs . . . . . . .

 

Muscles

 

I've twisted the heads off many bolts on exhaust manifolds. LOL They suck ***.

Try heating it... see what happens.

 

LOL...can I grab some of those at the hardware store?

 

I know that this is going to sound stupid, but trust me, it works in a lot of cases much better than WD-40. Heavily soak a rag in Coke and get it all over the bolt that is giving you problems. It should loosen it up right away.

 

Aww now I've got all this damn cocaine all over my header!! How am I supposed to clean it off dammit!!!

I hit it some new anti-corrosion spray...I'm going to try again on the weekend...but I still think it sucks I have to do a whole new oil change...I should just suck it up for another 1000 miles...we'll see how fast my oil level drops.

 

Haha nice update....spraying that stuff on the flange makes your car smoke like a ****....on the drive to work this morning people must have thought my car was on fire when I was sitting at a light

 

Sounds like you need a nutcracker and a few easy outs.

 

Are you installing a new header?

 

Sounds like a job for a torch. Anyway to take the entire thing out (Manifold to Cat) and torch it?


[Modified by Evil Lude, 2:46 AM 6/27/2002]

 

Oil pan gasket...it's a b!tch to get to...I leak oil slow enough that I can keep it running...but it's a pain.

If it was a new header I would just torch it