i'm trying to install my ws2 exhaust, and the only nuts left are the ones attached to the cat. they're rusted to hell though, and i can't even distinguish the shape of the nut anymore. i tried using wd40, rust remover, pliars, wrench, socket wrench..nothing seems to work. all of the nuts are like fused to the cat. i really don't want to pay a tech to remove the nuts or install the exhaust for me b/c i want to do it on my own, but i feel like my back is against the wall. what else can i do to try to remove it?

 

Try PB blaster and/or liquid wrench.

After that, 16" breaker bar (works most of the time), if not, step up to a larger extension on a breaker bar (I know there's not a lot of room under there).

If still no go, you'll need an impact wrench.

An impact wrench does more than just turn it with lots of force - it shakes the **** out of it and jars it loose, as well.

EDIT:
If you can take the other side of the cat out (like get it out from under the car) that'll help ur leverage game a lot - if all else fails - you'll need a torch - it's as simple as that.

 

i was thinking about torching it, but i feel like my car will engulf in flames from all the wd-40 i used lol

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tekniq &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i was thinking about torching it, but i feel like my car will engulf in flames from all the wd-40 i used lol</TD></TR></TABLE>

WD-40 is a bit like gasoline in terms of chemistry - it evaporates quite quickly. Though given a 12 hour period or whatever, it should be all gone.

If you're that worried about it - take a garden hose under there with u...

 

i'm gonna buy some pb blaster tomorrow morning and use a breaker bar and see how that works. thanks for the info


Modified by tekniq at 2:30 AM 8/21/2008

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tekniq &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i'm gonna buy some pb blaster tomorrow morning and use a breaker bar and see how that works. thanks for the info </TD></TR></TABLE>

Might wanna also look for something called "liquid wrench" - it kicked a whole lot of *** last time I checked.

PB Blaster is great **** too...

EDIT:
I take my car to my friend's shop where he has air tools or take it to a diff shop as a customer to get my exhaust done with air tools - regular tools and exhausts don't mix well - you need air tools in all reality to do a lot of successful exhaust work...

 

if there was an *** kicking contest between pb blaster and liquid wrench, who would kick who's ***? hah

 

yea try what he suggested. but if you've rounded the bolt off entirely then your best bet is to probably torch it. won't take but a min or two. and having a water hose within close reach is certainly not a bad idea as an extra precaution either.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tekniq &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">if there was an *** kicking contest between pb blaster and liquid wrench, who would kick who's ***? hah</TD></TR></TABLE>
My money's on PB Blaster, but the products are fairly similar... I'd torch it, then try and get a impact socket over it....

 

torch's are expensive!

 

i had the same problem. i drowned it in wd40 then used extreme amounts of elbow grease. ill have to admit, it sucked

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EG8AI &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
i had the same problem. i drowned it in wd40 then used extreme amounts of elbow grease. ill have to admit, it sucked </TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah, impact wrenches ftw.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tekniq &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">torch's are expensive!</TD></TR></TABLE>

Nah, you can get small, extremely portable ones connected to small tanks for pretty cheap.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tazeat &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
My money's on PB Blaster, but the products are fairly similar... I'd torch it, then try and get a impact socket over it....</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah, that's another method that I didn't mention to you via PM (I forgot).

Heat it until it's a bit deformed then get an impact socket and put it over the bolt (might have to go with 1mm smaller than the bolt's size), and hammer it on. Make sure it's an impact socket though, a regular socket will crack if you do that. once it's "reformed" the outsides of the head, you can just ratchet it off with a nice, big, breaker bar.

 

Go to home depot or the equivalent, the propane torch tip is like $12 and the propane is like $4/bottle... For hotter mapp gas or O2 the tips/tubes are a bit more.

 

You have a few options, like the other guys have said, If you have a dremel or a grinder laying around you could just grind the bolt head off and use a bolt extractor on the threads. I own a set of acetilyne torches, but you could always run over to an exhaust shop and ask them to cut the bolt off, then just drive the car home without a cat on, would be loud but ive done it like that before.

Sometimes if you take a file, and file the bolt a size down to fit a smaller size socket, itll give it a fresh bite on the bolt head, ive broken exhaust bolts free on a 71 GMC like that before. It takes a bit of time doing it like this but its almost always worked, i cant garranty that the bolt wont snap but atleast the exhaust would be off. When i did the exhaust on my prelude i broke a bolt on the cat in half with a 1/2 drive socket and my leg doing the pushing.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tazeat &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Go to home depot or the equivalent, the propane torch tip is like $12 and the propane is like $4/bottle... For hotter mapp gas or O2 the tips/tubes are a bit more.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Your talking about the same propane torches used for soldering right?Those can melt steel?

 

You jerk it.


And it will get off.


DUH!

 

When I had the same problem on the same bolts, I used an electric angle grinder. Zipped it right off.

 

ull definitely need an impact wrench nd use some of that liquid steel filler.i used when i rubed iff the cap of my thermostat housing bolt.

 

if you dont have a grinder, drilll it, but wear goggles and a mask...

 

I think your best bet would be to use a chisel, or hack saw to cut the bolt and nut both off... you probably wont be able to turn them off if they're rusted as bad as most are. But then once you get them cut off parallel to the flange... its just a matter of banging in off a little bit. Good luck

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fryman &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Your talking about the same propane torches used for soldering right?Those can melt steel?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I've never seen anybody solder something with a propane torch...though I suppose anything is possible, seems a bit aggressive of an approach, IMO. I use a soldering iron.

In any event, I use an O2 torch instead of a Propane torch, bit hotter of a flame. The goal isn't to melt the bolt completely, just to heat it to the point where you can slam an impact socket on it or get a pair of vice grips to dig into it.

The person who mentioned using a file and going a size smaller, I've done that method a few times after heating it, usually works. Though it's much easier to drive to a shop &gt;.&lt;.

You can spend a whole day under there getting pissed off trying to get those cat bolts off, it's a lose-lose situation.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tekniq &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i'm trying to install my ws2 exhaust, and the only nuts left are the ones attached to the cat. they're rusted to hell though, and i can't even distinguish the shape of the nut anymore. i tried using wd40, rust remover, pliars, wrench, socket wrench..nothing seems to work. all of the nuts are like fused to the cat. i really don't want to pay a tech to remove the nuts or install the exhaust for me b/c i want to do it on my own, but i feel like my back is against the wall. what else can i do to try to remove it?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Sounds like the nuts are seriously rusted and are now smaller in size.

First thing to try is pounding on a smaller 12pt socket. Try a 13mm 12 pt and pound it on. If that's too big, try a 12mm. I've had to do this several times.

If they're completely corroded, just cut them off. You'll need to pound the studs out of the cat and get new nuts and bolts, but you won't have the issue again.

 

The small propane torches are used for soldering copper pipes and such for plumbing as far as I know.

 

Just so everyone is clear its not called soldering, its called brazing. You take a propane torch and some lead wire, and heat both copper pipes up, then stick the lead wire agianst the lower surface copper pipe, and put the heat on the opposite side of the joint and the copper joint will suck the lead into it thus sealing it.

 

Wrong !!!!! solder IS lead/tin wire, brazing is BRASS(ing) and requires a much higher temperature.
If you're going to split hairs then at least get your facts right.