Installing The New Exhaust

[elbles]

Hey guys,

Got my HKS R2 Sport exhaust from Enjuku Racing today (highly recommended, they're great to deal with), and started taking the factory one off. Now, the problem with the factory exhaust was that it pretty much rusted away *RIGHT* at the flange connecting it to the cat . . . but anyway, I got the rest of the exhaust off, and was all ready to get the flange piece off when it started to become a real pain. Before trying to remove it, I soaked the two bolts in PB Blaster, but that didn't seem to have much of an effect; the bolts just wouldn't come off. My dad got home shortly after I did, and he tried using a bolt-cutter (no deal), and then started drilling the bolts out, but that's slow going. Any other ideas/tips/suggestions at this point? I might try going at it with a wrench/socket again, if the bolt isn't too badly damaged at this point . . . what are the factory bolts? 15 MM? I'd appreciate any tips if you guys have them . . .

[rico05]

Get a 1/2 breaker bar. Put the socket on the bolt. Now instead of using your hands, use your foot to push the breaker bar. This is what I always do cuz my puny *** arms are not strong enough. Always works for me;)

[elbles]

Heh, might have to try that, but I couldn't seem to get a socket on this thing too well, very well rusted, heh. :-)

[rico05]

I had to hold it with my hand until I got enough pressure to keep it from slipping off. That was a funny sight...Me bent in half, half under the car, cussing.

[elbles]

Me under the car, with an Irish temper . . . a common thing here. ;-)

[rico05]

<- 3rd generation off the boat from land of lepracon and potaotes so I feel ya;)

[Dattebayo]

look im irish too.

You helped me with the header so heres my incredible advice.

BUY AN ANGLE GRINDER!!!

they cost like 70 bucks and you can grind those bolt heads right off. I had the same trouble with mine and bought one of these bad boys. It took the head off in 2 minutes flat. Then i used some channel locks to remove the shaft after soaking them in automotive shop grade brake cleaner for a day.

It will work trust me...

[knowleqe]

when i took mine off it was all rusted out also. all i can say is soak the s*** out of it with wd40 and use those muscles

[TurboKA37]

i stripped on of mine really bad and ended up taking my dremel with the cutting/grinding tool on it and cut the nut until it feel off in three different peices

[240dreamer]

try to clean up the bolt and threads with a wire wheel or brush, then soak it in some sort of lubricator, pb blaster, WD40...etc. after you do that, take an impact wrench and let it work it's magic it until it comes off. i used this technique to free my stock exhaust just a few days ago. all of these suggestions are good though... good luck!

-Adam

[elbles]

All things I'll have to try, heh . . . hopefully the HKS one will be on it soon enough, driving the "spare" car around here (1995 Olds Aurora) is killing me . . . :-)

[Dattebayo]

Do you need to keep the cat?

If not just buy that angle grinder and saw right through the bit ch. Then you just gotta be careful of the hanger.

[elbles]

Well, progress has been made . . . :-)

Ended up taking vice grip pliers to the rusted bolts, and I just broke one off, making for a much shorter piece to be drilled out. :-) The other bolt, I attached the vice grips to, and then used a foot-long piece of wood or so (no comments, I can some up with any kind of sexual innuendo/euphemism you may have thought have anyway :-)), and a hammer, and that loosened that bolt (after an intense soaking with PB Blaster and WD40).

At this pont, the exhaust still isn't on the car. :-( Two bolts, one attaching the hanger to the exhaust, and another attaching the hanger to the mount on the car, don't appear to be the correct bolts, and the one wasn't meeting up with the thread on the exhaust. Too late to go to a auto parts/hardware place, so another day will go by. Oh, and I managed to drain the battery by running my stereo a bit longer than I thought . . . so the first time I start the car with the exhaust, it will be through a jump start. :-) Ahh, the joys of this car's ownership . . . a Porsche would seem like a Honda in comparison.

[gumby]

one word

DREMEL!!!

:ylsuper

also at your own risk get a nice length of 1 1/2" pipe insert the handle of your breaker bar into it and voila you have extra leverage

[elbles]

Heh, that would work too.

Oh, and if anyone knows what those two bolts are supposed to be (size, thread pattern, etc), that would be helpful . . . doesn't appear to be listed in the FSM.

[Dattebayo]

standard 8 or 10mm shaft metric bolts (listed in the hardware store as #8 or #10 metric). 14mm head i believe, but take what you can with the shaft size you need. The ones i found were 1/2" but i dont remember the length so pick 20 or 25mm long or something.

The thread size is the same no matter where you go, but you want to make sure you get tri-alloy bolts to put in its place.

[elbles]

Thanks for all the help guys . . . got the thing on, sounds nice. A little throatier than stock, much nicer sounding, but certainly not loud or obnoxious. Much nicer looking too . . . I'll have to post pics once I get the car washed again.

[driftnS13 240sx]

i just used a damn grinder! grind them flat then use a crow bar or a large flat head .. works like a dream..

[elbles]

Yet another way to do it . . . :-)

I've also heard about taking a torch to the bolts, and trying to get them off while they're still on the hot side . . . something else to try for those stuck in install hell. :-)

[veilside180sx]

i'm thinking i'm just gonna buy a new cat and all when i do my exhaust, cuz i don't wanna deal with this crap. My sawzall can take care of the rest=)

[MECPInstaller]

I tried going through the same proccess back in december. Jacked the car about 2 ft in the air and soaked the bolts in wd40, didn't budge. My dad and I worked for a good hour or so and ended up rounding the head off one bolt and snapping the other one. Next morning drove it up to my mechanic and for 40 bucks they lifted the car up and torched the bolts out and mounted the exhaust only took them around 20 minutes, damn i want a lift:(

[AZhitman]

PB Blaster > WD40.

[MECPInstaller]

i didn't have any lying around at the time, actually i've never even seen a can of it. If Hitman thinks its good I'll have to find some. Only afew months too late lol.

[elbles]

Yeah, I soaked the bolts in PB Blaster, went at them with everything I had, and they were still a royal pain. :-) We just drilled the one out, and the other we eventually just got the bolt off of, but man, exhaust systems suck to work on. Heh . . .

[MECPInstaller]

well at least now with the new exhaust you'll have fresh bolts and for some reason it has to come off again, it'll be alot easier.

[elbles]

Heh, hopefully man . . . it would be nice. :-)

[[Zero-S]]

Impact gun. Pneumatic tools are your friends.

[eitan]

I've just started the install of my new BRM exhaust, which came to a grinding halt when I got to the cat bolts.

It seems the cat that's on there (stock? I dunno) has bolts that are incorporated into the flanges for the cat, meaning they won't come out. Has anyone else had this problem? I think I have to replace the damn cat now, too, which is a terrific thing considering the amount of rust involved.

I used PB Blaster, daily treatments in advance, and still nothing. The nuts were unrecognizable. I ended up using a dremel and heavy duty cutoff saws to cut the bolts, but now I still can't get the exhaust on because of the stupid incorporated bolts.

GRR!!

[s13EastTN]

With my honda, I removed everything from the cat back. Sitting in my driveway with a big(not really) ole muffler pipe after soaking for 3 DAYS I use a 12mm 1/2 inch socket and break *3* $4 lowe's sockets and 1 $17 socket wrench.

Die grinders are you friend.

[240dreamer]

can't you just use some new bolts?...if you cut the studs off of the flange of the cat, drill through the flange and use a new bolt, some washers, and a nut to put the BRM on...hope i helped! good luck!

-Adam