Rep Power: 256

Hey i am havin some huge problems gettin the factory muffler off. First of all I do not have a lift but i put the car on jack stands. Then i sprayed the bolts with wd40. I tried them again and still couldnt get them. Then i just went and cranked the bolt as hard as i could with my ratchet and the bolt broke so now i have half the bolt stuck in the one hole and the other bolt still wont loosen up at all. Wut should i do??? How do i get the broken part of the bolt out. And how do i get the other bolt out??? Any help will be appreciated.

Jamie

 
Rep Power: 265

if you are able to take pictures of the bolts that you are talking about, it will make it easier for anyone on here to give you some help. if you cant take pictures, then more detailed description of the which bolts you are working one would be very helpful in offering up more detailed advice.

some of the bolts may need more than one ratchet to actually take them off/put them on, one on both ends. that is really all i can offer for now without knowing much else. also how long did you let the wd40 sit? you may want to try a more powerful penetrating lube and let it sit overnight if possible.

 
Rep Power: 0

Im assuming that you are talking about the bolts that connect your muffler to your mid-pipe if so I had the same problem mine was a little rusted and the head of the bolt just snapped right off... what I did was remove the mid-pipe back well from the cat back and take it completley off the car, than all I did was drill the broken one out starting out with a reasonabally small drill bit compared to the hole and work your way up in sizes so the drill bit dosent wonder whilst your drilling... as far as the other bolt just try to take it out as well who knows it may just come straight out...

 
Rep Power: 256

ok thanks. Thats the bolts i was talkin bout. Hey is there a allen key hole on the end of the bolt that i broke???

 
Rep Power: 0

Thats what I thought at first as well but I think its just an indent from something... Have tou tried what HonCiv02 said and hold the bolt head and turn the nut...Might as well give it a go if nothing else is working...

 
Rep Power: 246

Just be careful when taking off the bolts from the cat to midpipe chances are they are probably rusted/seized as well. Plus youll have to crawl all the way under your car and the limited workspace will make it twice as hard to take these bolts off.

As stated use penetrating lube and let it sit overnight.
Give it a couple taps with a hammer
Might sound crazy but tighten down the bolt before you try to loosen it.
Good luck

 
Rep Power: 266

easiest way to get the bolts the connect the cat to the midpipe is to just cut them off

 
Rep Power: 0

What do you mean... I think you mean cut them through the gap where they join... That would make sense but if the bolt is stuck it isnt going to help you get that out and where you cut the bolt there is still going to be half of it left on the other side which is going to be an even bigger bitch to get out because you can not work the bolt and nut together...

 
Rep Power: 256

ya but i broke one of them off and now theres still thread in the hole how do i get the thread out??? and where do i get new bolts from??? will just about any exhaust shop have em?

 
Rep Power: 252

^^ most exhaust shops should have them. When I installed my cat back had to pull out the torch to get a couple off.

 
Rep Power: 0

Thats probably a better idea than most its easy as and you should be able to use the bolts again if they dont get ruined by the heat... Wouldnt recommend doing it under your car though... So that means your still going to have to undo some bolts to use a blow torch on others.. hmmm... But as far as getting the threaded part out I askd the guys around the garage and they said your best bet would be to drill it out and just buy another bolt which is what your going to have to do anyway... Another option a guy came up with which sounds a little extreme and over the top b ut he said he got a bolt out once by getting another nut and welding it onto the part where the head of the orignal bolt snapped off... But I wouldnt even bother giving that a go unless you have alot of time and dedication but it does sound a little extravagant...