Rep Power: 0

Kind of a continuation of this thread here. I asked the question awhile back (its an archived thread, so I can't reply directly to it), but I forgot to ask one thing. What size are the 3 bolts?

 
Rep Power: 0

didnt read through it, but if u have problems getting of the 3 bolts attach to the cat, use a wrench and use hammer to slowly hit it, thats how i get mine of

 
Rep Power: 0

<cough>impact wrench</cough>

 
Rep Power: 0

That's what i did except i used a rubber mallet.

 
Rep Power: 0

I took the cat and everything right off! and worked on it o nmy bench. It was easier to just unscrew the o2 sensor then work on it off the car. I believe If i remember right they are like 14mm.

 
Rep Power: 0

Well today was a big bust! I got two of the bolts off on the cat with relative ease (mallet/hammer works), but on the last one it was stripped to hell. Here's what we were trying to do: My friend and I were going to switch cat backs: he has the stock piping with a universal muffler welded onto the rear section after the resonator. I have 2.25" aluminum piping and a universal muffler. On his car, we unbloted the rear section, and got it off easy. Then we took off the other long section of pipe after unscrewing the 3 bolts that attach it to the cat and removing it from the hangers. Sparying the 3 bolts with WD-40 and using a wrench/hammer made this very easy. Next we worked on my car. No rear section to bolt off, as my piping is all aftermarket. So we start at the 3 bolts, but after getting 2 of them the 3rd won't budge. Some of the weld is covering the 3rd bolt, but poking around the area makes the rust chip off. When we finally get enough off to use the rachet, we find out the bolt is stripped. Now we get the idea to unbolt the bottom section of the header and slide the whole piping out as one. One big problem with this..the rear sway bar blocks the path in which the exhaust system must slide out. We find this out after we have already disconcted both O2 sensors and unbolted the rear section of the header, and removed all of the hangers. So, pretty much all of our work was wasted because of one stupid bolt. Now I think I'm going to take it to a shop and see what they can do with it. If I learned anything from this, I have a very good understanding of the stock exhaust system and the aftermarket one. On my piping, on the 1st bend of it after the connection with the cat, it takes on the shape of of a rectangle almost. I was upset to see such a crappy bend. The bottom and top ends of the piping flatten out to make the curve, instead of it being a nice, smooth round piping all the way through the bend. Bah! Oh well....

 
Rep Power: 0

If you don't want to take it to a shop, you can go to Sears(or an automotive store) and see if they have a Stuck nut/bolt remover kit on hand. If not, you can buy it online. Works like the inverse of an EZ-Out.

Linky linky

 
Rep Power: 0

Thanks for the link, I'll check it out. This morning I found out that I have a leak now. We did a rush job of bolting me header back together....the leak is in the connection between the 2 sections of the header. Need to tighten those bolts and make sure the gasket is ok asap....damnit...