Removing the center muffler fron the cat pipes was a major PITA. I finally separated the two pipe connections. However I broke two of the bolts. One side just came off but the other side flange which is part of the catalitic conv has the two broken bolts totally fused in. I have been struggling w/ them for hours. PB Blaster it but no help. Hammering it didn't budge.
Ideas on how to remove these broken bolts/nuts..
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92 400E, 95 S500,91 300TE practically stole it, 97 V10 Ford E350 to tow them home from time to time
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Try a propane torch with map gas, heat it til it glows and whack it with a drift, ideally a pneumatic hammer.
W124 E220 1996, Indian manufacture. 2001 BMW R1150GS, 1983 Honda CB400N.
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If you have access to a welder, get an old T spanner welded onto the broken stud i.e. if you have space under there.
Otherwise +1 for eporopats post accompanied with some heat and penetrating oil
Otherwise +1 for eporopats post accompanied with some heat and penetrating oil
92 400E, 95 S500,91 300TE practically stole it, 97 V10 Ford E350 to tow them home from time to time
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4,495 Posts
Another option is to cut the piece off. There are after market clamps that will work in this instance, I've used them but could not find them on line. I think I got them at NAPA.
Found em; split plate is the name, you'll need exhaust pipe dope.
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/ROL0/ES466/N1768.oap?ck=Search_N1768_-1_-1&pt=N1768&ppt=C0022
Found em; split plate is the name, you'll need exhaust pipe dope.
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/ROL0/ES466/N1768.oap?ck=Search_N1768_-1_-1&pt=N1768&ppt=C0022
'92 300TE 4matic 280,000miles, '92 300TE 4Matic 'Ice Blue Metalic' 101,000miles
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Clean it up better...use an oxy/acetylene torch tip and heat the flange the bolt's in. Work quickly while the flange is expanding from the heat and use whatever tool grasps the bolt the best-spin it out. Or...if you have a welder, weld a nice nut on the top of the stud and heat as above but use a nice wrench with plenty of heft-spin it out.
If the bolt gets too hot (too much time), it will expand along with the flange and you won't get it out.
Kevin
If the bolt gets too hot (too much time), it will expand along with the flange and you won't get it out.
Kevin
I was away from the car for a while. Thanks for all the ideas. (I don't have welder so I didn't go that route.) With a combination of ideas from here, I was able to take one out. I let it soak in penetrating oil overnight by hanging/attaching a bottom of a small water bottle over the bolt. And then heating the clamp with a butane torch (let clamp expand more than bolt principle) and finally the bolt gave in. I give more credit to heat than penetrating oil for the success here.
The second wasn't budging with above treatments and that one had a rounded and tapered nut also fused in on one side and the other side was too short-- so couldn't grab with any tool. I drilled a hole across the nut to put a steel rod to get leverage. After braking tips of two pliers and bending a punch tool, I was able to get the nut broken into two pieces and take it off. Since the hole drilled, the bolt broke off trying to rotate. Now both sides are short and heating hasn't worked. I kept it soaked in poenetrating oil again last night. Will see how it behaves today. I am not worried -- if nothing, I will drill through and that should help get it out.
Again thanks for helping. If there is ever a next time, all exhaust work goes to the shop -- not worth the headache trying to deal with it DIY.
Hoping fitting new ones will not be as bad as getting things off.
The second wasn't budging with above treatments and that one had a rounded and tapered nut also fused in on one side and the other side was too short-- so couldn't grab with any tool. I drilled a hole across the nut to put a steel rod to get leverage. After braking tips of two pliers and bending a punch tool, I was able to get the nut broken into two pieces and take it off. Since the hole drilled, the bolt broke off trying to rotate. Now both sides are short and heating hasn't worked. I kept it soaked in poenetrating oil again last night. Will see how it behaves today. I am not worried -- if nothing, I will drill through and that should help get it out.
Again thanks for helping. If there is ever a next time, all exhaust work goes to the shop -- not worth the headache trying to deal with it DIY.
Hoping fitting new ones will not be as bad as getting things off.
yeah I should have just drilled through it; besides it's just a hole and no threads -- a nut goes on the other side anyway. The first one coming out with heat fooled me to believing the 2nd also should separate w/ heat and effort. I never thought these can weld together the way I see now. My lack of experience shows. That's why I will not last a single day as a mechanic.
OR! before you bust out the big guns, go to the auto parts store and grab some sockets that are used for striped heads for nuts and bolts. get the right size and just wale a hammer to it till the teeth can grab a hold of it.
I too had problems recently that were leaving me with just heating them up and using something to grab it to brake it loose. My head bolts were stripped, and those are similar to torx bits, eventually i thought of this idea and it worked great.
best of luck! ^.^
I too had problems recently that were leaving me with just heating them up and using something to grab it to brake it loose. My head bolts were stripped, and those are similar to torx bits, eventually i thought of this idea and it worked great.
best of luck! ^.^
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