PTU Drill and Tap

[Iqoniq]

Well, I started out bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, but I'm pretty annoyed. I spent an hour trying to loosen one bolt on the downpipe, with no success. And there are still four others to go, plus I need a long-ass extension for the top three.

I tried a propane torch, tried warming the car up to operating temp, doused stuff with PB Blaster, tapped it with a hammer. I have a 300 lbs-in impact wrench that did nothing, and a breaker bar I can't fit into a good position to even make an attempt.

In the morning, I think I'll go buy a shorter breaker bar, but honestly, if that doesn't work, I guess I'll have to let my mechanic at it, which is frustrating because I want to do everything myself. But he's got a lift, and I don't, and probably better tools and techniques.

 

[Zpak]

Yes, a universal and lots of long extensions so you can take advantage of your big boy breaker bar. If you’re going back at it in the morning give them a healthy dose of blaster to sit overnight.

 

[Iqoniq]

They are currently dripping, good sir.

 

[Michigan-SHO]

They are currently dripping, good sir.

Any luck with this?

 

[Iqoniq]

Uh, oh, yeah. I should get back to work on that. My wife has had me on these Memorial Day sales and hunting for appliances. I also was fiddling with Filmora as I prepare to make videos for YT documenting all of this stuff.

I did get my breaker bar and a bunch of extensions.

I'll update as I either get them off or give up. Hah.

 

[Iqoniq]

One off, one loose, three to go. Soaking it overnight really did the trick. Even if this means I have to do this over the span of a few days, I'll be happy because I didn't have to visit the mechanic.

 

[Michigan-SHO]

This is all just to drill and tap the ptu correct? Can you take a couple pictures please? This is high high high on my list.

 

[Iqoniq]

I'm recording the entire thing. Well, all of the relevant stuff.

 

[Michigan-SHO]

I'm recording the entire thing. Well, all of the relevant stuff.

I appreciate it

 

[Zpak]

 

[Iqoniq]

Two out, top three loosened and PB blasted again to marinate. It didn't occur to me that I'd need to remove the O2 sensors, and there's two of them, top and bottom of the down-pipe. So I blasted those too - now I just have to hope I have a crescent wrench big enough for them, or go give Harbor Freight more dough. I'm still building my garage, so I don't have a lot of tools - I'm basically just buying them as I need them.

By the way, this thread is what I'm basing all of my work on. Much thanks to High Caliber for giving me a direction to aim in. And SM105k has given some good guidelines on the vent fill method, so he gets the credit for that. I'm just gonna record it and say I discovered it all.

Haha. Nah, just joking.

 

[SM105K]

Two out, top three loosened and PB blasted again to marinate. It didn't occur to me that I'd need to remove the O2 sensors, and there's two of them, top and bottom of the down-pipe. So I blasted those too - now I just have to hope I have a crescent wrench big enough for them, or go give Harbor Freight more dough. I'm still building my garage, so I don't have a lot of tools - I'm basically just buying them as I need them.

By the way, this thread is what I'm basing all of my work on. Much thanks to High Caliber for giving me a direction to aim in. And SM105k has given some good guidelines on the vent fill method, so he gets the credit for that. I'm just gonna record it and say I discovered it all.

Haha. Nah, just joking.

Nah, I just passed along the info that was given to me.

 

[Iqoniq]

You still passed it along, buddy, so you still get the cookie.

 

[Kphoenix07]

I just replaced my pto and did not need to remove o2 senors.

 

[Iqoniq]

I'll look into that ... you at least had to unplug the bottom one, according to your pic. Honestly, that might be easier. I'll check it out in the morning, and see if I can do that. Thanks.

 

[Iqoniq]

So, the bottom left nut (that's what you'll see from the passenger wheel well) of the three upper nuts that hold the downpipe on rounded out. It hasn't completely lost shape, though, and I'm researching how I'll deal with that. I'm guessing I'll file it down to a 14 (from a 15) and try again.

The other two nuts are nice and loose.

 

[Iqoniq]

Hmm, they make some bolt extractor things ... like this.

 

[luigisho]

I was going to mention something like those. Nice find.

 

[twobitcoder]

How to you refill the PTU after draining?

Also the Ford tech had to drill out those downpipe bolts and re-thread them. My car originally lived in Ohio for 5 years before making its new home in CA so I have some leftovers from that cheap-ass state that in the year 2020 is still using mined salt. Oops did I just vent OT?

 

[RonPorter]

so I have some leftovers from that cheap-ass state that in the year 2020 is still using mined salt. Oops did I just vent OT?

All of the Midwest states use salt, and probably always will....... Unless someone finds something that is (1) as cheap, and (2) works as well. We get a lot more ice than places like Colorado, which uses sand, which causes other issues to car bodies and windshields.

Plus Detroit sits on top of one of the biggest Salt mines in the country.