Y pipe removal

[Detenator]

Ok im sure that this subject has been pummeled to death here on the forum before, but im still having a LOT of trouble pulling the cats off the car. I was doing bearings and i spent hours trying to yank the Y pipe off and its still there. I broke one stud, and the other studs are still there, they are so rusted that i didn't even have the strength to break them. At least i know i won't have any exhaust problems... Ever, Not even after going offroading, that pipe is on there solid...
Ahem anyway. So i was thinking. There is this tool in Sears called the nutcracker, its a ring that slips around the nut and a chisel mounted on a screw, kind of like a C clamp that splits the nuts in half. Maybe a good idea would be to split all 6 nuts (five for me) instead of wrestling with them. This way the studs would be in one piece. All you'd have to do is clean them up with a wire brush and some greese and buy new nuts. Does this sound like a good idea to anyone?

 

[Machspeed]

Did you try wd40?

 

[SHO--ripper]

Try using a breaker bar that's around 2-3 feet in length. Good luck. thumb

 

[masho95]

Detenator:
All you'd have to do is clean them up with a wire brush and some greese and buy new nuts. Does this sound like a good idea to anyone?

I broke all 4 studs while doing my friends clutch. Sounds very familiar to me... The studs on his car were there for so long that there wasn't even any threads left! Cleaned up the studs with a wire brush and kept looking for the threads, but the rust just ate them away. You're probably going to need to replace all 4 studs if you want to get any nuts back on. Try not to break the others because drilling out 4 studs ISN'T fun. Use a lot of PB Blaster and some heat if you have it.

 

[Machspeed]

Hey masho95, just looking at your site, i see you like mashing down i80? I like speeding down i80 to, its a strait freeway here in cali!

 

[masho95]

Nope I'm located in MA. A friend did that flash for me and he just threw in a # on the sign.

 

[masho95]

Nope I'm located in MA. A friend did that flash for me and he just threw in a # on the sign.

 

[Detenator]

Whats the procedure for replacing those darn studs?

 

[masho95]

Detenator:
Whats the procedure for replacing those darn studs?

There are multiple ways you can go about it. First and the best solution. You need to get the old ones out without having to drill them out. Clean up the threads in the exhaust manifold and just put in a new replacement set. Second option, drill out the old studs and then retap the holes with the next bigger size and replace with appropriate studs. And the last option which we used on my friend's 89, is to drill holes completely through the exhaust manifold and put in a new stud. You'll need a nut on top of each to secure them to the manifold and a nut to hold the y-pipe up. Good luck getting that fixed. I know it's not fun, even with the subframe removed!