[777funk]

I have been trying to get my timing cover off and finally got it. But I can't get my oil pan off for gasket replacement because the exhaust is in the way. Everything went good with the Autozone puller and should go good with their installer tool as well. But I need to get my oil pan gasket back on.

How do I get that stinking rear exhaust flange loose? I rounded the nut I could actually get to with a socket (6 point deep impact) and I can't get on the other one at all. There's not much room back there for a drill to drill them out either.

Anyone got any tips or suggestions?

 

[machausta]

Can you get to it with an easy-out?

 

[KhanTyranitar]

There are extractor bits that can bite in. Just make sure before you start that the parts are not hot, otherwise they may seize together. If they will not come, controlled heat can help, you have to heat the manifold or nut, not the stud. You want those parts to expand away from the stud. If it still won't come, well, lets cross that when we come to it.

 

[mediarocker]

Agreeing here with Khan, I'd spray some PBblaster on it and soak it pretty damn good. let it sit then go at it with a 1/2" base ratchet and if possible, stick a good sized breaker bar. If you have control you should be able to pop that puppy off no problem. I had to do the same damn thing.

 

[Riptides]

But I can't get my oil pan off for gasket replacement because the exhaust is in the way.

I can't get on the other one at all. There's not much room back there for a drill to drill them out either.

Anyone got any tips or suggestions?

I'd spray some PBblaster on it and soak it pretty damn good. let it sit then go at it with a 1/2" base ratchet and if possible, stick a good sized breaker bar. If you have control you should be able to pop that puppy off no problem. I had to do the same damn thing.

It took a solid day of me working on mine with Rust Eater (PBblaster type) Lubricant and using a 3/8" socket with about 5 extensions on it, along with a breaker bar. It should be open enough to allow about 2 foot of extensions up to the studs where you can work from under, or even from the passenger side, of the car.


I had to keep the studs soaked for a few hours before even trying to break these nuts loose. And nearly stripped the gear in my socket when it came to breaking each one, but in the end they broke loose, then I slowly worked them off while keeping them soaked with lube.

If the stuck nut is really rounded off where a 6 point won't grab it, and it were me, I'd cut it off with a torch and then remove the exhaust manifold, drill it out, re-thread it, and put in a replacement stud. But I'm pretty damn methodical and anal like that.

Ah crap, dude sawed off his cat using a sawzall, so this post was wasted.

 

[sadistic]

try these for rounded fasteners they fit in a socket and have reversing grove fairly new to the tool market a year or two old. i left the link to screw extractor that do not work for a darn too. so the one i am talking about come in a set of like socket that fit in to a socket.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/search_10153_12605?keyword=bolt+out&vName=&viewType=24&viewItems=24

 

[sfontain]

Soak it several times a day for a week with Liquid Wrench, PB Blaster, and/or 50/50 acetone & ATF. Then you'll probably want a nut extractor kit, a torch for heat, and either a bunch of various extensions/U-joints or a very particularly sized socket (which you may end up buying as a single) and breaker bar.

Exhaust nuts are pretty much the worst thing ever, and you DO NOT want to break that stud, or else this will become a rather expensive gasket.

 

[sfontain]

Ah crap, dude sawed off his cat using a sawzall, so this post was wasted.

Ah... well, that's one way to do it. Heh.

 

[sfhess]

Ah... well, that's one way to do it. Heh.

Next step is to hit it with a big freakin' hammer......

 

[james27613]

on other cars I used my Dremel tool (with or without the hand accessory) to
slice the nut off with the cutoff tool.

the nuts on both my '99 cars came off with 1/2" socket with breaker bar after
spraying them with liquid wrench the day before.

try to warm the nuts up with torch or heat gun (without any solvent on them).