Seeing that we're on exausts as the subject.



The header unbolted without issues. I did have to remove the starter and lift the engine off its left mount about an inch because the header jambs against the power steering box. (It doesn't anymore, but it's b/s that you have pretty much crush a runner to mif.)

The problem was the bolts on the collector/reducer. When I did the pukey job on the gaskets, I became aware of the problem with the left header's collector/reducer.

It wasn't a case of corrosion. They were fused together and to the collector/reducer. Solid metal! And it wasn't as if they were welded when the exaust installer welded the flange/ring to the reducer. The fusion seemed more like they were subject to electrical current--such as how arc welding occurs--more so than welded when the installer did the system. I have delt with a lot of frozen fasteners, but these were unlike anything I had ever seen. I did the other side a while ago: I cut the nuts off, and tapped the bolts out. Maybe it was caused by the electrical transmission when the installer did the system.

Can you spell sux? I was able to cut the bottom nuts off with a wizz wheel. On the top one, however, I had to use a die grinder and a carbide cutter because there wasn't enough clearance.

After cutting off the nuts, the system was still attached rock solid. Between hammering chiseling and a bf pry bar, I eventually managed to break the fusion (The inside holes of the flanges are shiney metal.) After I got the exaust broke loose, the bolts remained in the header.

By then I was pretty ugly. I don't get ugly when doing mechanical work because murphy's law is a law we must obey, and if you cannot obey it, you really need to find another occupation or hobby.

I was planning on pulling the header anyway, to do a hammer to fit and to install gaskets, and I had been rolling around under the car--of course all shrapnel was directed straight toward my face. I had my fill with cutting grinding wearhing a sheild and ear muffs, so rather then trying to contend with the fused bolts, I yanked the header. After the header was out, I did manage to wind them out with a 1/2" breaker bar.

Hey ash, when you're ready to do headers, I'm primed to go, building my header skills because I mock fitted the header about a half dozen times when I hammered it to fit.

I had a really enjoyable day today.