How did you remove your header nuts?
 

This winter I'm planning on replacing my stock headers with GHL headers that I bought. I was looking under there the other day and the PS looked easy enough to get to, but the DS looks harder.

I picked up those nut splitters but I don't think they'll fit on the DS.

How did you get yours off and did you break any studs?

Any tips, tricks or suggestions?

Lots and lots of PB Blaster. If you can find it, Kroil works wonders:

http://www.kanolabs.com/

I made it a habbit of carefully spraying the nuts/studs constantly over a three day period.
When I get home tonight, I'll snap a picture of a tool that I used to access the nuts for removal.

+1 on the Kroil. I was using PB Blaster before and took the advice of a fellow Pelicanite and used it on my turbo flange studs. The stuff is amazing. I sprayed/set the studs twice and a quick W-a-a-p with the wrench loosened all the nuts. Good stuff.

One guy used a die grinder and cut the nuts in half. He figured replacing the nuts was cheaper/easier than broken studs.

This is just FYI, but when I had my engine a part for the rebuild, I installed the Performance Developments stainless exhuast studs...they are damn nice!
http://performancedevelopments.com/products_engine_studs.php
http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/9...ststudscj0.jpg
http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/1558/heads5zx.jpg
http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/1...ststuds4hv.jpg

Thanks guys. I'll try to get some of that kroil. I don't mind cutting or splitting the nuts cause I'm planning on replacing all the nuts anyways. I just don't see how you could get a grinder in there esp on the DS.

edit: sand-man, those look very nice! I'd also like to see the tool you used. Did you buy it somewhere or did you make it?

Bill,

I just ordered a new set of headers from Stephan Kaspar and he said to use the aerokroil.. No equal in the world...simply amazing stuff. I ordered it for 13 bucks and has to be shipped UPS ground because of Haz Mat conditions. Meaning I will have my headers before the penetrating oil...Oh well.

Bob

That stuff really is unreal. Makes PB look like water!

I got my nuts off with vaseline.........sorry had to do it, your wording of the question was too hard to resist.


Just kidding.......

I know, I had to think long and hard about about my nut removal. It tuned out that all I had to do was say 'I do'. J/K! She's a good one.

I ordered up a couple cans of that Kroil.

Really is good stuff!! At the advice of PorscheDoc on Rennlist I called Kanolabs and fortunately they had a distributor in Hawaii. In fact, it was right down the street from work.

I had such a big smile when they started to turn rather easily.

Thanks again to the guys at IA!

You are welcome. Karl actually turned me on to the Kroil.

Thinking back, I never had to remove the stock exhaust system, since my car came with a new set of B&B headers (well almost three years ago, they were new). However, the Porsche shop that installed them for the previous owner must have figured out a way to use an impact wrench on the nuts!!! I was amazed that the shop hadn't broken the studs *INSTALLING* the nuts...hella tight! :D

At any rate this is the collection of wrenches that I used to remove them; once for an engine rebuild, and a second time to replace the B&Bs with OBX. Once things had been soaked for a few days with the Kroil, the nuts came off with ease. Tricky part was figuring out how to access them...hence the offset and shorty combo wrenches pictured. Also, the ratcheting box wrench fitted with that socket was invaluable...I was also able to use that socket with an array of other wrenches. Because the studs/nuts are located diagonal from each other, you can reach them...just takes patience and getting creative with how you fit your wrenches...

http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/92/picture033dj6.jpg
http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/5...ture046tg2.jpg
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/1...ture036jw1.jpg

Finally, I'm on a computer that displays your pics. Thanks for sharing. So you didn't really use any too special of tools. I have a nut on one stud and a barrel allen nut on the other stud for each port. I hope that kroil stuff is as good as you guys say cause those barrel nuts make me nervous.

Oh man...I was afraid you'd say "barrel nuts"! Mine had regular nuts all the way around! Is it me or is it weird talking about nuts like this?!?!?!?

Maybe I'll let those (barrel) nuts soak with lots of juicy lubricants (Kroil) for six days. And yes, talking about nuts like this is kinda weird! :eek:

Don't forget to tap them with a hammer!

FYI: I seem to remember seeing some access holes in the bottom of the factory heat exhangers when I was storing my factory exhaust parts. By access, I mean a hole that you could insert an allen or extension to reach the the exhust port above. Sorry if I'm pointing out the obvious. As I mentioned previously, I didn't have to work with the original exhaust....it had already been removed. I dunno, maybe I dreamed it.

I just raised it up to take a peek. Yeah, there are holes that allow an extension for the allen head barrel nuts. I didn't know that. That's really good news cause I was wondering how I was going to get to the DS front (cyd 3).

Awesome...I never know any more as these days, my sense of reality seems to be obscured by my dreams! I should have taken the blue pill....or was it the red one???

Most aftermarket exhausts with heat don't have those access holes - with the exception of maybe the SSI gear. That's why I had to use such a strange collection of wrenches to work around the heater boxes for access.