Another Heat Exchanger Removal???

I am takeing off the heat exchangers and have searched all the threads for the best way. I started with one nut (the car not me)and have heated it cherry red a number of times, can't budge it. I tried 3/8 and 1/2 6 pnt sockets and can't get them to fit well, used a box end and have no leverage. What am I missing here.

Thanks, Todd

Did you try metic sockets? I am not sure but I thought that they were 8 mm???

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E. William Reinecke
1988 Carrera Targa

I can't find the thread where I posted this info before so here it is again. This info is based on my own experience putting a new pair of SSI's onto my '72 and from a phone conversation with John, the owner of SSI.

On the original heat exchangers each exhaust port takes a barrell nut and a 12 or 13mm nut. On the new heat exchangers made by SSI, only 5 barrell nuts are used. Cylinder #5 takes two 12mm nuts. John said they removed the pass-through tube and rerouted #5's exhaust pipe and were able to get about 5 more hp. You need the long 8mm allen key w/ 3/8" drive to remove/install the barrell nuts. The special 12mm tool included with the new SSI's is used only on the inside stud of cylinder #5. On all the other nuts, whether they are the original 13mm nuts or the new 12mm copper nuts, the absolute best tool for removing or installing them is a 12/13mm low-profile pivoting socket w/ 1/4" drive, a long 1/4" extension, and a 1/4"-to-3/8" adapter. John said he bought his from Snap-on for about $20. I found some that work just fine at Sears for about $7 a piece. I also bought a 10mm while I was there. I've used the 10mm and 13mm pivoting sockets on sorts of hard to get to bolts since then. Because they have a 1/4" drive they are very small and low-profile. They are the only socket I've found that will fit up around the heat exchangers.

When I ordered my SSI's from EuroProducts, the hardware kit included 6 barrell nuts and 6 12mm copper nuts. You will actually need 5 barrell nuts and 7 12mm copper nuts.

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Greg
72 911S

And as far as heating goes, take Warren's advice and heat cycle each stud several times. Tighten slightly, then loosen. The first four nuts came off so easily for me that I got over confident and didn't heat the fifth one very well. That was the only stud I broke. Fortunately it was an inside stud so there was plenty of room to get a Snap-on collet-style stud remover on it. If you break an outside stud or break one flush, you'll have to drill it out and insert a TimeSert or an oversized stud.

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Greg
72 911S

Thanks for the info. I read your thread about the 1/4" drive, didn't think I could get enough leverage...must have miss the part about the 3/8" adapter, now it makes more sense.

Thanks for the info, Todd