Any Hints to Installing Premuffler?

[Talewinds]

***Revised***
So I've soaked the bolts in PB Blaster for a couple of days, and was just goofing around with it late last night and was able to slightly loosen those easily reached bolts on the bottom. But what about the bolts on the topside??? Without removing SOMETHING, or lowering something else I don't see how to get to the top bolt at the muffler/cat junction, I tried a bit and it is vexing, I'm terribly vexed (Gladiator). That's not to mention the ones on the top side of the HE/Cat connection.....

Assistance will be graciously rewarded by a hefty Karma boost.

[ChkbookMechanic]

I was able to undo all the bolts with just a deep socket, ratchet and pb blaster. I believe I removed the bolts at the top first since they are the most difficult to get to (I unfortunately had to remove and the premuffler a few times, the 2nd and 3rd times it wasn't as hard). The 2nd time I had to take a cutting wheel to some bolt heads since the nut and bolt got crossthreaded when I was tightening them back the first time.

[the]

Get a propane torch from your local hardware store for $10, and heat up the nuts before removing. It really makes it a lot easier.

[Wavey]

Patience, Grasshopper.

I guess you figured out to remove the left rear wheel for access to the bolts at the front of the cat. When I first pulled mine I tried penetrants and heat, didn't get far. I eventually used an air chisel (let me know if you need to borrow mine), and found the nuts were much easier to cut off than the bolt heads. OR - Mark Muffler might be willing to torch them off for you, and I think you could get away with the 100-yard drive back to your garage.

[yelcab1]

Dremmel tool for the stubbon and rusted nuts.
Have a complete set of replacement nuts/bolts on hand (or at least a goodly supply of)
Antisieze, on the way back.

[dimeified]

got any friends with an air chisel?

[Talewinds]

Ok, let's see, 2 hours since I started the thread, 1 bloody thumb knuckle, 1 bloody index finger knuckle, then remember to put on the gloves The cat is off and your suggestions are greatly appreciated!
I had to use the torch on a couple of them, and one of them had a serious attitude problem so I had to cut its head off with the Dremel, handy little tools I'll give'm that.
Wavey, thanks for the offer on the air chisel, I'm glad I didn't need it. I had to consult the Bentley manual to get the wheel off though
Speaking of the 100 yard drive back to my house, heck, I'm going to take the muffler off and just run the premuff for a little while to see how awefull it is!!
If you hear what sounds like a super beetle with headers roaring up Rte. 66 in a couple of hours it's me!
Man I love this place.

[Wavey]

Originally Posted by Talewinds

Ok, let's see, 2 hours since I started the thread, 1 bloody thumb knuckle, 1 bloody index finger knuckle, then remember to put on the gloves The cat is off and your suggestions are greatly appreciated!
I had to use the torch on a couple of them, and one of them had a serious attitude problem so I had to cut its head off with the Dremel, handy little tools I'll give'm that.
Wavey, thanks for the offer on the air chisel, I'm glad I didn't need it. I had to consult the Bentley manual to get the wheel off though
Speaking of the 100 yard drive back to my house, heck, I'm going to take the muffler off and just run the premuff for a little while to see how awefull it is!!
If you hear what sounds like a super beetle with headers roaring up Rte. 66 in a couple of hours it's me!
Man I love this place.

Bloody knuckles - sounds right so you must be doing it correctly.

When you head out this way, remember there's a State cop that lives right off the highway

But I gotta say Talewinds, it's great to see a newbie jump into projects the way you have. Your AF adjustment thread was really useful and you're already a valuable member of this BB. Keep it up!

[Talewinds]

[Talewinds]

Just some quick observations now that the MK premuffler is installed...
1) I drove it around for a bit without a muffler. It sounds cool for about 10 seconds whilst cruising, after that you realize that what it really now sounds like is a ghetto 91' Buick Century with a broken exhaust manifold (don't cock your head at the computer screen everybody's seen THAT car).
What's been done when the muffler is removed is to take away any refinement that the car ever had over its market competitors and just crap all over it. Nutshell, it needs a proper muffler.
2) The weight removed by simply ditching the OEM cat and muffler saves approximately 846 pounds. Now my formerly sublime looking Carrera now has a stance that approaches the General Lee. (Cue exploding dynamite bow and arrow, I swear I almost jumped a bridgeless ravine just to land on a bunch of hay bails.)
3) The wife said it now sounds bad and it stinks. Then she said ironically the car now reminds her of me, I'm not sure what that means but I took it as a compliment.
4) Now to the biggest epiphany of the day, the requisite "butt dyno". This part is no embellishment, there is an OBVIOUS improvement in performance. Not just the loud noise that makes you want to keep your foot in it, but the real surprise at how little throttle was used to achieve 'X' level of acceleration. I'm sold, now onto the SW chip.

I'd like an aftermarket muffler, but I cannot stress enough that I do not want one that thickens and deepens the exhaust tone (now they make pills for that). This may be contrary to what others search for but IMHO the low burble is for pick-em-up trucks. I'd really like to find something that improves the higher pitched tones, think Carrera GT (I know, vast technical/ mechanical differences prohibit an old 3.2 Carrera from approaching the GT's sound but you get the idea.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMSXAEHBmgo

[Wavey]

Food for thought, from Ben at MK: Big holes make low frequencies, small holes make high frequencies. BTW, the fabrication on that premuffler looked sublime; what a piece of work and well worth the cost.