Help...rust and deformed Exhaust nuts ...How..

[Yuta]

Well...I am a back yard red neck mechanic who planned to change the clutch on my 944....Today i jacked the car up trying to take the exhaust off......underneath the car there are two flanges, each with 3 bolts.... I easily took off the three bolts and nuts on the first flange...the second flange.... I sucessfully deformed the shape of the nut which made it impossible for my socket to bite on the nut..........................................

Because the second flange is located in an awkward position which makes it very difficult for a socket to seat properly on th nut...................

well....any idea how I can fix this mess........

Thanks

[honerboys]

if you have access to an cut off tool just cut through the nut and replace the bolt and nut

[zedsn]

Taking the exhaust off in the street? What if another car hits you and knocks the car off of the jackstands and you are still under the car. I am a risk taker but even this is too much for me.

[Gawernator]

Cut it off and replace.

[old 924]

Originally Posted by Gawernator

Cut it off and replace.

+1 i wish half my s**t was that easy..???

[Gawernator]

I've Had the luck so far to never strip a screw or bolt... Lucky me

[ditch68]

Get a can of penetrating oil like PB blaster or Liquid Wrench to get some help loosening, then first try this.

Old school trick I use at work is use an open end wrench(or box end if you can tap or beat it on there), and wet it and apply Ajax cleaner, it will enable the wrench to bite better on a rounded nut. Works even better on the tip of a screwdriver for rounded and stripped apex screw heads, etc. We actually have a product at work which is a paste with garnet particles for this purpose, but Ajax works, too. Also use it on non-damaged fasteners with high torque to prevent the rounding in the first place.

If that fails, use a big vise-grips, or a small pipe wrench.

If THAT fails, a sharp cold chisel can be used to bite into the nut and turn it hit by hit with a hammer in the "lefty-loosey" direction, have the chisel edge straight on one of the nut flats and give it a good whack to make a "bite", then hold the chisel at about a 45 degree angle, and tap (or beat!) it off in the direction of rotation.

Good luck!

Jeff

[ditch68]

And by the way, I jut realized what you said...you are going to pull the torque tube and change the clutch right there next to the street on jackstands. Wow. At least I had a carport, but still no picnic. You are in for a really huge project. But don't be discouraged, it can be done!

Ask any questions you need to, I just did that job.

But for the record, +1 on that being the wrong place to work on it, if you can find ANY better place to tackle this really big job, do it.

Jeff

[old 924]

i would have try'ed a torch and heat it 1st if it was going to move..and were your at it really dose'nt matter...my bumper bolt's were like that untill i took the torch to them... if that dose'nt work cut them off...that easy....

[Ederd]

I had to use a shovel as a heat shield when I broke out the propane torch to loosen up a few of the rusted exhaust bolts.

[Volhv]

They should be 13mm, so if the are deformed, try pounding a 1/2inch socket on it. It's about 12 thou smaller, so a pretty tight fit but it's worked for me on rusted 944 exhaust bolts.

[Jrboulder]

I used a coordless dremel tool with a cutoff wheel to cut those bolts. I bought a ton of those bolts so now I replace them every annual inspection. (not that I currently have a 944 to annual)

[old 924]

Originally Posted by Volhv

They should be 13mm, so if the are deformed, try pounding a 1/2inch socket on it. It's about 12 thou smaller, so a pretty tight fit but it's worked for me on rusted 944 exhaust bolts.

you can all most take the whole car apart with a 10mm or 13mm... lmao

[ditch68]

Originally Posted by old 924

you can all most take the whole car apart with a 10mm or 13mm... lmao

That and a 17mm for the big stuff!!! That is too funny.

Jeff

[Tervuren]

Originally Posted by Jrboulder

I used a coordless dremel tool with a cutoff wheel to cut those bolts. I bought a ton of those bolts so now I replace them every annual inspection. (not that I currently have a 944 to annual)

I had mine soo seized, they broke under torque from both sides.

There are sockets for removing rounded bolts, not cheap though. For this, you want to put new ones back on anyway, so just cut them off.

[Jrboulder]

It's funny the timing of this thread. I'm replacing the cat on my 318i and it's a very similar setup to the 944 except the cat is held to the manifold by studs welded into the manifold and nuts on the cat side. I seriously hate this car. Don't ever buy a BMW.