Help!! I can't get my exhaust off! :(

"Mercedes Streeter" (smart) 01/14/2016 at 15:18 • Filed to: Sdgsrdgdfdgdgsfdgsydt fucking rusted shit

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Good afternoon everyone!

One lovely Smart Car of America member sent me a wonderful stock exhaust for Christmas. And since today is the first day in several weeks that the outside temperature has been above freezing, I decided today was my best shot at getting it off.

I let the engine warm up to 100 degrees, parked, then got to work.

First, the lower valence took some damage during removal. For unknown reasons, my lower valence is now incredibly brittle in some places...one of them being where the pin goes on the right side...so part of the bumper ripped when I removed it. Thankfully the tear is not one that can be seen and was repaired with super glue.

The purpose of this thread though, is getting that damn flange off.

After I got the valence off, I discovered that my Genius exhaust’s flex pipe is so rusty, that there was literally like a half inch piece of thin metal keeping it together.

And amusingly, I just barely even touched the thing and the final piece of metal broke off, finally freeing the exhaust.

So whatever, I just removed the carcass from the exhaust hangers.

This left the remains of the flex pipe still bolted onto the cat. Using my E19, I tried to remove a bolt...no budge.

So, I doused the whole thing in liquid wrench! No budge.

So, I tried a 15mm. No budge.

Then a 15mm ratchet wrench. It will move using great amounts of force.

So I stuck with the wrench. After roughly 10 minutes, the bolt became seized up again. No budge no matter what I threw at it. That and I’m tired out. I’ve been laying in snow, so now I’m wet, and my hand is in immense pain.

And that’s just one bolt. The other is so seized, I couldn’t get it to move at all.

So what do I do? I kinda just want to let a muffler shop finish the job. It’s too cold and I can’t seem to produce the needed torque to break the seize.

But at the same time, my exhaust currently exits sideways (where the flex pipe rotted off), not down. Will it be safe to drive until I can get it into a shop tomorrow? The exhaust has plenty of room to towards and it’s pretty much surrounded by heat shields. I’m also leaving off the rear valence until I can get the new exhaust in.

Or heck, is there a way I can still do this myself?

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Mercedes Streeter 01/14/2016 at 15:26

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MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Mercedes Streeter 01/14/2016 at 15:27

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My next step would be heating the bolts up. Do you have a torch?

do you have a pipe you can slide on (if theres room) over the ratchet to make a breaker bar? more leverage you know.

Steve in Manhattan > Mercedes Streeter 01/14/2016 at 15:29

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A torch to heat it?

Mercedes Streeter > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 01/14/2016 at 15:31

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No torches or pipes. I do have a legit breaker bar though lol

Unfortunately the space under the car doesn’t permit the breaker bar.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Mercedes Streeter 01/14/2016 at 15:35

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If the breaker bar won’t fit, you have no heat, and you don’t have EssExTee’s suggestion of a sawsall it sounds like it’s time for the exhaust shop. I imagine it’ll be fine for to drive tomorrow

Takuro Spirit > Mercedes Streeter 01/14/2016 at 15:38

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1. Roll car onto side

2. Use breaker bar in new found roominess

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Mercedes Streeter 01/14/2016 at 15:43

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Make space for breaker bar by putting the back end of the car on ramps or jack it up and put it on jack stands.

Also, spend $20 at the local hardware store for a cheap torch.

crowmolly > Mercedes Streeter 01/14/2016 at 15:44

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Sawzall and a zork tube.

It does sound like a muffler shop job. If you don’t have far to go it looks like you will be fine.

red_ > Mercedes Streeter 01/14/2016 at 15:56

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Impact gun? Is there a nut behind the flange thats gotten jammed up?

XJDano > Mercedes Streeter 01/14/2016 at 15:59

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The bolt the resiezed, spray it down, retighten a few rotations, then reverse again.

You are breaking off the built up rust on the threads, so tighten up, spray, loosen. Basically see if you can rinse off the crustys from the bolt with spray lube. If it stops again, Repete until bolt is out.

Another cheat for a wrench is to use the enclosed box end, then use a bigger wrench slipped with box end over the open end.

XJDano > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 01/14/2016 at 16:01

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That's a wood blade.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > Mercedes Streeter 01/14/2016 at 16:03

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I would hire an impact wrench, or failing that an impact driver with adapter bits to fit a socket. They do an awful lot of work for you.

iSureWilll > XJDano 01/14/2016 at 16:04

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This. Work the bolt back and forth (loosen a little, then tighten a couple of turns, then loosen again past where you stopped before, repeat). Like XJDano said, you’re breaking off the rust that has built up in the threads, or on the part of the bolt that sticks out the other side.

Double box end is a good trick too. Just be careful as you may break the bolt off with the extra torques.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Mercedes Streeter 01/14/2016 at 16:16

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I once encountered the same problem. I used an angle grinder.

Ross Kraz > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 01/14/2016 at 16:28

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Or a hack saw for our Mennonite brethren

shop-teacher > Mercedes Streeter 01/14/2016 at 16:40

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Others have already covered how to get the bolt off, but if you’re just done (and it sounds like you are), yes it will be perfectly safe to drive to a muffler shop.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > XJDano 01/14/2016 at 17:31

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Ur moms a wood blade

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Mercedes Streeter 01/14/2016 at 20:06

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possibly one of the best tools I have ever gotten. craftsman nut splitter.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > XJDano 01/17/2016 at 22:02

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XJDano > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/17/2016 at 23:41

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Yes, I thought it went unnoticed.