need help with exhaust
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New User
Joined: Dec 2004
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need help with exhaust
Greetings all, I am in the process of replacing the exhaust on my 95 F150 with the 351W. I am keeping the stock manifolds and replacing the "Y" pipe all the way back. The problem that I have run into is the bolts that hold the "Y" pipe to the manifold. I was able to get the bolts out of the driver's side manifold, but the passenger side bolts are rounded right off and I can't get any purchase on them. I don't want to risk taking the manifold off, as I am supposed to be using the truck for a trip on Thursday, and just need advise as to how to get these bolts out. I have soaked the bolts with PB Blaster all day yesterday and heated the manifold up with Map gas, and I have tried some Craftsman Extractors which only caused the teeth in these to round right off. Any other thoughts?
Thanks in advance.
Thanks in advance.
Cargo Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,071
Likes: 36
From: British Columbia
Nut removal
Another option is a "Nut Splitter", which is a tool that is shaped kind of like a magnifying glass with a nut on the end of the handle. Turning this nut advances a hardened steel wedge into the ring at the other end, which has been placed over the offending nut. As the tool's nut is screwed in, it splits the rounded nut. I've had good luck with this tool so long as I had enough room to use it. If the nut is a flanged type, you usually need to grind or file off the flange from opposite sides so the tool bites into the nut on all of it, instead of being pushed halfway off by the flange.
Otherwise, you might be able to use a stubby hacksaw tool (the kind that use a shorter and wider, tapered blade) to saw one or more sides of the nuts off, alongside the stud. Then the nut will usually unscrew or break into two pieces.
It really depends on how much access you have to the nuts.
Another trick is to hammer on a metric impact socket that's a little smaller than the nominal inch size. So if the nuts were 5/8", use a 15mm.
Whatever you do, don't break off those studs!
Otherwise, you might be able to use a stubby hacksaw tool (the kind that use a shorter and wider, tapered blade) to saw one or more sides of the nuts off, alongside the stud. Then the nut will usually unscrew or break into two pieces.
It really depends on how much access you have to the nuts.
Another trick is to hammer on a metric impact socket that's a little smaller than the nominal inch size. So if the nuts were 5/8", use a 15mm.
Whatever you do, don't break off those studs!
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finally got them off!!!
Well, after heating the manifold up several times with the MAP gas and having it not work, I borrowed my father's acetylene torch. I removed the inner wheel well and had all kinds of access to the manifold. I heated it up till it was almost molten and grabbed the remaining portion of the nut with a large pair of vise grips and still no go. So, with all the free room we had, my father in law and I removed the manifold from the engine. Then we heated it up again with the acetylene torch and still could not get the studs out. So we ended up cutting the bolt heads off and drilled into the studs, then tried easy-outs. Still no go. We ended up drilling all of the bolt out and I retapped the holes. These were the last two bolts I needed to get out before putting it all back together. To think, this all started as a small exhaust leak and finding that I needed to change the oil pan out. 5 days of working on it later, I can start putting it all back together! The Magnaflow Y pipe with converter is supposed to be delivered tomorrow and the Flowmaster cat back system is sitting in my living room. Should sound sweet if I can remember where everything hooks up. Thanks for the suggestions.
Cargo Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,071
Likes: 36
From: British Columbia
To save yourself this misery next time, use never seize on the nuts and consider using brass or stainless steel nuts.
I recall on my old Toyota the factory used SS studs with brass nuts.
I recall on my old Toyota the factory used SS studs with brass nuts.
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New User
Joined: Dec 2004
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Dropped too much money into it to begin with, and I didn't want to take the manifolds off as I need the truck completed by Wednesday at the latest and didn't want to cause even more work for myself. Now that I have the passenger side off, and seeing how easy it was to get them off with the inner wheel well off, I was really thinking hard about taking the driver's side off and throwing on a set of headers. Unfortunately, money's tight and if I were to order headers, they wouldn't be here in time for my trip, so for right now, the stock manifolds are what I need to use. I might let the cash reserve build back up a little and order a set of headers and put them on towards the end of the summer. We'll see how it runs first.
