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Exhaust reinstall problems

AnytownUSA

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 18, 2002
Messages
79
Location
Ringgold, GA
Corvette
1994 Black on Black 6spd
Hey folks,
I have rectified my clutch issue, reinstalled the transmission and now I'm having troubles putting the exhaust back in. The car is on four jackstands in my garage. Its been there for 5 years while we were coping with layoff threats and popping out babies. I'm trying to get it back on the road again before I become one of those "oh, I'm gonna fix that up one of these days" guys.

On the passenger (right) side, one of the exhaust studs at the catalytic converter inlet broke off flush with the flange on the exhaust manifold. Of course it's the one that is blocked by the short frame member. Can I pull this frame piece off without causing any misalignments in the unibody? I have drilled a hole through the stud, but since the frame piece is there the hole is not straight/vertical. I thought about pulling the manifold off the head but I'm worried about those bolts breaking. Plus, that doesn't look like that much fun annyway. I am trying to slowly chew the stud out of the flange with a cutting tool on my Dremel. It's taking a really long time and I'm afraid of damaging the treads in the flange - which would mean I'd have to re-tap the hole that is blocked by the frame member. Any ideas?
Also, on the drive's (left) side, there are two bolts that tie the cat to the transmission/bellhousing. I don't know how I ever got the top one out because I cannot get it lined up to go back in. Any tricks with this? Please do not tell me I should have put that on the tranny before I put the tranny back in. I will leave the bolt off in that case; I'm considering shortening the bolt about 1/4" so I can get it started in the hole. Any one who has made this mistake must remember how they got around it. Please help me.

I'll address that fact that my clutch pedal is so stiff I can't even move it later. Man I miss driving this car.
 
Is your vette a coupe or convertible?
 
Coupe, does that change the exhaust?


The secret is in the order of assembly. Sometimes a generic bracket can be used in place of the OEM bracket if its broken or simply not possible to use it again. Those can be the clamp type or welded on, whichever fits your needs.

As far as the broken bolts (collector flange)...thats one I always left to the shop due to the difficulty laying on your back with limited working room. Those bolts/studs are pressed in, are'nt they?
 
I know which bolt you're talking about - but I don't know how you're going to fix this... The alignment of that manifold flange stud is BARELY out-of-vertical with the frame bracket; you had to start the nut on the stud by hand, to not cross-thread. But you could torque down with a driver/drill extension, withOUT a U-adapter.

I think your best choice is to pull the ex manifold, to do it right. If you had a C-V driver for your drill (not a u-joint), that would work, but I think they're made only for Dremel fine work.

The only hard part is going to be the EGR port bolt at 4/6 ex ports in the top of the manifold, and the EGR pipe mounting bracket bolt on the back end of the cyl. head.
 
The flange is definitly threaded. I had one stud break off ( that I was able to remove) and decided to pull all of them and replace with bolts. THis is the only other one that broke. I have 12 point exhaust bolts on my Duramax - which are the same thread as the vette studs. I'll be using those if I ever get this thing put back together.

I think I'm going to start a yearly loosening and tightening routine for all the exhaust fastners on all three of my vehicles. Exhaust bolts are the only ones I seem to break.

I hope the EGR pieces are at least easy to reach..."back end of the cylinder head" does not sound too encouraging.
I guess I'm down to cutting the top cat bolt.
 

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