Grrr... Help me get the stock H-pipe off...
 

Alright... I've had my SLP catted X-pipe for a few months now and I'd REALLY like to get it on my car... Unfortunately, in 3 attempts to remove my stock H-pipe I've been unsuccessful... between not having the O2 extension... rusted on bolts... and now who knows what, things aren't going well...

I have 3 of the 4 bolts off at the headers... how on earth do you get the 4th bolt off... I have both off of the drivers side and one off on the passengers side... These are ALL 5/8" bolts right? I have a 21" extender... and one of the compound angle adapters (dunno exactly term for it)... I "seem" to be able to get the socket on the bolt but I'm not getting it off... it's a pain to even get it on the bolt as the K-member seems to always be in the way and I keep sending sparks at myself if I get clumbsy under there... what the heck is the round celluloid with the red wires anyhow?

Someone PLEASE tell me the secret to getting this last bolt off... thanks!! Oh yeah... it's an 04 GT Vert if that matters...

Hey man I had the same problem when I pulled mine off but after swapping it off and on I think I've gotten good at removal and installation of it. Your going to have to get a good angle on it and muscle that bolt loose. If you have liquid wrench or WD-40 soak the bolt down and give it some time to get thru the rust. I bet you'll have it off of there in 10 minutes. good luck

disconnect your battery before you fry something. i used an extention and a swivel, i dont remember socket size. i had a impack wrench to get it off and i remember it was a pain in the butt.

Yeah, i would say that you should use an impact wrench if you have one. Otherwise, go the easy route and grind that bolt off of there.

impact wrench would really help make things faster. I used just simple hand tools to get all the bolts off. Don't fry yourself.

I just did mine a few months ago and if I remember correct the passenger side bolt is a pain to get out. I think I stuck a wrench through the wheel well or some hole arond that area,make sure you are using jack stands or you new name will be stuby. I then used a socket for the rest.

i thought it was easy, and i used basic hand tools. took me 30 mins to swap and add my MIL's. maybe i just always have good luck with installs as i hardly ever have problems.

I did my '00 Gt and a friends '98 and had the same problem with the same bolt(passenger side). I used some stuff called PB Bolt Buster or something like that, probably similar to Liquid Wrench, a regular ratchet, extension, swivel adapter and lots of muscle. The hard part is getting the damn swivel adapter on the bolt with a good grip. But soak that bolt with that bolt buster and let it set for a few seconds then just keep working it, it'll come off.

if you can spray the hell out of it the night before, then the next day try tightening the bolt a little then loosening it. that works sometimes.

Getting exhaust bolts off.
 

Try heating up the bolt(s) with a flame; try using a hand-held propane flame, like that a plumber would use to sweat a copper pipe when soldering them together. This should allow you to get the bolt off, and it helps prevent bolt breakage. Obviously, BE CAREFUL when heating the bolt to not catch anything flammable on fire. :violent5:

Use Dupont High Velocity Gelatin Dynamite.About 1/2 stick. :black_kni

Here in about 2 hours my dad and I are jacking up my car to attempt to put in the offroad H pipe. Do you guys think I will need the bolt lube stuff with a car that only has 4k miles on it?


Good luck with the install man, I hope we can get through it with hand tools.

Use Dupont High Velocity Gelatin Dynamite,about 1/2 stick. :bom: All jokes aside,if you can get an Oxyacetalenyne torch use a small tip to concentrate the flame on the nut.This will expand the nut and leave the bolt alone.Then after it cools a little,hit it with some oil.This will break the most stubborn bolt loose.

Side Note: You also must have your tongue in the right position. I believe it should be extended out about 1/2 inch and towards the right corner of your mouth. (**Not responsible for burned tongue on underside of vehicle)

*chuckle* Glad you guys find this funny :P Actually all I need was a 15mm socket... the 5/8" socket was just a touch too big... ran to Sears, within 2 minutes of getting home the bolt was off :headbang:

Got everything on now but sounds like i have a bad leak on the drivers side... waiting for the exhaust to cool down so I can crawl back under there... then I hope to get my shifter on! Wish me luck!!

Vert with that exhaust leak you'll have to get the flange tighter. I had the same problem the first time I put my X-pipe on and took it to a local shop to see if they could fix and come to find out the bastards never did a thing to the car basically got the old rip off....so I took the Xpipe off for about a month and then decided to put it back on this time I went slow with the install and bent the flange down really tight so when I put it on no leak and it sounds a hell of alot better. But so far the only problem with the MT X-pipe is the heat sheild on the cat keep cracking.

Good stuff

Swivel adapter and a lot of patience
 

My friend and I just finished installing a MAC O/R H pipe on my 03 gt yesterday. Had to use a swivel adapter and a long 15mm Socket ( I think i read in a page 1 post that some one used a swivel adapter) took some real effort but once you get the stock pipe off putting the new one is alot easier!!! you have a whole lot more room to work with. Good luck it was tough as hell, but worth the pain and hard work. And it sounds awesome!!!

Your talking about the front bolt on the passenger side, the bolt from Hell. Yes it's a meteric not a standard. I used PB Blaster to loosen it up, then a deep well socket with an extension and swivel. I also found that a good deal of cursing helped. It's a real p.i.t.a. just like the top starter bolt.

No Joke the Starter Bolt is F!@#*!@# Ridiculous
 

That starter bolt is a HUGE pain I thought maybe if we took the starter off it would make the bolts on the manifold easier to remove, but i gave up on the starter and just like you said I prayed, cursed and yelled until i got the bolts off! I felt like I took a beating once I was finished with the install. Including an almost busted nose from a falling ratchet!

LOL! I Feel your pain brotha. I got the socket stuck on the bolt so I smacked it a couple of times with the extension, it came loose and cracked me on the bridge of my nose. Talk about adding insult to injury.