[blkmkivtt]

Hey guys. I just got my Random Tech Dp in yesterday. I sprayed the all the stock exhaust bolts with WD-40 to try to loosen them up, but it doesnt seem to work. The bolts seem to be stock on the exhaust manifold. Im going to try using a 1ft pipe at the end of my wrench to get more leverage, but if that doesnt work what else can i do to get these bolts off. Thanks

 

[1/4mile in style]

You gotta use alot of forearm. Anything you can use to give you more leverage will be helpful. You can try using an impact wrench but I ended up cracking a stud this way and it is a bitch to fix. Just be patient and work at it. the first time is the hardest.

 

[blkmkivtt]

Thanks for your help. Yah ill try to use more leverage by adding the pipe at the end of the wrench, but if that does not work what would be the easiest way to get the nuts off? I remember someone was talking about just cutting the bolts off with a dremel?

 

[mysupratt]

Thanks for your help. Yah ill try to use more leverage by adding the pipe at the end of the wrench, but if that does not work what would be the easiest way to get the nuts off? I remember someone was talking about just cutting the bolts off with a dremel?

I went through this EXACT same thing early this summer when I installed my dp. What was suppose to be a couple hour install turned into 5 days of hell.

I used everything from an impact wrench, breaker bars, extensions, hammers, and about 2 bottles of liquid wrench and nothing worked. In fact all the nuts rounded over. To make a long story short, I ended up using a dremel tool with that corded extension to square up the edges of the nut and then I used a small propane torch and heated the bitches up nice and hot. I then took a smaller sized socket (be sure to use 1/2" sockets) and banged it onto the new squared up nuts. I continued this process until I got all the bolts off. Yes... lucky for me the entire bolt came out. The nuts did not budge. In fact the last bolt I did... the one at the top I simply could not get a socket on the rounded/squared up nut so I ended up using a 9mm socket on the very tip of the bolt to remove it (it was already loose but not completely removed) Here is how the bolts looked. If you look at the third bolt in the picture you can see the tip is stripped a bit. That is the one that I used the 9mm socket on.

With all the bolts removed I used some smaller standard bolts and nuts (I didn't have an metric sizes around) to install my dp. I slid the bolts through the top and tightened the nuts from the bottom. I didn't want to go through this ordeal again so I refused to get replacement bolts and nuts from Toyota. In case this happens again I can simply cut off the bolt and slide a new one in.

If you haven't rounded over the nuts yet I would take a propane torch and heat up the nuts real good. Then use a breaker bar to get the nuts off. I would refrain from using an impact wrench because when I used one it simply rounded the nuts. I would also not cut the bolts. If you do that then you will have to use an ez-out to get the remaining bolt out or drill it out.

If you have questions or problems please ask. I know exactly how you feel right now. What really helped me several times was simply putting all the tools down and taking a break for the night. It cleared my mind and eased my frustration. I know you can get those nuts off. Just have some patience!

 

[blkmkivtt]

Yea thanks for all the help man. Im gonna just wait till this sat when i can get one of my friends to help me out with the install. Hopefully i can get the bolts off without having to use the torch but if it comes to it i will. Once again thanks. Ill keep u guys posted.

 

[pwpanas]

In theory, a dremmel and a torch should never be necessary for this job. I've removed more than two dozen downpipes (w/cats or otherwise) from mkiv's (most of which I did all by my lonesome), and I've only lost two nuts (both of which were removed wth a long chisel and a large hammer). I consider both nuts that I lost to be a learning experience so that I could come up with the following process:

Do not skimp on tools for this job!!! The trick is to use a deep-well 6-sided 14mm 1/2"-drive impact socket, a 1/2"-drive wobbly extension, a 2' breaker bar, and some PB Blaster (not in that order, of course). Do this job by hand (not under any circumstances with an impact wrench!).
1) Get a very, very bright light on the nuts (you need 100% clear view of them). Now soak the nuts with PB blaster, and wait 1 hour.
2) Use the wobble in the wobbly extension to get that 14mm socket dead-perfect-square on the nut, with as direct a line as possible on the extension to the breaker bar. Do not turn the breaker bar yet (read step 2a first).
2a) If the nut is very, very badly rusted to where the 14mm socket is loose on the nut, go no further! Remove the 14mm, and pound a 13mm deepwell 6-sided 1/2"-drive impact socket onto the nut (with a big hammer, extension, and whatever else you need). Again, this 13mm socket must be pounded on before you even try to loosen the nut (even just for fun - a very rusted downpipe nut will not come off with a 14mm socket). Pound the 13mm socket on until it is completely over the nut.
3) Apply a smooth, steadily increasing force on the breaker bar - use a pipe if necessary......while watching the socket like a hawk to ensure the socket doesn't move off dead-perfect square on the nut.

This process sounds like a real f'in pain in the @ss, but it's about 100 times easier than dremmelling and torching with no space to work. Guys, trust me. With the right tools, 99.9% of the time this job can be accomplished 1-2-3.
If you do hit that unlucky .1%, dig out the dremmel, torch, chisel, hammer, band-aids, and little elfs to work in that [email protected] space. Seriously though, follow the process above religiously and let me know if it doesn't work...for what it's worth, I sincerely doubt I'll be getting any messages.

 

[blkmkivtt]

Thanks for all the help guys.. i really appreciate it. Just one more question though. Where can i get the pb blaster stuff and if i cant get a hold of any, would wd40 work or any other penetrating oil work?

 

[pwpanas]

I got my PB Blaster at PepBoys (coincidence?). WD-40 and Liquid Wrench are little better than pissing on the nuts (pardon my crudeness and the pun), compared to using PB Blaster (imo). Just don't get PB Blaster on yourself - it'd probably eat through your arm just like the monster spit in the movies "Alien" and "The Fly".

 

[blkmkivtt]

thanks again for all your guys' help. Im gonna check pep boys tomorrow and hopefully theyll have the stuff or else ill resort to using the wd40. ill let u guys know how it turns out.

 

[pwpanas]

Using WD40 is a big mistake, unless you're working on a tricycle or removing bubblegum from your hair. Remember, either get religion on this 1-2-3 process or break out the little elfs with their blowtorches and dremmels. Go to the PB Blaster web site:
http://www.pbblaster.com/ and find a place to get the stuff...

 

[hungwin jza80]

Phil is absolutely correct. It is all about the TOOLS. Here is a list off the top of my head of what we used to take of my DP:

1/2" drive 14mm 6-point deep well socket
1/2" drive u-joint/swivel
1/2" drive 18" breaker bar
1/2" drive 12" extension
1/2" drive 6" extension
1/2" drive 3" extension (2)
1/2" drive ratchet
1" ID steel pipe about 2' in length

It really helps to have a friend help you keep the socket in place while you put steady force on the breaker bar [and pipe]. Again, good lighting is priceless, invest in a drop light if you don't already have one. I soaked the nuts in Liquid Wrench (didn't know about PB Blaster until now) and luckily the nuts were in good shape and not rusty at all. Wear your safety goggles . . . there is a lot of crap that can fall into your eyes working in that area. It took us all of 1 hr and 40 mins to take the stock DP off and replace it with the aftermarket one. When you replace the nuts, put on a little anti-seize to make removal easier next time.

Good luck!

 

[blkmkivtt]

Hello everyone. just wanted to let you guys know i did the dp install today and everything went through smoothly. The bolts came off pretty easy thanks to that pb blaster stuff and my 2ft pipe. The power is amazing compared to stock. Gotta go put in my bcc now hehe. Well i just wanted to thank everyone who gave me the tips. Without your guys help id prolly be sitting here with stripped bolts..lolz. Well thanks again.

 

[FATEV12]

man...why didn't I check this board before I rounded one of the nuts Now I'm stuck with a broken stud and the nut still on it. Anyone have any suggestion before I bring on the torch? pwpanas? I already bought a new stud from Toyota so what's the best way to take the broken one out? I guess there's no other way but to bbq my hands Supra god! Let me sacrifice my hands to thee...

 

[pwpanas]

...I rounded one of the nuts Now I'm stuck with a broken stud and the nut still on it. Anyone have any suggestion before I bring on the torch?

It may cost you a socket, but take a 13mm or 12mm (depending upon how badly you rounded the nut) socket (preferrably impact socket) and hammer it onto the socket (you'll need to hammer the end of an extension to get it on). If it's the stud that's furthest to the passenger side, you can reach it with a dremmel to square off the nut a bit before hammering the socket onto it. You can also reach that passenger-side stud with a long chisel (amhik).

 

[MONSTER]

Before your dremel/cut/heat anything use eye protection!

 

[FATEV12]

pwpanas...thanks for the pointer. Unfortunately, it's the sucker on the driver side..the hardest to get to, hence the reason I rounded it. The hex tip got snapped by a mechanic trying to get the $20 bucks I offered him to get it out. I will try the hammering this weekend, then maybe the torch if all else fail. Anymore suggestion? Thanks again..

 

[pwpanas]

...The hex tip got snapped by a mechanic trying to get the $20 bucks I offered him to get it out. I will try the hammering this weekend, then maybe the torch if all else fail. ...

The hex tip never works - the tip is only strong enough to remove the stud - it twists off every time.

If you can get an extended/long bit on a die-grinder, you might be able to square off the nut a little, before pounding the 13mm deepwell impact socket on. Worst case, consider pulling the whole engine with downpipe. Also, it is possible to remove the wastegate with the downpipe - there are 3 nuts holding it on - one of them takes 2 people to remove (one from the bottom to hold the 14-mm 6-sided box-end wrench dead square on the nut, and another person from the top applying force. This last method is only possible with a downpipe - impossible with the stock precat on. Here's another idea with it's own problems- you could get a 3/8" steel rod welded to the end of the downpipe stud. with a 90-degree bend in the end of the steel rod, you might just have enough leverage to twist it out - if you snap the stud at the top of the nut, you can always get the rod rewelded to the stud.and nut together.

For the casual readers: The 1-2-3 step above avoids all of these extreme measures - do it right the first time, with the right tools!

 

[SpdRcr0]

wow.. this sounds like a big ordeal.... are you guys doing this on a lift or on jack stands???


Does anyone know a good place to get this done in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles..

Also, would a basic "average" muffler shop be able to do this, or should I only trust a high performance shop with this type of experience?

 

[pwpanas]

wow.. this sounds like a big ordeal.... are you guys doing this on a lift or on jack stands???

Usually on a lift, but jackstands work as well.

Also, would a basic "average" muffler shop be able to do this, or should I only trust a high performance shop with this type of experience?

In my opinion, get the right tools, and follow what you've read in this thread, expecially my post at "10-25-2001 06:35 AM" and 2N TURBO's post at "10-25-2001 05:43 PM". Even a performance shop that hasn't done a downpipe on a supra before will probably screw this up.

 

[FATEV12]

damn..I hope I won't have to take out the manifold. That would mean more nuts to worry about. After the mechanic's failed attempt, I haven't check the stud to see how bad it is. I will have to wait till the weekend to try anything. pwpanas...thanks again. I wish I have read your 3 steps process before this happened, but you only learn after you messed up..right? I hope the hammer and the 13mm would do it, if not I'll use my teeth to chew the stud out..