Removing stock elbow/downpipe

[87gninpa]

Im trying to remove the stock downpipe and elbow as one pice by just unbolting the elbow, but i cant get the bolts to budge!!! is there anything i can do to get this apart? i dont want to try too hard because im sure they willl break soon. what did everyone else do when they took theirs off?

 

[hang10]

Just finished installing my 3" mease dp.What i did was i sprayed the bolts with PB blaster and let it soak for an hour.Then i had to remove the stock downpipe,i could not get a wrench on that lower bolt.I then preceeded to break the head off the first bolt.
The rest came out e-z,and i then pulled the stock elbow off.
Then using vise-grips i easily removed the broken bolt! Sounds worse then it was,took a total of 45 minutes to install the dp!


hth-kurt

 

[77tech9]

I was fixing my pass header a while back and broke a bolt off the elbow also. Someone told me to take the whole thing off and soak in something for a few hours or overnight to make sure you dont break a bolt off beyond repair.

 

[87gninpa]

are the bolts to the elbow threaded into the elbow, or just the turbo? if they're not threaded in the elbow, then breaking a bolt wont be so bad, just take it out with vise grips as said before

 

[spooky]

uh yeah

gggrrrrrrrrrrr i broke mine with that good ole german torque

 

[PEACHS]

Rusty Nuts

I have found this to work for me rather well. I used to break off bolts and nuts but not any more. I first spray the rusty bolts with liquid wrentch. Let it soak for 15 minutes. Then i use a 6 point wrench or socket so i don't round the head. First i tighten, yes i said tighten just enough to feel the give, then untighten the bolts. I learned this by mistake when i broke a bolt off the cat. I have had very good luck with not breaking bolts. Hope this helps.

 

[87gninpa]

thanks peachs, someone told me to tighten then loosen, but i tols them they were nuts. guess ill try that. thanks again. also, id rather not have to take off the downpipe first, is there anyway to unbolt the elbow without taking off the downpipe firsT??

 

[PEACHS]

That downpipe is kind of in the way of the lower elbow bolt. I always felt that removing items seems to be worth an ounce of prevention. I know it sucks having to do the extra work but not breaking a part is worth it in the long run. Good luck!

 

[hang10]

The bolts are not threaded into the elbow,which helps if they do break!!