header to x-pipe bolts

[red-]

QUICK question re: header to x-pipe bolts

hey guys, i just got my bassani x-pipe with cats in yesterday, and as you can probably tell, am very anxious to get "x-ed." anyway, i was just under the car a few minutes ago and noticed that the bolts that seal the flanges together are shot to hell (rusted beyond repair). it appears as if they are some odd type of stud, as there is no bolt head on one end. would it be ok to hack these off and use a regular grade 8 bolt in their place? i can snap pics if anybody needs a better understanding of what i'm talking about. thanks in advance fellas.

 

[red-]

bump... quick one for you guys, i'd like to run to the store so i can get this done tonight if possible.

 

[Whytry91]

have you tried soaking them with oil, to loosen them, mine looked pretty rough as well, but after they soaked for a bit they came right off.

 

[bossmstng302]

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from what i recall the bassani setup should come with new hardware for the exhaust... with the exception of where it joins your headers. my offroad x-pipe from bassani came with all new hardware. look around in the box and see if you find a little bag with clamps and 4 new bolts with washers. if not i think you got screwed. either go to the harware store or call whomever you bought the setup from and double check. good luck... you'll like that setup once it is in

 

[red-]

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from what i recall the bassani setup should come with new hardware for the exhaust... with the exception of where it joins your headers. my offroad x-pipe from bassani came with all new hardware. look around in the box and see if you find a little bag with clamps and 4 new bolts with washers. if not i think you got screwed. either go to the harware store or call whomever you bought the setup from and double check. good luck... you'll like that setup once it is in

purchased the pipe from ebay... thus, no hardware... i suppose i could email and find out about it. either way, think soaking the studs in wd-40 for the night would do the trick? they really are so rusted it's not even funny. i'm actually having a hard time figuring out what size the nut is, and i can't see any threads at all. it really does look flat. am i better off trying to get them out (sawzall?), or do i really need to save these?

damn me for not being able to afford headers at the same time. this would be so much easier...

 

[Whytry91]

Which bolts are messed up the ones that go to the headers or the catback.
off hand I can't remember the nut size, but letting them soak should do the trick, make sure you have plenty of extensions and one of those swivel knuckle things for the socket wrench. It will save you a lot of headaches.

Did you get the rubber hose that connects to the smog pump??? you will need to cut the old metal pipe on the passenger side to get it off.

Let me know if you need anything else

 

[red-]

Which bolts are messed up the ones that go to the headers or the catback.
off hand I can't remember the nut size, but letting them soak should do the trick, make sure you have plenty of extensions and one of those swivel knuckle things for the socket wrench. It will save you a lot of headaches.

Did you get the rubber hose that connects to the smog pump??? you will need to cut the old metal pipe on the passenger side to get it off.

Let me know if you need anything else

it's the bolts to the headers. unfortunately, i just snapped one of them, took the nut and a good chunk of the stud off (driver's side, bolt closer to tranny)... i guess my question is what's my recourse now? i obviously need to get them out, but what's my best bet? suppose i will have to drill them out and use grade 8 bolts now huh? thanks for any and all help guys.

 

[Whytry91]

I would say you are going to have to probably go the drill route, 1 question, how are you going to get in there???

 

[red-]

lol, that's the funny part; i don't have much of an idea. i can cut the stud i broke with a sawzall no problem, but the other bolt is gonna be tricky. now might be a good time to start saving for those bassani headers. at this point i think it's probably my best resource. is there anything else i could do? i'd like to get at least a couple more rides in my baby before she goes away for the winter.

 

[1hot5.0]

Is there any way you can get the part you broke out with a pair of vise grips? If not your gonna heve to drill it out. You can buy new header studs and nuts at the auto parts stire. A complete set of four should run you about $5.

Good luck, and let me know how you like the sound with your Flowmasters.

 

[golfnutjetsfan]

wd-40 is a good idea but jprobably not enough if the bolts are that rusted. If you have access to some king of torch try heating whats left and turning it out with vise grips or good pliers after getting it good and hot. Try heating the unbroken ones before turning them to see if they will come out rather than breaking. You need to heat the area that the bolt or stud is threaded into. Next/ last resort is the drill. Whatever you install as replacements should be coated with an antisieze compound for easier removal and less corrosion next time around.

good luck
Frank

 

[jerry beach]

If you can break the other one too, you can take off the header. I cut mine with a plasma cutter and removed the header. Then I cut them off flush with a sawzall. Then I center punched them and drilled them out. Then I put in studs with brass nuts. They were exhaust studs I bought at the auto parts store. I woulld run out some extensions, put on a breaker bar and pipe and snap it off. dont yank it, just a steady pull should break it off. HTH.

 

[red-]

if i pop the header off, i'm gonna need new gaskets and bolts though right? wonder if i could do it on the car... if i'm gonna be taking the headers off anyway, i feel like it'd be a better idea to just replace them.

 

[Whytry91]

if i pop the header off, i'm gonna need new gaskets and bolts though right? wonder if i could do it on the car... if i'm gonna be taking the headers off anyway, i feel like it'd be a better idea to just replace them.

I know you mentioned getting bassani headers, just letting you know that the ford racing headers I got are really nice, ceramic coated as well.

From Summit, they come with gaskets and bolts.

 

[silver1983gt5.0]

if your replacing your h pipe with the x pipe, cant you cut the old pipe with that trusty sawzall so you can unbolt and remove the headers and work on it where you can get to it? i bought a full mac exhaust headers back, but installing the system was easier than changing the oil. your replacing half the system might as well buy new headers while you got it apart

 

[Venom4.6]

if your replacing your h pipe with the x pipe, cant you cut the old pipe with that trusty sawzall so you can unbolt and remove the headers and work on it where you can get to it? i bought a full mac exhaust headers back, but installing the system was easier than changing the oil. your replacing half the system might as well buy new headers while you got it apart

That's basically what I did with mine. Did it all at one time. had everything off in less than an hour. Headers were the easiest. Your best bet is to take off the headers to replace the studs. You'll save your neck, back and nuckles at the same time trying to get the stud out on a bench in a vise, sitting down sippin' a beer.