Need help quick! BBK o/r H-Pipe install

Highway High

New Member
Dec 31, 2002
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Ok, so the car is up on ramps, Im under this thing, and I swear to God, there is NO WAY to get the h-pipe/header bolts off on the passenger side. One on the driver side is easy as pie (even though I snapped the bolt when I did, damn rust) but the other bolt on that should be a pain, but I swear, the passenger side there is NO way. There is that sensor in the way (I believe the o2 sensor), in which there is no room to get any sort of tool in there, then in the engine bay, if you tried to come in from the other side, there's all sort of piping and hosing and such, impossible to get to. I need to finish this here in about 3 hours, so help, please! How in the HELL do I get these old h-pipes off?

Logan
 
Either use a swivel to get past the sensor our remove the sensor. If you have a saws all then cut the pipe before the sensor since you'll be putting on an off road pipe anyway. Either way, it can be done. Take a deep breath, relax a minute, and you'll figure it out.
 
well, I used a swivel to get past the sensor, but there are now two problems. #1, I can't figure out what size it is, the other side used a 15mm, but this side seems like it wont even fit a 16mm. #2, it doesn't seem like I have enough room. I'm having to use deep sockets since our normal socket set is little shallow sockets, too shallow for this job.

Also, how do I get the other bolt on the passenger side? This is driving me crazy!

Logan
 
I didn't have time to finish today, but Im doing it on friday afternoon. I'll have about 4 hours free. Seriously guys, how the hell do I get this thing off? Once I remove the o2 sensor, that only opens up access to one bolt, which still is so rusted I doubt I can even get a socket on to it, then what about the top bolt on the passenger side? I can reach the driver one through the engine bay, but not the passenger one. Also, I broke off the end of the bolt on the driver side, and I assume I'll do the same for the pass. side, so uhm, where do I buy new nuts and bolts for this? and how much will they be?

Sorry about all the questions, I'm just not too mechanically inclined, and since these are catless, I can't just take it to an exhaust shop.

Logan
 
I feel your pain, I went through the same thing. I snapped one of the bolts and the rust was horrible, also the O2 was in the way on pass side. I somehow ended up getting access to one of the passenger side bolts by using a really long extension, like a few feet, and a socket and somehow got it in there. It was a major pain in the a$$ but some how I managed to get them, just took a while and sore muscles from trying to break the rusted bolts free. Keep working at it and try different tools and spray lots of wd-40, penetrating oil, etc.. If that dont work, maybe you might have to disconnect the header and pull the h pipe off with the header still attached if you have enough clearance. Dont give up, either way im sure you'll figure something out.