Exhaust bolts off, hangers disconnected, but exhaust won't drop.

[Schreier]

My project to drop and refresh the rear subframe is having so many delays because of this car's rusty exhaust system.

First, stripped 2/4 exhaust bolts connecting the system to the cats. Took it in to a professional, they zipped the bolts off in 20 minutes, put fresh new ones on. Got the car back to my garage. Undid the 3 rubber exhaust hangers and unbolted the exhaust support. So now it's all hanging on by those 4 studs on the exhaust manifold.

And the damned thing won't drop. No amount of shoving, wiggling, hammering, or prying seems to help. It's been soaking in Kroil. I can't even seem to work a chisel between the gasket and the exhaust.

How would you guys go about getting this thing off? Which direction seems most effective to de-couple the exhaust from the manifold studs? There's not much clearance below the car, and I'm concerned about dropping 50 pounds of metal on my face.

[khammack]

Have you tried something like PB Blaster to help release it?

[Schreier]

Have you tried something like PB Blaster to help release it?

That's what the Kroil is for. It's pretty awesome stuff. Most of the time.

[Mr Bingley]

While I wouldn't recommend using it on your back lying on the ground, applying heat in the form of oxy-Acetylene torches is what is called for. A hammer and chisel is likely to result in your needing new pipes, flanges, headers, and possibly fingers.

[Schreier]

I don't have a torch, so I'll likely have to drive it back to the exhaust shop and have them remove it from the car.

I have thought about sawing through the exhaust, but I'd think that would just create more problems. Weld it back together, and the exhaust will still be stuck.

[Vintage42]

... undid the 3 rubber exhaust hangers and unbolted the exhaust support. So now it's all hanging on by those 4 studs on the exhaust manifold... won't drop... How would you guys go about getting this thing off?...

I recently removed and replaced the cat-back muffler and pipe on my 4 cylinder. Working with the car on jack stands.
I found that the muffler pipe slid over the tip of the converter pipe. You can see the expanded end of the muffler pipe in my picture.
Perhaps your muffler pipe is hanging on the converter pipe, not on the flange bolts.
Perhaps you can re-support the muffler so it is not binding on the cat pipe, and pull it back an inch or two.

[BimmerBreaker]

Ratchet strap tied to exhaust, one tied to a truck's tow hook or something secure. Ratchet it with a bit of tension and leave it. May just pop out due to the tension over time, I've had luck with this before. If that fails, ratchet it so there is tension then try to wiggle the exhaust, hit it near the joint with a hammer, etc...

Cough. Ratchet strap tied to exhaust, one tied to a truck's tow hook and drive that sucker away (okay, don't do that...)

[jajou318]

Cough. Ratchet strap tied to exhaust, one tied to a truck's tow hook and drive that sucker away (okay, don't do that...)

And if you do make sure you record it.

[redlinealley]

I had my exhaust system out a couple of times and unbolted the 4 bolts from the header first and then put a jack under in it and unbolted the rear brackets and then both rubber straps and lowered it down. I never even bothered with unbolting the cats, don't need too.

[Schreier]

I am happy to say that the exhaust is finally out.

One of the two pipes out of the exhaust manifold did eventually break free, given some good hammering. The other... well, I'll show you what the exhaust specialist had to do to break that one free.

original_exhaust_flange.jpg

original_header_flange.jpg

All things considered, I think he did a great job. I'll be able to put the original exhaust back on for a while until I put a new system together. Thinking of just doing headers and cats for now, and use the original resonator and muffler, and see how that goes.

Man, rust is a hell of a thing. I really wish the PO hadn't driven this during winter. It could have been a lot worse, though.