'94 E32 740i - Can't separate the exhaust from the downpipes - any tips?

[LysanderSpooner]

So I'm under the car and all the nuts and bolts are removed, but I just can't get the exhaust to separate at the joints at the downstream end of the headers. The one nearest the outside of the car is loose (the one with one fix stud on the header), but the inner one with the rotating flange just won't budge. The flange itself moves all over the place, but it just seems like the downpipe is stuck inside the exhaust. It's all been thoroughly bathed in PB Blaster. Any tips for me?

[e30luv318i]

Try channel locks and a rag on it and twist from pass side to drivers. Be careful not to crush the pipe, also sometime a little hand held propane bottle to heat up the area will help.

[LysanderSpooner]

I found the solution, I had just missed a step:

1. Soak everything with penetrating oil - nuts, bolts, clamps, making sure to get it inside of all joints
2. Remove all fasteners
3. Try to remove the exhaust
4. Make a post on bimmerforums.com about how hard it is to get them apart
5. By now the penetrating oil will have soaked in
6. Drive a wedge between each flange at the upstream joints repeatedly
7. Remove exhaust pipes

NOTES:

• #'s 3 and 4 can be substituted with anything time consuming
• On the downstream end on the right side (passenger side if LHD), one of the pipes has about a 2" slip joint inside of the adjoining rear muffler pipe, requiring the upstream end to come apart first.
• For #6 I used a railroad spike, but other things that may work include a very large flat blade screwdriver, paint can pry bar, tire iron, crow bar, etc.