HELP! Made a stupid big mistake!
05-11-2002, 10:42 PM
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HELP! Made a stupid big mistake!
OK, before you guys say anything, let me just say that what I did was very stupid! So please no making fun.
OK, last night I was really bored cause I was stuck at home and couldn't go out. When I'm bored, I always look for something to do with my car. So last night the thought of unbolting my exhaust ran through my head. So it got to me and I decided to do it. Damn was it loud! So anyways.... I got back home after driving it around unbolted for about an hour and decided to put it back on cause I'm totally against the ricer mods. So of course, the piping was really hot. Ok, so you know those things that stick out from the cats pipe which connects to the exhaust pipe that you screw the nuts on? Well again, those were really hot.... I went ahead and decided to put the exhaust back togethor right away and didn't wait for anything to cool down. Now the top nut screwed on nice and smoothly. The bottom two gave me trouble. It was very hard to screw back on, and when it got to the point where I couldn't even get the nut to move another CM, there was still an opening. The top however was sealed nicely. And I'm assuming the nuts were hard to screw on was because they were cold, and the studs or whatever there called were very hot. So an hour ago, I turned on my car to see if there was a leak, and not to my surprise, there was. So I decided to unbolt the whole system again and put it back togethor since now everything was cold. Well, the bottom two ones are again giving me lots of trouble. It was VERY VERY hard to get them to barely move. While I was trying and trying to unbolt it, the damn bolt and nut broke right off. So my question is what the hell can I do? Can the bolt be replaced without having to replace the whole pipe? It's part of the pipe thats connected to the cat. This sucks and now my car has an even larger leak. I don't know what to do and any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
I know, I know, I'm stupid.
OK, last night I was really bored cause I was stuck at home and couldn't go out. When I'm bored, I always look for something to do with my car. So last night the thought of unbolting my exhaust ran through my head. So it got to me and I decided to do it. Damn was it loud! So anyways.... I got back home after driving it around unbolted for about an hour and decided to put it back on cause I'm totally against the ricer mods. So of course, the piping was really hot. Ok, so you know those things that stick out from the cats pipe which connects to the exhaust pipe that you screw the nuts on? Well again, those were really hot.... I went ahead and decided to put the exhaust back togethor right away and didn't wait for anything to cool down. Now the top nut screwed on nice and smoothly. The bottom two gave me trouble. It was very hard to screw back on, and when it got to the point where I couldn't even get the nut to move another CM, there was still an opening. The top however was sealed nicely. And I'm assuming the nuts were hard to screw on was because they were cold, and the studs or whatever there called were very hot. So an hour ago, I turned on my car to see if there was a leak, and not to my surprise, there was. So I decided to unbolt the whole system again and put it back togethor since now everything was cold. Well, the bottom two ones are again giving me lots of trouble. It was VERY VERY hard to get them to barely move. While I was trying and trying to unbolt it, the damn bolt and nut broke right off. So my question is what the hell can I do? Can the bolt be replaced without having to replace the whole pipe? It's part of the pipe thats connected to the cat. This sucks and now my car has an even larger leak. I don't know what to do and any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
I know, I know, I'm stupid.
05-11-2002, 11:03 PM
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i'm assuming you're talking about the 3 bolts on the flange between the cat and the exhaust, if so, then don't despair (maybe a little? 
)
whenever i change out exhaust systems (ask anyone whom i've helped over the past two years), i ALWAYS go to my local Honda dealer and get at least two extra sets of the self locking bolt/nut combo. they're expensive: Santa Monica Honda charges $8.50 each for the bolt, and $.50 for the self locking nut. The reason why you're having trouble with the bolt set is simple: they weren't really designed to be removed and re-installed. That's why I went out and got an electric impact wrench (at one time I was doing exhaust installs almost once every other week for people who bought exhausts from me), which made life A LOT easier.
now, you have two choices:
1. wait till Monday and go to your Honda dealer and get the proper bolts
or
2. go to a 24hr. Home Depot and get the normal replacement nut/bolt.
Most of the JDM brand exhausts come with separate (and normal) bolts, and I think the reason is pretty obvious: they're much cheaper and easier to deal with.
If you go with #2, lift your car up (way up), use a big hammer and hammer out all 3 of the bolts (it'll take some time, but it's possible). Note the design of the bolts and nuts and curse it (I used to do it all the time). take the bolt to your local Home Depot, find a bolt that's similar in diameter (a little smaller than the mid section of the OEM bolt would be better), buy 3 or 4 of them, buy matching nuts, go home and secure it - make sure you use some kind of anti-seize compound.
If you go with #1, same deal, just more $$$ out of your pocket, and you have to go to the Honda dealerships for those nuts/bolts.
Good luck!
)whenever i change out exhaust systems (ask anyone whom i've helped over the past two years), i ALWAYS go to my local Honda dealer and get at least two extra sets of the self locking bolt/nut combo. they're expensive: Santa Monica Honda charges $8.50 each for the bolt, and $.50 for the self locking nut. The reason why you're having trouble with the bolt set is simple: they weren't really designed to be removed and re-installed. That's why I went out and got an electric impact wrench (at one time I was doing exhaust installs almost once every other week for people who bought exhausts from me), which made life A LOT easier.
now, you have two choices:
1. wait till Monday and go to your Honda dealer and get the proper bolts
or
2. go to a 24hr. Home Depot and get the normal replacement nut/bolt.
Most of the JDM brand exhausts come with separate (and normal) bolts, and I think the reason is pretty obvious: they're much cheaper and easier to deal with.
If you go with #2, lift your car up (way up), use a big hammer and hammer out all 3 of the bolts (it'll take some time, but it's possible). Note the design of the bolts and nuts and curse it (I used to do it all the time). take the bolt to your local Home Depot, find a bolt that's similar in diameter (a little smaller than the mid section of the OEM bolt would be better), buy 3 or 4 of them, buy matching nuts, go home and secure it - make sure you use some kind of anti-seize compound.
If you go with #1, same deal, just more $$$ out of your pocket, and you have to go to the Honda dealerships for those nuts/bolts.
Good luck!
05-14-2002, 11:23 AM
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Hi there. First of all, just wanted to say thanks for the usefull info you all gave me. I picked up the bolts and nuts today, they are the right ones. I have another question though. I'm hammering at one of the bolts, and it won't come out. The tip just keeps getting more and more flatter. Do you have any suggestions on what I can do to make it come out? Would turning on the car to heat up the bolt be a good idea? Thanks in advance.
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05-14-2002, 01:44 PM
#8
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VTEC --
What likely has happened is that when you removed the exhaust, the exhaust plumbing expanded from heat. When you replaced the exhaust including the nuts that tighten the exhaust to the cat, the nuts where cool. Due to different rates of expansion, you likely stripped either or both the nut and the exhaust stud that is in the cat.
What you should do, is remove the stripped stud and bolt. You should remove the cat from the exhaust system, and use a press or mallet to bang the stud out of the cat. Then, insert the new stud with the same press or mallet. Replace cat, replace nut, and you're done.
You may want to consider having an exhaust shop do this for you if you are not comfortable with this work, as a dealership would likely charge more.
Feel free to e-mail or call me if you need help.
Regards,
-- Chris
What likely has happened is that when you removed the exhaust, the exhaust plumbing expanded from heat. When you replaced the exhaust including the nuts that tighten the exhaust to the cat, the nuts where cool. Due to different rates of expansion, you likely stripped either or both the nut and the exhaust stud that is in the cat.
What you should do, is remove the stripped stud and bolt. You should remove the cat from the exhaust system, and use a press or mallet to bang the stud out of the cat. Then, insert the new stud with the same press or mallet. Replace cat, replace nut, and you're done.
You may want to consider having an exhaust shop do this for you if you are not comfortable with this work, as a dealership would likely charge more.
Feel free to e-mail or call me if you need help.
Regards,
-- Chris
05-14-2002, 07:40 PM
#10
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good to hear! It also helps to put some anti-corrosion lubricant on the bolts and nuts as you replace them so that next time, they will be easy to remove.
Cheers,
-- Chris
Cheers,
-- Chris