Exhaust flange stud removal

[givetoget]

96 chevy 1/2 ton 350, 180,000 miles. I have an exhaust leak at the flange,(between manifold and pipe) and the nuts are just about complely gone. What is the best way (if there is one) to get the studs out of the manifold. It looks like the end of the stud is about 9/32 or so, and is that on the stud for there removal.

Thanks for any and all help,

[CAMAN]

I've never tried it, but after replacing the cat and pipe on my truck and having a bear of a time and finally needing to torch the bolts, I heard soaking the bolts in brake fluid can break them loose. Wish I would have heard that before hand.

[Macgyver55]

Heat...and lots of it in the right place it is your best bet.

[Eric Wettschreck]

I recently went through this adventure. I ended up cutting the studs, pulling the manifold, drilling and tapping all 3 holes, and replacing the stud/spring/nut combo.

Much to my surprise, pulling the manifold really wasn't that tough.

This was after going down Macgyvers road.......heat and a ton of it.

[Jeremy airjer W]

The blue wrench is the only way they are coming out. Brake fluid works amazingly well after the heat breaks them free.

[givetoget]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Eric, that was kind of the angle I was looking at. How easy did the manifold bolts come out.

Airjer the blue wrench I assume is the heat,correct?

Anyone know for sure what size socket fits the stud, both the 9/32" and 7mm 6 sided seem lose and want to round over.

If I were to take to a sevice center, ROUGHLY what could I expect this to cost.

Thanks again,

[Eric Wettschreck]

Eric, that was kind of the angle I was looking at. How easy did the manifold bolts come out.

I was pretty surprised but in less than a half hour i had the manifold sitting on my work bench. It wasn't tough at all.

[Scott K]

Blue wrench is a heating torch, and you arent going to remove them with a small socket, you will need a vise grip. Thos small hex nut on the end, is barely good enough to install the new ones in.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Or you could get a stud install/removal socket

[Scott K]

The ones I have done on the Chevy's have all broken off about a 1/2" below the manifold, not much room for the extraction tool to bite on.

[givetoget]

Thanks for help and info guys. A nearby service center said about $150.00 for the one side. Does the sound about right.

Thanks again.

[Scott K]

That is about the going rate. To be honest, if you dont have a torch, and the right tools, $150 doesnt sound to bad. If you have all of the tools then save the $100 they are charging you labor.