Easiest way to deal with rusted cat con / resonator flange exhaust stud nuts (DIY)
 

Hi.

I have a 97SC2 with 256K on the clock.
My flex pipe developed a hole.
Since I don't own a welder nor can I weld, I purchased a single part that goes from manifold to resonator -- flange to flange.

Hit all the fasteners with blaster. The nuts come off the studs at the manifold but the cat con to resonator fasteners are hopelessly rusted in place.
3/4 of a can of blaster and 4 hours later, I can see the heads of the fasteners but they have eroded/rusted away such that I have no socket metric or standard that will fit them.
Even if I did, I doubt they would come loose.

Need to save the resonator.
Cat is still good, so I would like to save that. Car con flange may get wrecked during removal and I can accept that.

What's the best way to separate the rusted fasteners and the cat con flange from the resonator flange?

Thoughts include
torch (never used one)-- heat and fatigue
pneumatic cutoff wheel with undersized compressor
cut nuts of ends, pound remaining piece of stud out
cut just forward of cat flange, then drill out w cutting fluid.

Work area=my garage (which now reeks of PB blaster)

Thanks

Thanks

Heat is your friend with rust. Good quality name brand vice grips.
Or find a friendly exhaust shop that will remove the bolts and install new ones you can then remove with a wrench.

thank you, sir

I agree 100% with Andy. A propane torch can be a good investment. Heat the bolts until they glow red, attach the vise grips and turn counter clockwise. See what happens.