Rusted cat bolts....

Well, as the title says, ive got a bad case of the common "rusted catalytic converter bolts"....

As im sure many of you had had experience with (for almost everyone who has installed a catback), i am wondering about the best/easiest way to solve this...

do I:

A:/ Douse them like crazy with wd40+ various other lubricants for a week then have a try at the bolts?

B:/ Take off the entire exhaust manifold, from the headers down, bring the thing to a shop, and have them professionally remove them from the system right then and there? (saves effort and cost of lifting it, they just torch off the bolts and replace

C:/ Bring it to a shop, and specifically only have them replace the catback+main pipe bolts only, costing me only a little bit of money.


Feel free to add any options, im just looking for your guys suggestions, seeing how most of you guys are more experienced and i can learn from you.

any thoughts would be appreciated, and if it helps, i own a impact+torque set, along with a 4 post lift (yeah, stupid 4 post :eh) so if that alters any suggestions

Thank you!

option A all the way
them a 14mm box end wrench and a hammer
or 14mm box end and foot power!!!!!!!!
its going to be hard but if i could do it(5"2'/ 17 year old /100lb kid) could do it you can

I had the same issue when I was removing my old cat. My bro and I busted our *** all day trying to free after shooting loads of WD on it and then using a long pipe to get a better grip on it. Which it work, although kinda strip the nut but hell it came out.

Wd40 is a lubricant not a penatrater. You need something like pb blaster.

Also i wouldnt run ur car without the exhaust manifold, exhaust temps will go sky high...its not good for ur valves.

Third, you need to put box wrench on there and wack those bolts with a hammer.

use the pb son!!!!

HondaLuver83 said:

Also i wouldnt run ur car without the exhaust manifold, exhaust temps will go sky high...its not good for ur valves.

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I wouldnt run it without it, i was saying i could take the entire thing off, take my dads car or someones, bring it in and have them work on it there so they dont have to go through the trouble of lifting it and working around the body....

but anyway basically everyone said just keep using wd40 and pb blaster, so i will keep doing that...thank you!!!!

HondaLuver83 said:

Wd40 is a lubricant not a penatrater. You need something like pb blaster.

Also i wouldnt run ur car without the exhaust manifold, exhaust temps will go sky high...its not good for ur valves.

Third, you need to put box wrench on there and wack those bolts with a hammer.

Click to expand...

WD-40 is a penetrant, it's just not a potent as PB. To be honest, whenever I have been in a bind with a seized bolt...neither one has EVER worked for me.

They're both overrated IMO. There is really no replacement for pneumatic tools and a propane torch when it comes to stubborn bolts.

JMillerUA6 said:

WD-40 is a penetrant, it's just not a potent as PB. To be honest, whenever I have been in a bind with a seized bolt...neither one has EVER worked for me.

They're both overrated IMO. There is really no replacement for pneumatic tools and a propane torch when it comes to stubborn bolts.

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I second that. The sprays never work for me either. i usually hit them with a cut off tool powered by my air compressor. A dremel should be able to cut through the bolts too, it'll just take way longer.

Just get a grinding wheel and cut the f*ckers off. Sprays never work that well. Especially when the bolts are heat seized

fastflyinaccord said:

Just get a grinding wheel and cut the f*ckers off. Sprays never work that well. Especially when the bolts are heat seized

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Yeah, i was thinking the same thing...all the years of expanding/contracting from the heat will probably make those little ** not want to come off....

i guess i could cut them...the only thing im worried about it that the actual threaded bolt is attached to the cat, and if i damage those, im looking at me buying a new catalytic....and thats not my idea of fun....

i'll see what the wd40/pbblaster does to em first