Ptvolly

Started the disassembly of Y-pipe and manifold(s) tonight on my 2000 T/A. The Y-pipe, Cats, and O2 sensors are off. The only problem I had was the O2 sensors, they finished almost a full can of "PB", which is the best freakin penetrant I've found, but they finally came off.

Here's the deal though... I've got two stock manifold bolts off each side (total of 4) with little to no effort. The rest are really fighting me. I've finally given up for the night, soaking everything in PB hoping that helps break them loose tomorrow when I have more time.
Anybody know how much pressure (torque) I can put on the bolts before I need to worry about breaking them? I'm really scared I'm gonna break them off in the block (yeah, you read correctly, I'm scared, afraid, shaking like a little school girl!). I'm more than willing to put a whole lotta force on them if I think it's safe, but this has been my biggest fear with installing my pacesetter LT's and TSP catted Y-pipe!

Any suggestions? I've read the "faq's", sticky's, various threads via searching, etc. Nothing really seems to mention the effort involved in breaking the factory bolts loose, only to not over torque when re-installing or installing the headers.
Thanks for any/all advise!
Dennis

Camaro99SS

iTrader: (4)

I didn't use anything on the whole entire entire exhaust, and everything came off fine, but maybe I was just lucky. There were a couple bolts on the manifolds that started to strip when getting them loose, but nothing happened. Try to be as fluid and smooth as you can. Don't jerk on the wrench or bang it with a hammer to loosen them. If anything that will strip the heads. Don't sweat it. You won't strip anything and get it in the heads, especially greasing the bolts. Once the exhaust is off, it's all downhill from there. The Pacesetter LT's fit very well and slide right up without having to take anything out.

Jason

blkZ28spt

I had no problem getting the stock manifold bolts out. I did have great difficulties with the bolts on the Y-pipe. My dad coulldn't even break them loose. Had to use a ratchet/cheater bar and lift the end of it with my little 2 1/2 ton jack. For me the hardest part of the header swap was definately in getting the old exhaust off. That's what spending about six winters in the chicagoland/northwest indiana area will do. (rust belt)

But yeah, you should be okay with them.

snake charmer

iTrader: (118)

it sounds really easy but most of my time was spent taking the original stock exhuast off of my car. i broke the y-pipe bolts off with a ratchet and a hollow metal pipe and just yanked on them till they broke. the header bolts should be a lot more easy, i used a small hollow bar at the end of the ratchet to give me a little more push but nothing to hard.

Ptvolly

Thanks for the reply's. Most of my bolts broke on the Y-pipe and Cat's which made it tons easier, I wish they would have all broken! Guess I'll be spending the rest of today trying to get the stock manifolds off and go from there!

2000Z28M6

iTrader: (13)

DONT bee to scared.... if they break more than likely you will still have enough length in them to turn them with a vice.....When I swapped mine out the very last bolt on the drivers side was broken flush with the manifold. I manged to pull out all the other ones pulled the manifold off and I had plenty of room to get the vice grips in there, its a pain.. but it can be done. Your biggest fear should be stripping the head of the bolts I would totally be worried there. Breaking the bolt is better than stripping the head of the bolt. Simply because if you break it you wont have to worry about the torque on the bolt. It has no resisitance. But if you strip it well you get the point.. Good luck

BBQLS1

I don't know what head the bolts are, but use the right type of wrench. Don't use a 12pt wrench on a 6pt bolt. This will go great lengths to insure you do not round the bolt off.

blkZ28spt

I nearly rounded off the crank bolt doing that.

shawn's SS

iTrader: (5)

Try slightly loosening all of the bolts before removing any.

shawn's SS

iTrader: (5)

So, you should start by re-installing and tightening the ones you already took out.

shawn's SS

iTrader: (5)

It's kinda like when you loosen and take lugnuts off one at a time, the last one is always a bitch because it has all the pressure on it.