OZ951

So yesterday I began the job of removing the stock mufflers and cats. I thought I would share a couple of pics of what I had to work with

This is on a 68K UK car. Most of these bolts snap immediately. In fact for some of them that's pretty much how I was hoping it would work out (and it did).

Some of the bolts are so rusty that they just flaked away to be some kind of dome. But check out the studs from the catalytic converter to header flange - there is almost nothing there. What sized socket for that lol!

Ahmet

That sucks man. I try to avoid northern cars for this reason, at least with 996s, the exhaust bolts/nuts (and maybe some clamps and a couple of studs for fender liners, etc.) should be the extent of your "problem" areas, with a BMW of that vintage, everything would be falling apart....

philooo

on on 1999 car ! this car must have seen quite some bad weather.. probably staying very close to the ocean or driving in the snow. On my 2003 from dry Texas, all the bolts are like new.

That's where you see that the discount for northern car is important, and often you'd better go the extra mile and pick on down south... far from the coast

OZ951

Pretty much all the cars I looked at here in the UK were like this. The exhaust hardware is definitely the worst, although I am sure I will battle some of the suspension hardware when the time comes. PB buster is my new friend - but I do now own a reciprocating saw, thanks to this job.

OZ951

Things are coming along better this morning.

Cats went on well and the muffler lined up with the cats nicely and the tip lined up well with the apace in the bumper too.

Before I can finish I have to fab a new sleeve for the 70mm bolt on the other muffler mounting plate as the old bolt was seized in the old sleeve.

Given the conditions here I have gone with all stainless steel hardware other than the replacement factory parts.

theporscheguy

Very nice.

Barn996

Looking good. So far, I have found similar rust primarily on the exhaust hardware, but not as bad as yours. My Porsche has 52k miles, so that's probably why.

03911TT

I wish I had that stainless setup under my car!

Shark Attack

thats perrrrdy!

Dharn55

Had the same thing on the header/cat flanges on my exhaust. Be glad you were putting on new cats. The "bolts" on the cat flange are actually pressed into the flange, just studs with no heads. It took me a couple of hours to drill them out on one side to install stainless steel bolts. Left the other side attached. I did this when dropping my engine.

OZ951

All done.

Dharn yeah, I'll hang onto the original cats and remount them for some dyno comparisons so I'll take them to general workshop and have them press the studs out and drill to 10mm so I can use regular bolts when I remount them.

Airrik

looks nice how does she sound?

bkjwhipple

are those the supercups? or the Maxflows? :-)
edit.. not supercups.... so Maxflows? lets hear a sound clip!

thirteeneast

Hi OZ951,

A fellow UK member!.

Where did you get the Fab M8 and how much if you dont mind my asking looks GR8.

thirteeneast

P.s I found the quickest way of getting these rusty B's off is Drill through em.