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I'd be really careful using SS hardware on the exhaust. Research galling and you'll understand why. I've had relatively new SS bolts lock in place when used on the exhaust. In fact I've had to cut SS bolts off after just a few months as they were completely locked in place. Cutting off brand new SS bolts in hard to reach places is annoying to say the least. I've lived in the salt belt my entire life and have been working on rusty cars for better part of 20 years so I've developed some pretty good methods to removing stuck bolts.
Torch is your friend when trying to knock out the studs in this case. Little heat and they pop right out, no whacking needed in most cases.
For reference, here is the remaining HW from my rust belt 911 (lived entire life in CHI). Every stud had to be cut off and then knocked out using a torch. Replaced with all new hardware (steel bolts and zinc plated flange nuts) and clamps just because the rotted out bolts bothered me.
Good question. I primarily used a dremel with a cutoff wheel (maybe 1.5" in diameter) for the top, hard to reach bolt but also used a sawzall blade for that top bolt, it was a combo effort if I recall. For the 2 lower bolts I was able to position a sawzall blade on them. I also have a high speed metal air saw that saw some action on this job if I recall correctly.
I also want to say on one of the sides I was able to get a socket on the top bolt and turn it so the bolt broke. That allowed me to remove the exhaust and then it was a simple heat with torch and tap out process.
Replace the hardware with stainless and use socket cap bolts. You can orient them so a long T-handle metric Allen or a metric hex socket with a wobble extension and put the nut on the easy side.
Its easier to access the plugs through the tubes with two shorter extensions than 1 long one - assembling as you insert and disassembling as you remove.
Fabspeed makes the best exhaust gaskets. I keep a few sets on my parts cabinet
I'll be tackling this job at the end of the brutal Florida summer as I will likely be around 60k by then. Thankfully I have highflow cats and muffler bypass pipes, should make the job a little easier.
Whats the common thinking on coils? Inspect for heat damage and replace as needed or just get it over with and do all 6 with the plugs?
Just personal experience. I have had 1 coil failure in years and multiple cars with hundreds of thousands of miles. It was a ford excursion and the coil failed at 235,000 miles. It was the original coil. The rest of my cars, replaced coils every 100,000 miles or so and never had a problem. FWIW, when is did the plugs on my wife's Macan at 60K coils looked good so I reused them. When I do the plugs again at 90K I'll replace the coils.
To remove the muffler, you don't have to remove those three evil bolts. If you remove the rear bumper (very easy to do), and then the side plastic thingys (very easy to do), you can remove the muffler from different points. You will see. The muffler will pull out with the exhaust tips.
I have done three spark plug changes on my 997.2 and one on me friend's 996 and it all works the same way..... remove in this order: rear lights, rear bumper, side thingys, muffler. No need to remove those three evil cat bolts.
The first plug change I did on my 2009 C2S was from underneath in an old fashioned grease pit at a friend's farm house. I removed those three evil cat bolts...... a horror. Then I tried the rear bumper removal approach and life was good.
A person who can do a plug change without a lift and without muffler removal is special.... no way could I do this, but then I am just a hack.
Bruce, I'm going to take your advice when I again attempt the spark plug change. You obviously haven't had trouble getting the left side coil heat shield off. I couldn't get past that so aborted the plug change. Don't know if PO had plugs changed but doubt it as I'm at only 38k miles.
I must be missing something. I did the leak down test in my 997.1 with everything but the little heats shields for the coil packs in place. I didn't think it was that bad. I bet I could be done with a plug change before the remove-the-muffler method got the first plug out.
Is this a 997.1 v 997.2 thing? Is there some obstructions on the 997.2 that isn't there on the 997.1?
The 997.2 is tighter. Simply can't get the rear plugs with the mufflers installed. But they come off easy (especially the passengers side). I've done it a couple times now without removing the bumper. A couple hours is all it takes.
The 997.2 is tighter. Simply can't get the rear plugs with the mufflers installed. But they come off easy (especially the passengers side). I've done it a couple times now without removing the bumper. A couple hours is all it takes.
Interesting. Direct injection plumbing taking up some of the space, I would assume.
07-12-2018, 08:37 AM
