I am in the middle of putting on a new x pipe and everything was going to good. I have read about this in other post I searched for and i was as ready as i was going to get. Drivers side unbolt the two bolts with a breaker bar and PB blast, that was too easy. Next the onto the harder passenger side. Undo the bottom bolt, ok one more to go the harder top bolt. Not so lucky after trying with the PB blast and letting it sit then using u joint sockets and no luck then trying the impact gun with no luck it starts to round off. It got so rounded i had to get a dermal with a flexible attachment to cut the nut off and hit it off with a screw driver and hammer. Was not easy but i cut half the nut off and popped the other half off with the reaming pipe. Now i am left with one (top passenger side) stud that is damaged beyond salvage and needs replacing. Now i tried PB blast and vise grips but all i can get into that space is a small set of vice grips and they keep slipping off. How to I get this stud out and i am trying to do it without dropping the k member or anything like that. I tried a little heat from a map gas plumbers torch and i don't think i am getting it hot enough. Please anyone successfully replace one of these dreaded top studs?

 

Weld a nut to it and back it out

 

could you fit a drill in there? if so, drill that sumabitch to pieces lol

 

This or double nut it.

 

I have a stud remover that I use to situations like this, but I am not sure if it would fit up there.
It looks like this:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...C61PNRC6V3ACPQ

You could also try one of the sockets that digs in, they work great on rounded nuts and are supposed to work on stud too. Something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-19250-St.../dp/B000P0TZZG

 

I had this problem (stud broke while removing the nut), ended up having to just remove the manifold to get what was left of the pressed in stud out and then welded in a new stud.

 

salt + water + heat + steel = rust

Remove the manifold, then the broken stud.

 

Got any dynamite? Just kidding, but I would think you have to get the manifold off to fix that. If thats the case just get some long tubes. Problem solved

 

How much of the stud is left? Honestly your easiest and least frustrating way to get it out is gonna be to drop the K-member in my opinion. For future reference get a small oxy-acetelyne torch and make that baby glow BEFORE you round it off. The nut will come right off, works everytime. Heat is your best friend when it comes to exhaust work.

 

Do this...it works.

But, now that you are in a pickle, (I did the same thing you did...) you have a few options.
A) Dremel, visegrips, or grinder, anything to break the bolt off flush so you can drill it out of the manifold. Replace stud with bolt.

B)Torch-burn/melt it out leavin a goobered hole, then drill hole out and replace with bolt.

C) Poor mans solution(What I did)- did have a torch, used a grinder and cam in at an angle perpendicular to the manifold plate, parallel to the stud, and ground a notch in the side of the manifold, all the way in until it started griding away the stud, then kept going lol. I was left with a clean notch and no stud. I just slipped a bolt in and all was well.

All of this is if you cannot get it out with a stud remover and some heat.


good luck!