travisnd

One of you guys posted a cheap/easy way to bolt the OEM H-pipe to the OEM manifolds using regular bolts/nuts but I can't find the thread or remember exactly how. The OEM bolt that threads into the manifolds never come apart w/o being unusable for me.

Can anyone post a picture for me or describe what you do? I can't remember if you thread a bolt down through the hole in the manifold from the top side thereby creating a new stud and then use a washer/nut to secure the H-pipe slip flange thing. Or, do you just use the right size/thread bolt and slip that through the H-pipe flange and thread it into the manifold from the bottom side?

Thanks!

PS - Tired of Paying $6 each for the OEM bolts and having to order them

EDIT: See post 16 if you want to stop buying $6 GM studs an $2 nuts for the manifolds.

RX-Ben

You will need some type of stud setup. I would thread stainless bolts in place of the existing studs. But you will still want a locking bolt there b/c of the temp swings.
What happens to your existing bolts?
And when are you testing the 245s?

travisnd

No matter what I do the nuts always cross-thread and the studs begin to bend when taking the H-pipes off. Maybe I'm over-tightening them when installing.

Running TTA and instructing at VIR in February. Took the H-pipe out to delete the cats.

joenationwide

huh, interesting. I've dropped the H-pipe like 3 times now just trying to get to the CKP sensor. Luckily even with surface rust the nuts spun off like butter. One of the studs was already snapped, fortunately I could just barely get all the threads to engage on the nut.

A few times I had to hammer the ends of the studs towards the center of the collector. They were so flared out, it was impossible to get the flanges on/off.

RX-Ben

How are you guys lowering the exhaust?
If you have a pump jack under the H pipe, it seems like it would be hard to bend things as you can slowly lower it to make sure nothing is catching/twisting.

sperkins

Ben - he's saying that the studs bend from the torque of the socket when loosening (I think). I've had that happen before. On Greg's (northern) car, I had to replace 3 studs the first time I dropped the mid-pipe. Luckily, I had some OEM manifolds laying around the shop so I just snatched some from there.
If they look bad before I touch them, I'll usually take pictures (for the car owner in case I have to bill them), spray 'em down good, wire brush the crap out of them and hope for the best. I'll replace the nuts too.

brkntrxn

Committed to 245s and nothing else this year?

RX-Ben

Fixed.

brkntrxn

I guess I got lucky when I dropped my mid-pipe last week. No issues even though they were rusty. I was worried, but they came off and went on just fine.


Ben,

I drop exhausts the redneck way. Place a hand on each leg of the midpipe at the header and place a leg under the rear part of the midpipe towards the tranny. Do the same to reinstall. Works great and is pretty cheap.


-Kevin

travisnd

I use my floor jack and a a board to support the pipe. The studs aren't bending from that, they're bending from removing the nut... no matter what I do the thread get boogered up and the nut gets stuck 1/2 way off.

I already stole all the good ones out of my spare manifolds before I scrapped them so I'm ready to go to a cheaper option than OEM. One of the T1 racer guys posted up awhile back about how they do it using regular bolts.

As for the 245s... if the 245s don't work I'm just going to have a 1/2 assed ST2 car. I do have a spare H-pipe in my shed if I had to use it.

drivinhard

fixed

travisnd

Greg did post on NASA forums that they reviewing the "hole in the frame" rule.

SoDiezl350

It's quite possible. IIRC the torque require for those nuts is quite low(something like 15 ft-lbs)

travisnd

If that's the case then I'm way overdoing it.

SoDiezl350

Just checked online and that is the recommended torque.

travisnd

No more GM studs... used some 10x1.50 coarse threaded bolts with a lock washer under the head of each. Threaded them up into the manifold

PushinTheLimit

Brian... if you want to get sell your mid-pipe, I'll be in the market for one in a few weeks. I've already got a TI exhaust on the way to getting closer to PTA.

travisnd

It's the original from my 2001 so it has four cats vs. two; you probably want one from a 2002-2004.