Nut rusted on bolt anyone know how i can get it off

[BrandonKendall]

i have a 79 ford F350. it has a 460 motor in it and a damn exhaust leak. the donuts where the headers meets the exhaust pipes have been blown out do to them being old. I need to change them but the nuts have rusted on the bolts that connect the headers to the exhaust pipe. can anyone tell me how i can get these things off because if i try brut force the bolt will snap and i will really be F***ed. if anyone knows of a way to get it off i will be really thankful.


o ya and does anyone know of a site where i could order parts for a 79 ford F350. that would be awesome if i could get a link aswell.


thanks for your time,
Brandon


Marry X-Mas

[steveG]

Does it have studs coming off the headers or are they bolts?

If they're studs, do they thread into the header?

[BrandonKendall]

it has studs and the threads go in to the header

[sickrick]

Heat the nuts red hot, let them cool a little and then back them off.

[BrandonKendall]

would a cutting torch work to heat it up? and when backing off the nut will it come of easy or will i need to use a little bit of force. just making sure of these little details so that i dont go down there and heat the wrong stuff up and need up messing something up

[sickrick]

Yes use a cutting torch to heat it up.

Heat just the nut until it is red hot, Let it cool a little and start to gently turn it loose. If it starts to turn hard, tighten it a little bit and then continue to loosen the bolt.

Spray it with wd 40 while loosening it.

[mudhound72]

Yep heat the nut till it is red hot and it will come off if it gets tight STOP reheat and try again, I have gotten more that I can think appart this way when I use to work at a exh shop. But if it a nut/bolt combo just take the torch and cut them off. Also if it a stud in sted of heating the nut heet the headder or manafold cherry and take the stud/nut out in one shot and will save you some time. Another hint I can give you when ever you can replace the hardwere and run a tap and die threw everthing to help with puting it back together trust me on this, and anti-size is your best buddy while working on exh

[scottm]

Are they really headers or stock iron manifolds with threaded studs? I just cut off frozen bolts on headers, but manifolds are more work. The studs on stock manifolds routinely go bad. The oems probably spent millions designing the threads to strip off at 9 years or 90,000 miles. Many people prefer stock manifolds, so they are worth fixing right. I cut off the frozen nuts, remove the manifolds, remove whatever is left of the old studs, then re-tap the manifold for fine-thread stainless studs. Put it back together with stainless nuts and anti sieze, and it will last forever. Or throw the manifolds away and put on headers!

[BrandonKendall]

those our some good ideas. The truck has stock iron manifolds. question now. what is would the best thing to do. i am pretty new with my truck and am sorry to say i am not the greatest motorhead. i can do this but i am wondering witch road would be the best road to take. and i am also wondering what would be the easiest fix to my problem.

and with buy header how much am i looking to spend on them

[bajaruner11]

I deal with this all the time. Here is the right way to do it.

-Heat the manifold where to stud threads in with a torch (Not melting just glowing red)
-Using a socket on the nut, immidiatly remove the stud/nut together from the manifold. When the manifold is hot enough the stud will come right out. (do this with all studs)
-Clean threads with a thread chase die, and penetrating oil (don't use a tap you will take metal away you don't want to loose.
-Replace studs and nuts with new hardware, and use anti-sieze compound on all threads.

If you opt to go with headers this is a good advantage in the long run if done properly. However, be prepared you could have a bolt break off in the head, this happens often. Also buy realy good header gaskets, I like the dead soft metal aluminum ones like percy's, and a set of high end headers something with 3/8" head flange, also get really good bolts like stage 8 locking fasteners, there is nothing worse than a cheap set of headers that are always coming loose and blowing out the gaskets. If you go with a set of shorty manifold replacement headers your done, if you go with long headers you will have to go to the exhaust shop and have the pipes refit.


Hope this helps

[BrandonKendall]

right on right on thanks mucho that beaks it down for me i would i have to be a complete idoit to screw this one up