[Slipangle]

Stop me if you've heard this one before... Actually, sorry, gonna get this out one way or another! LOL

So last night, I'm working on my Grand Marquis donor car from which my intent is to remove the 4.6 liter Ford V8 for use in my 1956 Mercury project. I'm down to disconnecting exhaust and some electrical connections, and the motor mounts.

Between the exhaust manifold and the exhaust pipes are 4 catalytic converters. The bolts at the rear of the catalytic converter pipes broke just fine, for whatever reason the pipes haven't separated, but I'm not sure the engine would pull out with the pipes still attached, and I'm getting nowhere unbolting the pipes at the exhaust manifold. The studs look like a glob of rust instead of threads, and the nuts are neither turning nor cooperating with my efforts to break them... I don't entirely mind if they did because I most likely will not be using the manifolds and headers will be my plan of choice...

So each manifold is held to the aluminum heads by studs with nuts on top and 4 across the bottom. I start working front to back, studs are just factory torque so they're coming out with no hassle, but I'm really boxed in - the studs are too long to use a standard socket, so I'm necessarily using deep sockets, and by the time I get to the rear I have no room to swing a wrench, so I'm necessarily using air powered tools.

And the last of the 4 on top comes loose, but come to find out - as the stud and nut come out, the wrench is pushed up against the frame. Hmmm...

I could retighten the bolt... but that would involve reversing the air tool, and in order to do that I'd need to be able to reach that part of the air wrench that is pressed against the frame.

Maybe I can lift the engine? Sure... if not for the motor mount bolts being blocked by my air wrench. (Actually I did manage to undo these using a box wrench that I was able to swing 5 degrees at a time) (this didn't quite get me enough to get my air wrench out though)

Any ideas? I'd prefer to not have to pull the heads. It's an SOHC engine and it runs so having to retime all that seems prudent to stay away from.

 

[Poncho Villa]

😣 Doh! I thought only my tools did that! Maybe sacrifice the stud and just cut it if room permits.

 

[matt167]

Cut the bolt off, free the tool

 

[Blue64Tbird]

A small Dremel-style grinder would probably be able to fit in there and cut off the bolt.

 

[2old2fast]

Did you try to jack the engine up ? Even if you have to unbolt the mounts .....

 

[evintho]

Agreed. Cut the stud. Can you get in there with a Sawzall? While you're at it, slice the exhaust pipes just behind the manifold connection. Then you shouldn't have to worry about removing the manifolds!

 

[Slipangle]

With a combination of a large screwdriver and a 3/8 extension i was able to lift the engine by prying under the motor mount enough for my wife and her smaller hands (and a great deal of trust in me to not drop an engine on her fingers) to wiggle the tool around until it cleared the stud and came out. Then with the engine set down, her smaller than mine hands reached in and got the stud out.

I mean... we have catalytic converter thieves lurking in our city apparently. Maybe they could have gotten up in there to cut it off.

 

[BogiesAnnex1]

If your not going to reuse the cast iron manifolds, mabe the shortest distance is a sharp masonry chisel and a few hammer blows to the manifold.

Bogie

 

[drive til its broke]

I hate it when I get my tools stuck. I would pull out the grinder and go to town. Best of luck to you.

 

[joe_padavano]

I hate it when I get my tools stuck. I would pull out the grinder and go to town. Best of luck to you.

I hated to say it, but it's a $22 Harbor Freight air ratchet.
And yeah, I've spent more money to save tools that were worth less...

 

[drive til its broke]

I hated to say it, but it's a $22 Harbor Freight air ratchet.
And yeah, I've spent more money to save tools that were worth less...

I remember when my father was working on our family's 2003 chevy suburban I remember a size 16 wrench stuck on the rear axle. spend about 1 hour trying to get it unstuck. 6-7 years later all covered in dirt and rust we got it back after lubing it up and the nice hit of a hammer.

 

[U_Boat]

The little pneumatic jab saws (body saw) are ideal for this sort of thing (cut the bolt). They are slow but fit where even a Dremel won't go.