Removing header pipe in1995 Toyota Camry to repair two flex pipes. Rewelding new ones.


Does this make sense? Want to glean insight from others for easy removal.




Two pipes go to and are bolted to the two manifolds and soaked with PB Blaster every few days( not too rusty). They appear like nuts that unscrew. Hopefully will go well.


The other flange at the other end with converter is heavily rusted and is just a bolt and nut flange to flange connection. It is not a welded bolt with nut, right. Just want to cut the bolt head since severly rusted and disconnect.


Wish had picture.






Your thoughts so I can easily remove.

 

The converter flange studs typically screw into the cast iron flanges. The exhaust pipe flange is then held on by nuts. The nuts are made of a special metal and torqued to 46 ft-lbs. Sometimes when trying to remove the flange nut the stud will instead unscrew which is OK.

For flange bolts the best route is to use a welding torch to heat the nut or area where the stud screws into the flange then rotate nut and see which one moves. If you are able to remove a nut, replace it with a new one.

For the nut and bolt connection. The bolt head may be welded to the flange keeping it retained when the nut is removed. If you cut the bolt off, you may need to also remove the bolt from the flange.

 

Thanks for the feedback. Very appreciated.


Once I have the header pipe out I will remove the old flex pipes intact as much as possible so I can replace with a similar length and width. I will also measure the whole length (beforehand) and width of pipe in various places to ensure once the flex pipes are installed the positioning is correct so all flanges line up (2 on manifold and 1 flange after cat).


The flange nuts to the manifold have minimal rust because of their location and will try and remove manually first but after a long drive when all are hot and more likely to turn.


The flange bolt/nut after the cat is heavily rusted and will be cut.


I like to remove the manifold nut by turning a little then tighten and repeat. Its worked very well in the past for bolts/nuts that are not heavily rusted. Take a while but does work most of the time and less likely to break.


Using map gas if needed. don't have torch.

 

I decided since the header pipe which is listed at $220 from Rock Auto and has the cat and flex pipes to buy the whole thing and replace it.


That said in the mean time will leave everything as is until it gets warmer but place flexible tail pipe over the flex pipe and hold it in with muffler brackets. This will hold down the noise and poisonous exhaust when running at idle which I do not do.


Do not want to remove bad flex pipe since header pipe may be fragile since it is a few decades old and could fall apart. Just my gut feeling.


Will just cut pipe across, open up, and wrap it around like a tin can and bracket it.


This will make it more drivable.

 

I can provide pictures

1995 V6 camry exhaust pipe section

new off the shelf
94 TOYOTA CAMRY 3.0L V6 FRONT EXHAUST PIPE

 

Thanks, perfect picture. Lubricating the nuts and bolts with pb blaster but will show you pictures of the bolt and nut. They look weird. The end of the bolt has a star shape. Will show tonight if I have time and not too cold. Thanks again.

 

do they look like one of these top row of the link ..... Metric Coarse External Torx Bolt with Flange

Fastener Data - Torx - SOCKET SCREWS - DIMENSIONS - Fastener Specifications

torx bolts ... needs a torx socket the right size

 

Front picture 59 and 60 left and right 1st pipe to manifold

Rear picture 47 and 49 left and right fire wall 2nd pipe to manifold

Not sure how to sure how to remove. Will look at your link.

They have a bolt, torx on three and some type of lock washer.

 

Looked at you link but my torx is at the end of a long bolt with a nut. Does help though. Thanks. Will look at it more tomorrow.

 

thank you for the pictures
I cant find these bolts for sale online to get a good picture of whats actually fitted



yuk ..going to be very tight .... they are so rusted

if you had a gas torch to pre heat it would do better