Well I think my pipes only look that clean because I have been spraying them with PB Blaster for 4-5 days now.
Exhaust Manifold/Downpipe Gasket Part #
- Thread starter Lugboot
- Start date
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Well, I have admitted defeat. 
I spent about 6-7 hrs on this stud and two trips to the store for more tools. One tip of advice I could give is that the if you take of the heat shields you can spray in some PB blaster on the top end of the stud. Just found that out today so thought I would pass it along.
Oh and a deep socket is preferable and you could possibly remove the front drive shaft so you don't have to work around it. I got pretty good working around it.
I spent about 6-7 hrs on this stud and two trips to the store for more tools. One tip of advice I could give is that the if you take of the heat shields you can spray in some PB blaster on the top end of the stud. Just found that out today so thought I would pass it along.Oh and a deep socket is preferable and you could possibly remove the front drive shaft so you don't have to work around it. I got pretty good working around it.
Once you cut off one side of the nut, could you get a socket over the nut and twist it off? If not, can you get an e-socket on the stud? Did you try a pipe extension on your ratchet? A long handle with slow steady increase in force could work to break the nut free from the stud or the stud free from the exhaust manifold.
If all is lost, you could cut off the nut and stud completely. Remove the rear exhaust manifold and Drill out the remainder of the stud. The down pipe flange is not threaded. If you do go this route, remove the air intake and air filter assembly. Then you can sit on that hump with your feet on the frame rail when you work on the rear exhaust manifold. The rearmost two studs are kind of a PIA. You'll need an E8 socket for the exhaust manifold studs. Most of the nuts were frozen to the studs so I replaced both.
Good luck.
If all is lost, you could cut off the nut and stud completely. Remove the rear exhaust manifold and Drill out the remainder of the stud. The down pipe flange is not threaded. If you do go this route, remove the air intake and air filter assembly. Then you can sit on that hump with your feet on the frame rail when you work on the rear exhaust manifold. The rearmost two studs are kind of a PIA. You'll need an E8 socket for the exhaust manifold studs. Most of the nuts were frozen to the studs so I replaced both.
Good luck.
On this particular stud I only had about an additional 3" of room for extending the ratchet handle. But that was before I thought about doubling up the extensions to get it out and below the drive shaft.
I went in from the wheel well on this. Made it easier to get a little extra leverage. Scraped up my arms a bit but took 25 mins. Ymmv
I tried with a large 4 foot breaker bar and they were on so tight that it permanently twisted my extension. I did get one of them off using this method. I had to borrow/use a 3/4 inch 1200lb impact to get the other. It still took 15 seconds or so on one of them. I had drenched with pb blaster for a week prior.