Stripped nut on exhaust manifold, won't come off. @**$#)@

[tominboise]

I am in the process of replacing the starter on my 2008, with 130k miles. I elected to use the method where the exhaust manifold is removed. There are 8 nuts holding the manifold on. I have removed 7 of them but the 8th stripped the hex off and now I am dead in the water. I sprayed all the nuts with Kroil prior and that worked on the 7.
I have tried heating it with a mapp torch but that didn't work.
I tried using a wobble socket driven on with a hammer on an extension and then an impact gun but the socket spun on the nut.
I have a set of stuck nut remover sockets but the closest in size just spins on the nut as well. Maybe I need to find a smaller one and drive it on.
I tried removing the stud with the nut but it didn't seem to want to turn and I didn't want to force it and strip the end of the stud.

I have limited access but not real terrible. It is just behind the UCA tower on the frame, the lower nut, which I though would be one of the easiest, compared to the others. Unfortunately, I think that location gets some salt spray and the nut has corroded some.

Options that I can think of:
Use a dremel tool and slice away as much of the nut as possible, until it loosens up. Risk is dinging up the stud and just mangling the nut further.
Use an Oxy-Actylene torch and really heat the s*** out of it. Risk is the truck catches fire.
Put it all back together and drive it to the dealer. Not sure what they would do, other then pull the engine.
Replace the starter using a different method and put it all back together and forget about it. I guess the easiest would be to pull the coolant lines and go that way

I wonder how many exhaust leaks I will have if I just replace the nuts on the manifold and tighten everything back up. I have a new manifold gasket but can't use it, obviously.

Any advice appreciated.

 

[Eyedaho]

Possibly an inductive heater might get it loose. Alternatively a nut splitter might work alone or in conjunction with cutting it partially through with your Dremel.

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

Careful acetylene torch first. Get it cherry. Spray penetrant. Repeat. Then try. Need good hot -cold cycle. Hitting with penetrant after cherry cools it some, but let it cool. Tap it with a hammer between heat cool cycles.

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

Its not intuitive but tighten it a hair, then loosen. Tightening breaks some of the rust loose in the opposite direction to make loosening easier

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

This on a map gas yellow can works well

 

[AZBoatHauler]

I’ve banged a 12 point 7/16 socket on rounded off nuts and that’s worked in the past.

 

[KLF]

I'll second the inductive heater tool. I bought my son one for Christmas a few years ago and he says it is amazing. It seems like one of those tools that you buy thinking "I'll never use this much" then you wonder how you got along without it.

 

[tominboise]

So I got the little bastard off. I heated the $*%& out of it with my OA torch, then doused it again with Kroil. Then I used the socket that I ground the chamfer off of, an extension and a long pry bar under the head of the ratchet to keep as much force on it as possible. It broke loose and came off! I really appreciate all the useful advice.

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

 

[kcjaz]

Regarding the inductive heat tools, I’ve never used one, and they seem to really work from online videos but I wonder about practical access as the units seem to be rather large and require a lot of “approach” space. Can the wires going to the coils be bent to improve access?

 

[Eyedaho]

So I got the little bastard off. I heated the $*%& out of it with my OA torch, then doused it again with Kroil. Then I used the socket that I ground the chamfer off of, an extension and a long pry bar under the head of the ratchet to keep as much force on it as possible. It broke loose and came off! I really appreciate all the useful advice.
View attachment 3787513
View attachment 3787515

And just in time for the game.

 

[Eyedaho]

Regarding the inductive heat tools, I’ve never used one, but they seem to really work from online videos but I wonder about practice access as the units seem to be rather large and require a lot of “approach” space. Can the wires going to the coils be bent to improve access?

Yes, and some of them come with multiple sets for different scenarios.

 

[KLF]

Regarding the inductive heat tools, I’ve never used one, and they seem to really work from online videos but I wonder about practical access as the units seem to be rather large and require a lot of “approach” space. Can the wires going to the coils be bent to improve access?

Yup, although the wire probes have a coating that eventually falls off, so they are considered consumable. The kits come with a bunch of shapes and sizes to get into tough locations.

 

[doru]

The wire can be bent as needed to get it around pipes, studs, whatever. Some kits come with spools that you have to coil as needed. Very versatile and mighty powerful, brings steel to red hot very fast without burning down the shop, or melting near by parts. Makes impossible jobs possible.

 

[tominboise]

And just in time for the game.

I am drinking a cold one right now. I got the old starter out and new starter installed and called it a night. I'll install the manifold tomorrow, barring any unforeseen problems putting it back in.

 

[Eyedaho]

I am drinking a cold one right now. I got the old starter out and new starter installed and called it a night. I'll install the manifold tomorrow, barring any unforeseen problems putting it back in.
View attachment 3787613

Well deserved!

 

[Longrange762]

 

[RET2]

View attachment 3787836

That's right up there with "Where's the %#$*& 10 MM socket?"

 

[Sandroad]

Rounding off stuck nuts is one reason I’m a big believer in 6 point sockets.

 

[kcjaz]

That's right up there with "Where's the %#$*& 10 MM socket?"

Here’s the solution to that:

https://a.co/d/5DpeaU3