Stripped exhaust stud from Header

[Mishakol129]

I have an issue. I went to into tighten up one of the three nuts of the studs for the downipipe because it was leaking and discovered it was actually stripped. The nut itself had stripped. I could not take it off either. It took me more than an hour to finally get it off, I had to beat on it from the top with jack bar and a hammer to get it out When I got in out the entire stud had loosened up came out.

This is what it looked like coming out due to the force I used on the nut:




My concern is if when beating on it I may have stripped out the header threads. Is this possible and has anyone ever done this? I did not see any evidence on the stud itself (short thread end) that it stripped so maybe i'm in the clear, but I don't know how if I was beating on it that it did not strip itself out.

I am going to get new studs tomorrow and find out for sure but I want to know tonight what the likelihood of it is.


Oh and how do you think I can install the new studs?

[Quashish]

i bet it was that driver side one huh? i hate that one. if it is stripped maybe youll just be able to get a longer stud and put a nut on the other side. its going to suck because of the stock exhaust manifold if it is that driver side one.

im suprized yours aren't all rusted. mine came out like bolts because it was all rusted together.

[dj_ender]

My concern is if when beating on it I may have stripped out the header threads. Is this possible and has anyone ever done this? I did not see any evidence on the stud itself (short thread end) that it stripped so maybe i'm in the clear, but I don't know how if I was beating on it that it did not strip itself out.

I am going to get new studs tomorrow and find out for sure but I want to know tonight what the likelihood of it is.


Oh and how do you think I can install the new studs?

If the threads on the small end are in tact, Id say it's safe to assume the threads on the header are fine too.

If you are lucky, the studs will have a spot on the wend to use a wrench to install them. If not, you install the stud by stacking 2 nuts on the longer end and tighten them together so you is essence have a bolt head to use. After you are done, use a wrench and your socket to break the nuts loose.

Honestly, it's usually a ton easier to install them with the upper header off the car.

[Fleetw00d]

You hammered on the top side of the nut, from above, along side the flange? If that is what you did, you probably did trash the threads in the manifold; you probably won't be able to install a new stud and have it hold. You have several options:

1. Get a bolt and nut that will fit through the hole (one with the same threads will likely go through or can be easily threaded through the damaged threads.

2. You could possibly tap a larger thread in the manifold and use a larger stud/bolt, but the bolt would likely be larger than the hold in the flex pipe flange.

3. Replace the manifold.

A new stud can be installed (if the threads were good) by putting two nuts (ideally nuts with washer heads) face to face on the stud, torquing them against one another, then installing the stud in the manifold, torquing it down (the nuts should rotate on the stud). Then untorque the nuts from one another and remove them from the stud. This is more easily done with the manifold off the engine.

[oyajicool]

Heli-coil, new stud and new nut

[H311RA151N]

If your A1 or A6 I have manifolds that I will give you. Not sell! Give. Ill ship it and everything and not ask for anything in return. Period. Again if you need it it will be a gift.

Id be glad for one of them to go to good use. The threads are perfect.

If you decide or end up needing one of them or to talk about this further PM me. But hopefully if the threads are messed up you can fix them.

I do not have an A4 manifold.

[Mishakol129]

If your A1 or A6 I have manifolds that I will give you. Not sell! Give. Ill ship it and everything and not ask for anything in return. Period. Again if you need it it will be a gift.

Id be glad for one of them to go to good use. The threads are perfect.

If you decide or end up needing one of them or to talk about this further PM me. But hopefully if the threads are messed up you can fix them.

I do not have an A4 manifold.

Thanks a lot for your kind offer, I do have the A1 block but I changed the system to the A4 kind of exhaust/headers. Going to pray and hope that the threads are not stripped on the header end, I don't know for sure if they are yet.

[Mishakol129]

i bet it was that driver side one huh? i hate that one. if it is stripped maybe youll just be able to get a longer stud and put a nut on the other side. its going to suck because of the stock exhaust manifold if it is that driver side one.

im suprized yours aren't all rusted. mine came out like bolts because it was all rusted together.

Yes, the driver side and it is a real pain to reach it without an extension. I did manage to reach my arm through the top and reach it but since I have header wrap I got fiberglass rash all over my arms, really itchy.

And on that stud there is literally like no room to use a wrench on, you must have an extension. So I don't know how I'm gonna get the stud back on it, i'll figure something out though.

[H311RA151N]

Thanks a lot for your offer, I do have the A1 block but I changed the system to the A4 kind of exhaust/headers. Going to pray and hope that the threads are not stripped on the header end, I don't know for sure if they are yet.

Well if I had an A4 mani id help you out if you needed it. Nice try I guess.

[Mishakol129]

I just went to advance and got the studs and some nuts. It was hard to get a wrench in there but i figured it out. It worked perfectly, the header threads were not stripped. Now all I got to do is test drive it and see if it leaks.


Thanks for your help.

[Mishakol129]

Does anyone know where i can get the copper gaskets for the downpipe? My crappy graphite gasket blew out on me. I have an aftermarket header/downpipe so anything OEM is out of the question, no ring type gaskets will work.

The only thing I found was a gasket for a Land Rover, will this work?\

[dj_ender]

You want this one. It's for a 1998 Subaru Legacy GT 2.5

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...2286&ppt=C0022

[Mishakol129]

You want this one. It's for a 1998 Subaru Legacy GT 2.5

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...2286&ppt=C0022

Great, are you sure it fits and is it metal? I thought I read on this site that you needed to make the stud holes bigger.

[dj_ender]

Yes, and yes. It's what is on my car. You have to trim the 2 holes on the bottom. A little hint, use a couple dabs of rtv to hold the gasket onto the flange while you bolt the down pipe on. It will burn off as the header heats up.

[Mishakol129]

Yes, and yes. It's what is on my car. You have to trim the 2 holes on the bottom. A little hint, use a couple dabs of rtv to hold the gasket onto the flange while you bolt the down pipe on. It will burn off as the header heats up.

What did you use to trim the hols? I'm getting some copper rtv to put on it, thank you very much