Exhaust flange bolt removal

[yodaman1151]

any tips or tricks for getting the lower bolt off the manifold flange so I can replace my donut gasket on my 2.9? We had a nice Mac 1/2" impact but the power was lost in the u-joint, soaked in pb blaster, heated with propane torch, pounded on manifold with a hammer and punch... Even tried using a breaker bar but I can't on it straight enough to be effective.

 

[budro]

what i had to do on our 92 with the 4.0 is take a air cuttoff tool and sneak it down there and cut the bolt in half between the mainfold and the exhaust flange. Then take off the exhaust manifold and extract the bolt. Put it in a vise and use lots and lots of heat.

 

[trail B2]

You know I sure don't remember gaskets in there I was thinking it was a flange arrangement.I broke my bolts off and to used acetylene to get it out.

 

[jhammel85]

I thought I had read that it's flanged fit too?

Sounds like lots of heat and PB Blaster or Kroil is in order.

 

[CraigK]

This is how I did it.
Best access (if you are working on the passenger side) is through the wheel-well. Then you can get a hacksaw or grinder (or ratchet?) at the bolts. If you cut them, the bolt ends remain in the flange and an alternate method of tightening them back together is needed - hence the split flange.
BTW - Still working.

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16138&highlight=y-pipe+manifold

CraigK