hey guys, yet another issue :P. my manifold has a fairly large crack in it and needs welding, but i have to remove it to do so cos it goes round to back. I have a gen 2 and its attached to the dam cat. So today i got it up on ramps and climbed under and the bolts that hold the cat to the exhaust pipe have rusted and have nothing to grip to/wont budge.

Any tips on what to do?

my mate suggests that since the flexi pipe just after the cat has sorta exploded and has a largeish hole in it that i should just cut the pipe and sort the connection out when its off. Its one thing that i need a new bit of exhaust but its still the original system and has never had any of it replaced so like 9 years and 116000 miles on one exhaust aint bad. but i not a clue what to do.

If it's that bad that a socket wont fit then you'll have to be cutting something to get it off. I'd recommend cutting the bolts at the nearest available joint, that would make refitting easier.

In your case, since your flexy is knackered, that would be where the flexy section mates with the midsection - source a new flexy, get the manicat welded (how long that'll last is anyones guess ) and refit. Job done...

Depends what you want to replace it with, if you are happy with a 4-2-1 manifold then cutting it behind the joint is absolutely fine as the manifold will run further back underneath your car

Could you not anglegrind/file an edge onto the bolt to get a grip? Or saw a slot to use a screw driver?

i'd say your best bet is to but or snap em off. as they got hot and cold so regular they rust and seize on and go brital so snapping would be rather trouble free
johny

+1

Quite soft metal so a junior hacksaw even gets through them - but as johny says they'll probs just snap halfway through