Quick, Need DP help
 

Well I am installing the DP like I said. I have the bottom 2 studs out (came out VERY easy) but can't get the heat sheild off. Do you reuse the heat sheild, or can I bend it to hell getting it out?

I guess you can bend it and even rip it off, I did it when I installed my DP, I never put it back!
As for the bottom DP studs they should come off, not that easy though.

you have to shove it temporarily out of the way. It will come out once the precat is freed up top and bottom.

I managed to wiggle/bend that thing out of the way, but it's like dragging fingernails on a chalkboard. My job was helped by having access from the top (doing y-pipe).

Dave

Ok, got 3 studs out, PLEASE GOD someone tell me how to get out the top rear stud?

Do you have a second person helping? What I did was I was under the car, and my helper and I both aligned the wrench on that top rear stud (cus you just CANT see it). We basically did it by feel. Put a finger on the stud, and hold it there while your friend lowers the wrench down to you, handle down. Slip it on, and start loosening.

Nope, nobody helping. And how come in all the write-ups I have seen on how to do this, not 1 person mentioned that you need DEEP 14 mm socket?

Ok, I can't get the top back stud/nut off
 

The DP is kicking my ass. The other three studs came right out, np. The top rear one is impossible. I even went and bought a deep 14mm socket. But it is SOOOOOOOO hard to tun. I am scared to break it off. The other 3 came off very easily, and this one is very hard to turn.

did you let it soak with Liquid Wrench?

and it may not be absolutely necessary to remove that stud - have you gotten the nut off already?

You shouldn't need a deep socket. You will need an extension for your socket however to get to the top
rear. I just poked around from above with the socket til I landed on the nut. Assuming you removed the ABS shield it shouldn't be a problem.

Str8down, I understand your frustration, but you have to remember, it is obviously possible to do the job so you just have to focus.

I have been there. The first time I did the pre-cat removal it took me about 8 hours of figuring, trying and then buying the right tools before I could get it out. I refused to be beaten by a car.

Obviously, you need the right tools and you just need a ton of patience. The car has to be high enough and you have to be able to move the bolts with the tool on them.

Depending on your arms, hands, the angle you work and tons of other variables you may need deep sockets, a "wiggle" ratchet extension or something else.

I have always done all the bolts from the bottom and it just takes a good bit of patience.

Zullo says he did it from the top but, damn, I never could get any access from the top. He (and you) may have smaller hands/arms.

Good luck with it. Also, I hope you soaked the bolts in something like PB Blaster for at least a few hours.

Well, I got it out, and stripped the manifold in doing it. The stud didn't break off, but the hole is stripped. I am screwed now.

Are you sure the manifold is stripped?
Did you remove the rear turbo-to-ypipe piping (as I suggested). If you didn't, do it now so that you can get a better look at the manifold.

I would be surprised if it truly is stripped. If it is, maybe you can run a tap thru it to clean it up.

Just the outter edge is stripped. I tried to run a tap in it, but it just cross threaded and put me in a worse position.

If just the outer edge is stripped, you should be OK. Just clean it up. Make sure that you have the correct tap.

str8, you're going to be fine. Most likely it's just the outside that is stripped and that is also why the tap isn't going back in correctly. Put the DP in and install that stud (with the stripped outer fitting) first. That way you don't waste time on the other ones until you're sure it's secure.

Yeah, I already ruined it with the tap thoguh. It's cross threaded. And I can get enough tourque on the tap to drive it all the way in cross threaded, or I would jsut do that and use the cross threaded threads. So I can't get a bolt in now, at least not deep enough to close down on the pipe. Will it be ok with 3 bolts and 1 halfass bolt? I will just get a shorter bolt for the messed up one, and it will not have to go as deep. But it also won't have as much holding power. Do you guys think it will be ok like this? I really hate doing things imperfect.

3 bolts won't be good enough. You will wind up with an exhaust leak. I would bolt up the 3 "good" holes first. Get them tight, then put a bolt in the bad hole. Tighten as much as you can without stripping it.

Hopefully that will be good enough.

Oh yeah, you are tired and bound to screw things up if you continue. Give yourself a break, and finish it tomorrow.

I kinda ran into this myself when I did my DP. The Pettit kit suggested to use their cap screw for the top left position (the hard one). I tried it and sure enough cross threaded the thing. I was able to get the thing to snug down using a couple thick washers under the head of the bolt, but it always leaked anyways. When I repoped the engine, I tapped the manifold hole and installed a shorter than stock stud (actually one of the ones that are used to mount the turbos to the EX manifold.). Worked great, and I was able to get the DP over it after the engine was back in. If you want to do it "right", admit that this job just got harder, you WON'T be driving it on Monday, pull the Y-pipe and rear turbo intake and the ABS heat sheild (always a fun project in itself!), and tap the thing squarely. If it JUST WON'T tap, then you would pull the turbos, drill the hole, tap it with a larger tap and install a helicoil. That's the "right" way to do it, but is an UGLY pain in the ass, unless you have access to a right angle bend drill. Sorry you are battling this. Seems every one in three DP installs goes awry in some fashion if the forum is to be used as a judge of things.