Miata Mailing List: July 1993, Message #56
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   From: Al Jenab 
Subject: Nuts & Bolts
   Date: Wed, 7 Jul 1993 16:30:36 -0400


Miata Folks,
Alan Dahl sent me a good comment, I thought I'd post it (hope you don't mind,
Alan) and my response so nobody else is tempted to do what I did with the
converter nuts & studs.

Alan wrote:
"Suggestion for the next time: don't even attempt to remove the nuts with a
wrench. Just go get a nut breaker (or whatever the're called, they have a
collar and a chisel-like point for splitting the nut) and crack the nut in two.
As you know nuts are a *lot* cheaper. If there isn't room to get the nut
breaker in then try heating up the nut with a propane torch. I've also found
that some of the other nut-loosening oils work lots better than WD-40.

BTW: How come you just didn't replace the sheared-off studs?"

Alan,
It was basically an act of flagrant stupidity brought on by desperation.
The muffler arrived Friday afternoon, I (sort of) installed it Saturday
morning.  I had a track event Monday requiring a 6:00 a.m. departure time
(with brake work, oil change, etc. still left to do).  I tried to get the
studs
out with a propane torch and some vice grips, but couldn't do it.  I had
thought to drill out the old studs, re-thread the holes, and put in new
ones, but the converter was too big for my wimpy drill press.  All the
local machine shops were closed and I didn't really have the right tools
(or frankly, the expertise) to do it myself.  Also, I've heard there's Bad
Stuff inside of converters, and it was falling out all over my workbench.
I called the local Mazda dealer, and Parts was open for another two
hours.  Eventual bottom line was, after a really tough year, I  had just
gotten a nice raise at work (that's why I celebrated and bought the
muffler in the first place) so I said "what the hell" and blew the cash for
a new converter.  I wasn't about to let some steenking bolts ruin my
weekend AND my next track event.  ;^ )

-Al