I am replacing the muffler only on my '01 gle even though I also bought a B pipe.

I need to pass inspection this month, so just want to get it running.
The B pipe bracket broke off the pipe just behind the cat as I’ve read here, and I used stainless hose clamp to the nearby cross member.

The muffler is shot, it being a cheapie replacement by a local garage 3 years ago.





The reason for leaving the B pipe on, is it is perfect except for that bracket, which I will bring to a shop to be welded, I hope.



The cat bolts started fighting me even starting with a 6 point socket, rounding and rusted, so I let it be.



At the time of the first muffler, I thought if it was 'my’ car, I would have repaired the inlet pipe to muffler, as it looked perfect, and I knew it was a 'trick’ muffler. They also left off the chrome tip.



I thought my wife was going to trade it in, but I later got it as a hand me down when she got a 08 Altima.



I would like to know how to preserve the muffler bolts to allow me to remove it without damage when I later replace the B pipe.

 

In a rust belt, after one year of use, exhaust bolts are nearly impossible to undo. They need to be cut off. If you plan to have to undo them in a couple of years time, a suggestion is to crawl under the car and change the bolts twice a year, while they can still be undone with a normal wrench. Always use a liberal amount of antiseize, use of paint is worthless. Torque the nuts very lightly, like 20 ft-lbs.

 

anti-seize made by permatex on all exhaust nuts and bolts

 

Stainless steel fasteners and...



OR

 

 

Thanks for the info. I have been using anti-seize on everything except wheel lugs since learning it was a major requirement when rebuilding Corvair turbo and VW bus engines back in college.

Now I need to make another thread after a little research for my next problem.

 

Why not wheel lugs??

 

I use it on wheel lugs, why wouldn't you?

 

I use that **** everywhere.

 

Lug nut torque values are given for a dry surface, and any lubrication will increase clamping force/ fastener stress for a given torque. Although...

 

Odd, lug nuts are the only place I use anti-seize (just a light film on the contact faces, not on the threads). It contains sacrificial metals to prevent galvanic corrosion where two dissimilar metals contact. The wheels are the only part of my car that I work on where this happens. If you are using stainless steel on steel, you really shouldn't need this...although I find stainless steels isn't so stainless in the NE. Plain grease should work just fine for these applications. Marine grade or wax/synthetics if you want to get fancy. Just my opinion.

 

i just watch a tv progam on torquing nuts and bolts. They used about 10 different types of anti seize lubricants. And 2slow is correct. Most of them don't work a damn. Only one actually worked the way it should. ARP anti seize compound.

They used the same size nut and bolt and hooked up the torque gun to a special meter. Most anti seize compunds either torqued way too high or way to low. None of them could repeat the setting. For example if they tightnd a nut to 80 ft pound they would maybe get a reading of 90 ft pound. Then they would loosen the bolt retorque it and get 82 ft lb... But the ARP stuff actually hit the torque number within 5% 5 times in a row.

So I guess I have to change brands to continue using that **** everywhere.