taking off rusted exhaust

[jsirhc22]

Basically the title speaks for itself here. have some icing right under the carb and wanted to clean out the heat risers as best as i can (via wire and drill method) without taking it out of the car. the only problem is the exhaust. thing is rusted to shit and i’m afraid that if i try and unbolt it from the heat risers something is going to snap or it’s just not going to come off. am i going to need a new exhaust or just some new hardware to reinstall it? i would try and buy a nicer og exhaust to replace it with but currently going back to school so money is tight. thanks in advance!

[viiking]

Breaking off those rusty bolts and studs is a distinct possibility with a VW exhaust system. Replacing the bolts is not a big deal, but replacing a stud certainly is. Regardless of what you do, you'll have to take it off at some stage to replace the exhaust.

While you are contemplating doing something, I would just hit each of those bolts with penetrating oil and repeat if for a couple of weeks, then try and work one bolt or stud at a time to see if they come loose.

The phenomenon of icing is over-dramatisised by many. Unless the car is really playing up and you live in a real cold climate (which SD I think is not?) you can buy some time before you rip into it and start shearing off studs and bolts.

[jsirhc22]

[volksworld]

that muffler doesnt look like its coming off intact....the 12mm rabbit exhaust lock nuts arent going to make it any easier...i'd sooner pull the generator and stand and remove the intake manifold itself...cause if you cant get it unclogged its coming off anyway...does it have a stock air cleaner with functional preheat tube....cause that may help warm the air up enough for you to get by for now

[jsirhc22]

[Buggeee]

If you decide to attempt the exhaust, I have found PB Blaster to be vastly superior to WD40 when it comes to melting rust. If that doesn't do it, I have had success with a hand held mapp gas torch to get the bolt really really hot (its like a little propane bottle, but its mapp gas and the bottle is yellow. Its hotter). I dont know why heat helps break the hold of rust but it does. Good luck!
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1966 Sportsmobile Camper https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0
72 Super Duper http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=672387
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[FeelthySanchez]

That severely rusted exhaust may not survive the operation.
Liberally apply PB to dissolve the rust on threads, then torch heat 'em (but don't even think about re-use). Some intense prayer might help on behalf of the muffler.
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[DurocShark]

[runamoc]

When I remove an exhaust I don't fool around with trying to 'save' the nuts. I go straight to the air chisel and split them along the sides. Since taking this approach I have never broken a stud.

_________________
Daily driver: '69 Baja owned 44 yrs - Plan B: '81 Rabbit Diesel LS Deluxe - Plan C: '72 Ghia
Yard Art: 2 Sandrails
Outback: '69 Ghia - '68,'69,'70,'72 Beetle - '84 Scirocco, GTI - Pair of '02 Golfs-
VW Wiring = It's just wires

[gt1953]

Soak them and soak them again. As mentioned for weeks. Then heat the bageebers out of them, glowing red hot. Engine removal if possible will most definitely make the job way easier then in the car. The big fear is the nuts on the cylinder head.
_________________
Volkswagen: We tune what we drive.
Numbers Matching VW's are getting harder to find. Source out the most Stock vehicle and keep that way. You will be glad you did.

72 type 1
72 Squareback
({59 Euro bug, 62, 63, 67, 68, 69, 73 type ones 68 & 69 type two, 68 Ghia all sold})

[sjbartnik]

Yeah that job is gonna suck.

In the future when putting it back together with new hardware, use copper anti-seize on all the threads.

The muffler clamps and hardware are available as "muffler installation kits" so replace those; doubtful the old ones are coming off in one piece.
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1965 Volkswagen 1500 Variant S
2000 Kawasaki W650

[hotsam]

[VW_Jimbo]

GM sells a penetrating oil that is vastly superior to others.

This stuff is the best - hands down. Has never failed me.

Genuine GM Fluid 88862628 Rust Penetrant and Inhibitor - 11 oz. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BK7MLKE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_8xg5Bb2NSYZHN
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Jimbo

There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!

[bluebus86]

Heat from a torch can do wonders on jobs like this. Id be inclined to replace the studs, one pictured is pretty rusty. If the head threads get messed up, an oversized step stud can be utilized.

Bug On my rusty muffler friend!
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[Cusser]

The VW machine shop repaired my cylinder studs correctly 1.5 years ago.

About mid-1990s Mrs. Cusser had backed into a parking block and tore off the exhaust in my 1971; all four rear cylinder studs broke off when I tried to remove the nuts (yes, even in Arizona), never broke a stud on any, even when I was wrenching on these for a job in 1974-1975. So I lowered the engine a few inches, drilled them out as straight as I could, and re-tapped to 8.0mm x 1.25mm, and those held. Machine shop made them perfect again.

Now I use brass nuts there on both my engines. However I did look up air chisels, they are not expensive; but my air compressor is only 3 gallon, so might be marginal, but might work for occasional air chisel use.
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1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

[tripicana]

I like to take a wire tooth brush/wire wheel, and remove as much rust as I can. Then start applying penetrating oil daily for about a week, usualy works...
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foam cowboy hats aren't good helmets.

[runamoc]

[baldessariclan]

Really rusty stuff like exhaust fasteners and hardware, I like using the combination of heat, penetrating oil, and patience/persistence.

Wire brush loose whatever rust you can off the outside areas first. Then use a torch to heat up the fastener and/or joint area (to a dark/dull red level or so, for steel stuff), and afterwards let completely cool. Repeat that cycle a couple-few times -- the heating expansion & cooling contraction movement helps to crack and "crunch-up" the brittle solid rust areas. Then soak area with a good penetrating oil (e.g. "Kroil" or similar) for suitable length of time -- i.e. few minutes to overnight -- before trying to wrench on the parts / fasteners. If still frozen solid together, repeat the heating and oiling cycle, and try again...

If you have the time and patience for this process, have found that it nearly always works in the end. Splitting the nuts (as others mention above) may be faster though, especially if you're in a hurry or don't have lots of time to spare. Good luck to you!
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1971 Standard Beetle — fairly stock / driver

baldessariclan -- often in error, never in doubt...

[jsirhc22]

[runamoc]