Exhaust Flange Stud Removal

[gwoodburn]

While trying to replace the triangular exhaust gasket on my '03 Boxster S, I broke the two lower studs on the flange. I tried using a punch, as you can see from the pics, but that did nothing. I have read that heat is the way to go, but I was wondering if there was anything else I could try first. Maybe some sort of puller? Anyone have an idea?

[stephen wilson]

Is it a nut & bolt, or an actual stud welded to the flange? In either case, you'll probably have to drill it out.

[extanker]

you maybe able to cut the weld away with a dremel or weaken it enough to drive it out. some folks remove the flange then using spacers and a good C clamp pushthem out

[gwoodburn]

Originally Posted by stephen wilson

Is it a nut & bolt, or an actual stud welded to the flange? In either case, you'll probably have to drill it out.

It is a nut and bolt for the top hole, which i am not worried about. (From the factory the nut was welded to the flange at the top, but I have already cut it off and grinded down the weld, flush with the flange)

The bottom two bolts are studs that are pressed into the mid-pipe part of the flange. I am really trying to avoid taking the whole mid-pipe out if i can. But if that's what i have to do, then it isn't too tough. Just time consuming.

Drilling may be hard due to the very limited clearance because of the cat in the headers.

Any other options that may be easier than dropping the whole mid-pipe and pressing them out?

[extanker]

if you have a good torch that will get them out

[gwoodburn]

Originally Posted by extanker

if you have a good torch that will get them out

You can kind of see it in the second picture, but the other side of the stud has very little to grab on to. So if i heat it up with a torch, how do i extract it?

[extanker]

you want to put a lot of heat real fast to the flange and try not to get the stud hot. you want the flange to expand not the stud. once you get the flange almost cherry red use a drift [punch] to drive out the stud. hit the broken part of the stud