"Steve" <junk@therivets.net> wrote
>> What year Honda? How many miles on it?
> Its a 98 Civic with 75,000 miles
>
>> Just want to double check: Have you tried soaking the threads as best you
>> can in PB Blaster for a few times a day, then overnight, or similar, then
>> tried breaking them free?
> I've never used PB Blaster, I sprayed with wd40..

WD-40 is not a penetrating oil. PB Blaster is, and it might make a huge
difference. It's available at Autozone, Wal-Mart, and the like. Under $5 a
can.

I use a long piece of pipe on the handle of my wrenches for leverage.
Working beneath the car, one can still often squeeze out that extra 1/8 inch
to break free a bolt or nut. Using a hammer on the end of a breaker bar
might work, too. Hitting the nut or bolt, vibrating it, can shake free some
rust as well.

> Because I'm working under the car with the car on ramps and jack stands I
> dont have enough room to get good leverage so I ususlly have to cut off
> these stuborn nuts/bolts.
>
> I expected to be able to then remove what was left of the bolts and
> replace them with new ones. These seem to be one with the flange???

I haven't dug into the drawings of this car's exhaust yet, so I can't
comment. I own a 91 Civic. On a car like yours that is so much younger, I'd
feel the PB Blaster is worth a gamble.

Of note: Many exhaust bolts are fine threaded, to reduce the chances of
their vibrating free. With rust, heat, and road salt, the fine thread is
part of the problem here.