Use the penetrating oil "PB Blaster," spraying it as best
you can onto the nuts threads. Capillary action will
actually draw the PB Blaster into the thread region and
break free some of the rust. Wait half an hour or so.
Re-apply. Put a wrench on the nut and another wrench on the
bolt. Turn the wrench on the nut.

Exhaust system nuts and bolts tend to freeze more than
others on a car, due to the heat cycling and seeing moisture
underneath the car from the road.

Once you free those two bolts/nuts, you're right the rest
should come off pretty easily.

The car will sound funny but will be drivable. A muffler
shop should have a suitable replacement. Get a new gasket
for the flange you separated above.

Way to go, doing this yourself. It is indeed a great
feeling.

<tinybirds@yahoo.com> wrote
> Hey Guys,
> Here's the deal, am a girl and like to do minor repairs on
> my car.
> (such a high to get a problemed fixed myself), well, just
> noticed my
> muffler on my 88 CRX si has rusted out a rather large
> hole. So by
> taking a look underneathe, it appeared that 2 bolts needed
> to be
> removed and the muffler and the small pipe leading to the
> front of the
> car would just come off.
> Well I have been trying for a long time to get those 2
> bolts off.
> Wasted a lot of liquid wrench on them to no avail.....when
> I noticed
> the bolts do not have threads on them.
>
> They have springs on the front of them and no threads on
> the back and
> are held on by 12 mm nuts. It's located right behind
> passenger side
> rear wheel, 2 pipes adjoin with an oval type
> gasket/connector thingy ma
> jig. What is this about? I am kind of annoyed at this
> point. It
> seemed like a simple 1,2, 3 job, but no.
>
> Anyway, can you seasoned Honda guys give some advice? Is
> it possible
> to get the muffler off easily or should I just take it to
> the shop.
> Man I hate doing that. I really like fixing it myself.
> Anyway, thanks so much.
> Oh my car is 1988 Honda CRX Si all stock. 5 spd, 139k
> miles, 1.6
> engine, red, black interior, sunroof, a small shopping car
> dent in the
> right fender.......
>
> Smiles,
> Annette
>