Disintegrated exhaust bolts

Still need to cut and drill out the studs but weather hasn't been great but hopefully get it done this weekend.
 
Let me know how it goes as I'll need the gaskets too but BMW want £11 a gasket!! I know that's not astronomical but it's rather high for what it is.
 
Making slow progress unfortunately. Managed to cut the studs flush with a dremel but got through about 10 discs. Now trying to drill them out but going through drill bits like butter. :headbang:
 
They weren't that cheap, think it's mainly because I haven't been using cutting fluid. Started off with a 3mm and working up to 10mm but they are all shot, I think I need a new set.
 
Hi,
The exhaust bolts are an alloy steel similar to Inconel (Hard as hell) - Use your drill at low speed, with plenty of cutting fluid and you should be O.K, too quick and your burn the drill tip out.
Stu.
 
Use cobalt drills.
They stay sharp much longer.

That's what you use for alloys with high nickel content.
 
463840C7-35C8-4443-B3FC-70F81B847D55_zpsxwew8v1u.jpg


Finally. Using some WD40 lithium grease really helped but was still a long process and a job I wouldn't like to do again. As you can see some of the old stud remains in the holes but at this point I don't care I've just filed them flat.

Next step get the exhaust back on :thumbsup:
 
Been working in the freezing cold over the last couple of mornings before work. Thought i had finished but then realized i'd missed the bracket. D'oh. One problem I did have was the lambda sensor stopping me from getting a bolt through so had to put it through the other way, no big problem really.

In my haste to get her off the axle stands I forgot to take a photo :(
 
Just about to buy some M10 bolts but does anyone know the length I need?

Also buying M10 copper nuts so hopefully will not have a huge issue if I need to remove again.

And last question to OP, how did you find those gaskets in the end? How much did they intrude on the flow of air etc?

Ta!
 
Anyone? Dont mind if they're slightly too long as I can cut them down but obviously if they're too short..... :headbang:
 
Sorry to resurrect this but my low mileage 2005 2.5 Zed had its MOT yesterday. The MOT tester always allows me to get under the car and watch. I was surprised at the excellent condition of everything,zero rust even surface on areas where you might expect a bit like brake pipes and unions. However the flange where the exhaust joins the manifold was completely rusted just as if someone had immersed it in salty water for a few years. The nuts were rusted away and the flange itself was just a lump of rust far worse than the pictures on here. Its just not salvageable and the tester gave me contact details of an exhaust fabricator who might be able to help. Its puzzling as the rest of the exhaust system is in excellent condition.
Given my car is low mileage and has been well cared for this must be a common problem on cars used more frequently in all weathers. Has anyone come up with a solution to an extreme case of the rusts, like a joining section ??

Thanks
 
Just to complete this. My car was booked in today and whilst it looked completely knackered they managed to burn off all the rust, cleaned up and put in new bolts and gave me a written two year warranty. Best £160 I have spent as it seems most 3 series cars suffer from the same problem, are often left too late for an effective repair and are then scrapped as replacement parts run into the thousands.
I now have peace of mind against this Zed gremlin so if you havent had these flanges checked out make sure you do whilst they can still be repaired.
This issue has to go down as one of the significant things to check when thinking of buying a Zed.
 
Just had my exhaust manifold bolts replaced atlocal garage - £150. Unfortunately, I now have engine management warning light on for post-OBD reveals issue is with Post-Cat O2 sensor. So the garage must have damaged it during the work - it was fine before it went in.

Where do I stand now? Should I expect to pay for this myself, or should the garage replace as they damaged it during the work?

Is the job that difficult that I should have expected the O2 sensor to be damaged?
 
chutley said:
Just had my exhaust manifold bolts replaced atlocal garage - £150. Unfortunately, I now have engine management warning light on for post-OBD reveals issue is with Post-Cat O2 sensor. So the garage must have damaged it during the work - it was fine before it went in.

Where do I stand now? Should I expect to pay for this myself, or should the garage replace as they damaged it during the work?

Is the job that difficult that I should have expected the O2 sensor to be damaged?
Click to expand...

They've been too heavy with the hammer and probably damaged the heating coil.. Did it myself on my own when I did this job. Nowadays I just burn the majority of the stud out with the plasma cutter, leaving a mm or so that can be lightly tapped out, lesson learned..

Still a pig of a job mind, and I've done 4 this week!

Can't believe people are being charged the likes of £160 for this! I can do it in about 60 mins, so an hours labour plus gaskets, I charge £70, and that's with new bolts and BMW gaskets..

Mike
 
Not the same area, but while ur underneath worth checking back box(es) as ordered these BMW E46 M3 & Z4M EXHAUST FLANGE REPAIR - STAINLESS STEEL 4 x FLANGE KIT REPAIR https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F162150202715

At 2k for a new exhaust, seems a prudent measure given these are fairly corroded
 
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