not a merc. but need advice
 

Hi all hope all is well with all of you.

I have a muffler to change on my bro-in-laws car and need some advice. The assembly is connected by a flange with 2 bolts/nuts that are beyond rusted, pretty much fused together. What's the best action plan to remove them? I was thinking to grind the nut ends flat to to flange, apply a propane torch and using a punch drive the rest out.

Any other advice???

Thanks

Gosh, if that is the usual muffler clamp... you are not going to put the same one back on..
so just grind it in two at a place which will allow the whole thing to come off.

it's where the rear muffler assy. (welded) attaches to the exhaust pipe. No clamps !

If it's a bolted flange instead of a muffler clamp, a Sawzall w/ bimetal blade between nut and flange worked on the cat flange of my accord. Get about 1/2 way thru, and stuff should just begin to twist of or you can break the bolt, then drive it out. Saved the Cat that way.

Usually the bolts just twist off and break when they're that rusted. If you're reusing the flange, you'll need to drill & tap new holes or use bolts. That said, I hate doing muffler work on the ground on my back & usually let the local muffler shop install. Simple things he does for not much $$ and I always pay him cash.

Knowing what vehicle it's on could be helpful. The flange on my old ford truck was a nut\bolt combo So I just put a ratchet on each side and broke them all off...

It's a 1998 chev. malibu. It is a nut/bolt combination. Well thanks for your advice.

Was it a U Bolt ...one piece bent 180 degrees with threads on both ends ?
That fitting through a sheet metal flange in two places ?

A $100 would make most muffler shops happy.

I'm cheap. $20 or $30 usually gets it in Cannon Co. Never more than $50.