I had the same problem. After battling a couple hours and tearing skin on knuckles trying to loosen those nuts, I let a local exhaust shop do the install. With the right tools, it took them about 20 minutes. It cost me a whopping $35. Money well-spent.

 

Mine was simple once i thought about it.. I jacked car up on some ramps. Looked at it for a bit and New What i was gonna do Quick fast and easy....

STEP 1: Grad the right size socket and wrench..
Step 2: Get BIG oxygen and acetylene torch
Step 3: Got Nuts Red Hot
step 4: They Pritty Much came off on thier own after that......

STEP 5: ALWAYS LET NUTS / BOLTS COOOL DOWN AND re-asemble

 

I just got my new downpipe from ZZP's black friday sale!

I'll be setting up to do it this evening. I have sprayed my bolts with WD40 and a mixture of acetone and ATF.

I'll post how it went and add any tips I may have.

Btw, they sent me some gaskets. One is metal and the other is the fiber kind. Anyone know which way the metal one goes on? Both sides are raised but one end has a mesh of metal in the rim. If I had a camera here I would take a picture.

EDIT: Now that I look at it, the fiber one has a raised edge and a flat edge. That one is curious as well.

 

i believe the metal one goes to the manifold and the other one to the resonator

 

Very true but I meant which way? You can see that one side has a raised edge on the fiber gasket and both edges are raised on the metal gasket but one raised side of the metal gasket has a mesh in it.

I have pics.

 

i dont think it matters lol
im not to sure on that :p

 

Thanks. I'd still like to know one way or another if anyone does happen to know.

Everything is on hold right now because of a stupid move. My light 'fell' on the top of my fuel rail and melted a piece that obviously holds fuel under pressure. If anyone can identify that in the pic below, I would be ever so grateful! It's at the center rear of the engine.

 

I just commented in your other thread. Check the DorMan HELP location at your local auto parts store. I'm pretty sure I've seen the replacement connectors for that there.

 

Thanks! That worked! That story is here.

As for the gaskets, ZZP told me that it doesn't matter which way either one goes. They asked me to send some pics of what I received and voila!

I'm back under her in about 3 hours Hopefully no more mishaps

 

I'm curious how installing that went for you. I'm planning on ordering a down pipe from zzp and I guess i wanna know what im in for xD

Which down pipe did you get? The one with a cat I assume?