Replace header pipe 88 Camry wagon 3SFE (not California emissions)?

Jul 04, 2006 7 Replies

Please advise on replacing the header pipe (with the flexible section aft) on an 88 Camry wagon DX. 3SFE 2.0L engine. The header pipe is cracked at the rear flange and it's otherwise in need of replacement.



Any advise on removing the old and installing the new would be appreciated.



Should I, for example, use a nut cracker to remove the nuts at the catalytic convertor flange, rather than risk shearing one or more of the cat convertor's bolts?



Anyone have the thread specifications for those cat convertor bolts so I can chase the threads with a die and get replacement nuts, etc.



Thanks


I'm not real clear on what you mean by "header" pipe because that 88 Camry wagon was not equipped with factory headers. If you are talking about the flex pipe, you can use a hack saw, nut cracker, rotary cutoff tools, or acetylene torch to remove the old nuts and bolts. Rather than trying to chase the threads, I would just get new nuts and bolts, you can size the nuts and bolts by putting a wrench on the bolt head or nut.

Thanks, Ray, for your reply. I am concerned about the catalytic converter's three studs that hold the flex pipe front flange. I don't want to mess up the catalytic converter trying to replace the studs (these don't appear to be bolts at the bottom of the converter). I'm hoping to crack the nuts, chase the studs' threads and replace the nuts, etc..

As far as I know, everything in OEM Toyota exhausts use nuts and bolts. You can verify by asking the parts department at a dealership to show you the parts schematic.

Wouldn't you know, I have the parts and schematics microfiche and no way to view them anymore! I'll have a better look at the bottom of the catalytic converter before I start cracking nuts and knuckles. It could be just years of oxidation and dirt hiding the bolt heads on the converter flange.

Do libraries still have fiche readers?

I think that chasing a rusty bolt/stud is going to be a lot of work and that it may be easier to drill out the stud and replace it with a nut and bolt.

Good luck!

Yeah, I used to be able to use the libraries' microfiche readers, but they don't keep them out for public use in many places these days.

Thanks again.

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