bswanny

iTrader: (4)

Ok, I thought I could figure this out but obviously not. I am trying to remove the stock cats and I cannot figure how to get the bolts off by the flange where the cats and headers meet? Any advice on what to use or even how to fit a rachet in there? Please any tips.

jason350z

iTrader: (8)

dude i got the same problem. i put my my car on 2 jack stands then try to loosen the nuts holding cats to headers and i couldn't so f.. it i took the car down and went for a drive i'm gonna have someone do it.
ithough it was going to be easy, i installed the cat back exhaust with the jacks but the hfc kiced my ***

bswanny

iTrader: (4)

lol..that is identical to what happened to me, I installed my exhaust but yet I cannot for the life of me figure out how to get to the cat bolts. Does anyone install the cats themselves?

jason350z

iTrader: (8)

i can get mine installed for 100 bucks. the nuts were to hard to loosen in little space maybe if u have air tools it will be easy to loosen those SOB nuts

due stay put, today i'm getting my body kit on, and they'll put my ride on the lift i'll tell to help me intall my hfc and i'll let you know how that went

bswanny

iTrader: (4)

nice,thanks

bswanny

iTrader: (4)

has anyone installed there own cats? and if so how do you remove those bolts? thanks

03performz

iTrader: (8)

I just installed my headers this weekend..compared to that, cats are a breeze. You just need a ratchet, 14mm deep socket, swivel joint, multiple extensions of 6 to 10 inches. You need to take off the air intake and the plastic underbody panels. You can access most of the bolts w/ 10"'s of extension on a ratchet from underneath the car. On the drivers side I accessed one or two bolts from the top of the engine(hence the air intake removal) w/ about 3ft. of extensions. Just get the extensions, the swivel joint and a box wrench and be creative. If one method doesn't work, try another, it will def. come off just be patient. Good luck.

failsafe306

iTrader: (38)

sorry man but it sounds like you'd be better off taking it to a shop.

HondaKiller

iTrader: (5)

there is no "real" trick to removing the cat from the headers. You just need to use extension tools and reach up there. Knuckle buster without a doubt. The stock bolts will be stuborn as f*ck coming off if they have never been removed before. Replace stock bolts with new ones to ease the pain for next time. (if there is one) I couldn't get the cats off and on with jack stands, i was having problems too. I had to rent out a lift at my uncles shop for a couple hours. Once it was on the lift it was a lot easier to break the bolts loose. Sorry mang, headers/cats are a ***** on this car.

SteevoZ

iTrader: (3)

I installed my own but I have my own lift which made it much easier. I will say they were tough to loosen because of the angle (especially the drivers side). I just played around with different positions and angles until i found a way to get good leverage and eventually got them loose.

iStan

iTrader: (29)

^ pretty much. I've done about 4 or 5 sets of Cats/TP/HFC now. The headers are a *****.
Just keep repositioning yourself and you'll eventually find the sweet spot.

ofl0926

iTrader: (7)

exactly what he said. i think it has to be like 22 inches worth of extensions to get to the bolts. that is what i did when i installed my test pipes

INTIMAZY

iTrader: (15)

My Kinetix cats went in pretty smoothly once I figured out an angle that works on the driver side. The tools I was working with were limited so I did not have all the extensions that everybody recommends. Still managed to get them out using just a deep socket and 2x 6" extensions. Not even a swivel piece.

I honestly thought the catback was tougher than the cats (stubborn exhaust hangers)

fast kiwi

iTrader: (1)

I didnt have any problems with my hfc's.. i mean its a tight fit with just jacks but i never had a problem.. (although i did break an 02 snsor )
I say just work harder on it.. its easy enough.. you'll get it.

h8bumps

iTrader: (4)

I did my HFC's on jackstands, and another member's (Datona Jess) test pipes on jackstands too. We accessed everything from underneath. It took some time, but it wasn't that bad. More detail in this post:

https://my350z.com/forum/intake-exhaust/280756-help-with-removing-test-pipes.html

OneI350

iTrader: (6)

Did you ever get this off. I heard they were a b****. I think ill take mine to a shop

jason350z

iTrader: (8)

i took mine to the autobody, they were mounting my front bumper and put the car on the lift, at that time i installed the HFC, used extensions and they came of easy, the lift made the difference.

JDMFairladyZ33

iTrader: (37)

Taking of cat bolts are hard on the ground because you do not have the proper leverage and you are not working at an opitmal angle. The bolts will be seized a bit because of the heat transfer from the pipes. Couple of things that can help you do this install by yourself:

• Lots of WD40 or something similar
• Pry bar
• Heat torch

If the first two dont work then the bolts can be loosen by heating them up.

350Z_GTS

iTrader: (1)

yea, it not that hard but not that easy. Me and my g/f did it with jack stands. Like everyone says just a lot of extensions and a breaker bar, that what i had to use to get them off. Honestly the breaker bar is amazing. With many other things on the car a air gun couldn't break a bolt off but it was nothing with a breaker bar. Mad props for those who put on the headers themselves, way too much work for me for something so small a part.

Datona Jess

iTrader: (1)

Warning
Watch out for the Control arm up there it left a heck of a dent on my hand when the wratchet slipped..

It is very possible, took a while but it goes.
A suggestion is that nut loosening spray you buy for 3 bucks at Murrays..keep spraying and pulling, it eventually gives.

Good luck

H8bumps...when you gettin those air tools?