[T3] 46mm Wrench to Loan?

[Keith Park]

I couldnt have written this up better!
in most cases, you really do need to sacrifice the muffler
to get the flange nuts loose.

Keith


Topnotch Restorations
topnotch at nycap.rr.com
http://www.a383ina68.addr.com/radiorest/main.htm
71 Squareback  "Hothe"
65 Notchback  "El Baja Rojo"
93 RX7  "Redstur"
87 Golf  "Winterat"
 

-----Original Message-----
From: type3-vwtype3.org [mailto:type3-vwtype3.org-bounces at lists.vwtype3.org]
On Behalf Of Jim Adney
Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2015 12:10 PM
To: type3 at vwtype3.org
Subject: Re: [T3] 46mm Wrench to Loan?

On 10 Nov 2015 at 11:36, Jeremy Menzies wrote:

> Does anyone on the list have a 46mm open-end wrench for the huge heat
> exchanger to muffler nuts that I could borrow?  I would be happy to
> pay a rental fee and all shipping if so. 

> I bought a NOS muffler and need the wrench to transfer my upper/rear
> heater boxes to the new muffler.  Since they're going to be a real
> pain, I don't even want to start trying without the proper tool. 

I have the official VW wrench, but it's not nearly as simple as that. 
Here's what you'll need to do.  

Cut the old muffler off below the heater boxes with a cutting torch, 
Sawsall, or hacksaw. Cut the muffler off as close to the hexes as 
possible. Remove the muffler and recycle it. Remove the upper HEs, 
saving the rubber bellows on the fresh air elbows.

Take the HEs to a VERY large vise and clamp it in there with some 
wedges, so it can't move. Get God's own torch and heat up the hex nut 
in the HE. Get a large combination wrench 1-13/16". (I bought mine 
from the local Farm & Fleet for under $30. It's made in China and not 
Craftsman or Snap-On quality, but it's good enough for this job.) 

Heat the muffler stump and hex nut until it's red hot. This takes a 
LOT of heat, so that's why you need a really big O-A torch head to do 
this.

Grab the hex with the BOX end of the wrench. It helps if you have 2 
people, so one can handle the torch and the other can man the wrench. 
Pull on the wrench. If it won't turn, heat some more, concentrating 
on the hex and avoiding the HE. Persist until the hex turns.

Repeat on the other HE.

After the HEs cool down, clean out the remnants of the old copper 
gasket and coat the threads with hi-temp anti seize.

Russ said that when he did this job at the VW dealership, they would 
cut off the muffler and use a socket on a big air impact driver to 
remove the hex. I've never tried that, because at this age I don't 
trust the exhaust studs to hold up to that amount of stress.

I can remove the hex remnants for you. I have the tools and the 
setup. I charge $25 each to do this, and that's a bargain. The 
official VW wrench is useful to do the final tightening in the car, 
but it's not essential. Sorry, but I'm not willing to loan mine out. 
You might try Zelenda Tools in NY. That's where I got mine. Ask for 
the wrench by the VW number; it was not expensive.

-- 
*******************************
Jim Adney, jadney at vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
*******************************

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