My exhaust flange bolts Karma

[Nacho-RT74]

Dunno if it happens to you but to me it looks some karmatic deal since EVER.

THE DRIVER SIDE EXHAUST FLANGE AND ITS BOLTS

I allways have had problem with those... one of them allways get ( the starter side ) stuck nut, isolated nut, slightly damaged head on top side so unable to hold it with a wrench... the other one, allways get loosen and I have to keep tightening time after time.

Then also the flange itself... always get a leak, replace the gasket, new leak, dozen of times... once at an exhaust shop used another kind of gasket, something like an aluminum piece. It got a gap between flange and manifold, so once tighten the bolts the began to bend due the heat, untilll got the flange welding seam broken, then the pipe.

Made a new exhaust system from end to end ( jumped from 2.25" to 2.5" ). This time with floating flange and using the cone tipe "gasket" to give the seat to the pipe. Not a problem. Did it work.

Since this deal has been allways karmatic to me I wanted to remove heads without deal with those bolts. Passenger side is not a problem since there is room there to drop the exhauts with pipe attached, but driver side... diff story. It doesn't drop due the steering shaft, steering box, starter motor. I tried to keep the manifold attached to pipe... no way, it doesn't give me room to remove at least 4 of the heads bolts.

well, decided to get down the car to drop the pipe. First bolt, the one that always keep loosening ( outer ) not a problem... I did  know it wasn't to be a problem since I already had to tight it ( once again ) recently

Now, the one on starter side. IMPOSIBLE it looks the exhaust shop damaged the bolt or nut threads, maybe overtighting, maybe using the unpropper grade bolts/nuts... dunno... plus rust

It is very tipical down here, use a small bolt welded on top of the head of the flange bolt, like a T or an L... why? To not use a wrench on bolt on top side and the welded bolt will hold it once meets the manifold. OK, GREAT IDEA, BUT WHAT ABOUT IF THE WELDED BOLT GET LOOSEN ? YOU DAMAGED THE HEX HEAD SHAPE!.

well, BINGO... YOU GOT IT... it did happen. The welded bolt went away from the welding point on top of the flange bolt when I was trying to loose it and now I can't get a wrench to hold it because there is not an hex shape anymore, so I have a stuck bolt and nut THERE, WHERE NOT CUTTING TOOL IS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN getting me all the job ALSO STUCK!!!

Unless I invent something handly to cut it, I would have to use some plasma cutter. what is something I don't have, no one that I know has it ( even less something portable ).

I HATE EXHAUST BOLTS!