It was finally nice out to install my RTP's. I soaked the bolts in PB Blaster.

Everything is on tight and I had to use a breaker bar for almost every bolt. Had to go to sears and buy a few extensions and adapters.

I removed everything besides the top 3 bolts on each cat next to the manifold.

I started with the passenger side and one bolt was particularly easy to get off with about 10" extensions and a breaker bar. Then I decided it was time for then infamous top bolt. It wouldn't budge but that's because I couldn't hold the extensions in place while I tried to turn the breaker bar. I might have slightly stripped the bolt. I didn't want to strip the bolt so I went back under the car and tried getting the third bolt. It was nearly impossible to find a way to unbolt it with my 1/2 drive! I used two extensions plus a swivel joint but the angle was not good.

How did you guys manage to take this 3rd bolt off on the passenger side?

I didn't get a chance to attempt the Drivers side because it was getting dark. Some have said the steering column gets in the way of removing a bolt!

I've searched myg37, my350z, the370z, g35driver, and g35nyc and I haven't found a DIY or any detailed information on how to remove the bolt. I've watched the video but they did not get into details.

Any help or feedback would be appreciated. It should be a much faster process now that I already removed everything besides the top three bolts!

Thanks!

 

I see you're finally getting around to installing this! Removing the cats was the biggest PITA. I used 3 12" extensions with a swivel end socket to get the cats off. You're probably going to need a friend to help hold the socket on the nut while you turn with all your might. I broke 2 extensions while trying to get them off so you might want to buy an extra one if you don't have 3-4 laying around. I was also using a lift while doing this and it still sucked.


You need to make sure you take off the intakes in order to get the extensions all the way down to those last bolts. Once you get the extensions down there you just gotta beast it. I used a combo of an impact wrench and my entire body weight. I ended up snapping the screw in half and had to cut it off, drill a hole, and use a new bolt and screw to put it back on when I went back to the stock cats. Good luck bro!

 

you have to get it from top with multiple extensions and an u-joint. dont make the angle too sharp or it will snap. get under the car to make sure its completely on the bolt. dont try to remove the bolt unless it is stone cold. a heated fastener will snap. you might have to put a cheater bar over the handle of your wrench.


the first two on the drivers side is cake. you can access the last bolt by placing your wrench through the lower control arm/wheel well

 

Got my friend to help me out with the top bolt on the passenger side...

We ended up stripping the bolt... I went to Sears and bought a bolt-out extraction tool and will try again sometime soon...

Quick question..

If I break the top of the head of the bolt will I be able to still remove the cats? Is this the one bolt that gets re-used? If so, I'm going to the dealership and buying a new one...

If this bolt-out extraction tool doesn't work out anyone else have any ideas on tackling a stripped bolt that's that far down? I hope it works.. I don't feel like bringing it to a shop after all this work I did.. haha

 

You broke the passengers side screw or the drivers? Which bolts did you use to replace the OEM ones?

You cut and drilled the hole once the cats came off right?

I'm spraying PB Blaster everyday until Sunday when I try to do it again! .. lol

 

IIRC the headers flange isnt threaded and my cats fell off after I snapped the bolts. I didnt care about preserving any of those rusty bolts cause my test pipes came with new bolts.

those bolts are pressed in the flange like wheel studs. just hit them with a mallet to knock them out of the flange and replace it with a stainless steel washer and bolt (if you need to reinstall or sell your stock cats).

 

The passenger side came off clean. I snapped a bolt on the driver side. I cut off the remaining bolt nub and then drilled a hole where the bolt was so i could put a new bolt and nut on it.

I went to home depot and matched a new bolt and nut as a replacement for the one i snapped

 

That's good to know. I initially thought that they might have been threaded. Thanks for clearing that up.

 

how's it coming?

I just finished replacing my OEM cats with Berks. Lovin' it so far

 

I'm having one hell of a time with those top bolts.

I ended up stripping the passengers side top bolt pretty bad. I'm going to try to loosen it using a gator grip socket and if that fails I'll have no choice but to break the bolt. I'll probably have to take it to a shop to have it cut. Not having a lift is a PITA!

I can easily do the install in under an hour if it weren't for these two top bolts.. lol

You're lucky you have a friend with a lift!

I'll keep you updated.. haha

BTW how do you like the invidia and berks?

 

Damn! snds like a nitemare...and I know alot of other guys with G35, 350Z's..all had the same PITA problem with those bolts. So I never even tried and just went to my local Infiniti Dealer and they did the Install for me for $160!! And they had some problems too...but they did it no questions asked! Glad my dealer is Mod Frndly! ..Wish u the best of luck Bro!

 

My Berk install wasn't as bad since I already did all the bolt breaking and extension snapping when I put the RTPs on a few months ago. The bolts were tightened by me when put back on so i was able to get them off with a normal amount of struggle.

I really like the Berk HFC + Invidia so far. It has a little Raps since I added the HFC but I think that's normal when you first get them. The combo is still not as loud as JUST the ARK exhaust. This was more of the route i was originally trying to take when i first got an exhaust. I wanted performance gain and sound, but didn't want to sound like a ricer or be too obnoxious.

It's much more mellow during normal driving and sounds aggressive when your WOT. Butt dyno says it pulls harder too

EDIT: its a little raspy but that should go away as it breaks in, right?

 

useful thread. not excited to deal with this so called "top bolt" on either side installing my pipes tomorrow

anyone know where i can find a schematic of the headers off the manifold + oe cats?

 

I am waiting until after emissions to come due to put in my long tube headers. Does pulling the factory header and cat as a single piece avoid this bolt issue?

 

After reading all of this I am dreading the install for when I buy my test pipes this summer.. probably gonna end up taking it to a shop.