I have a leak in the exhaust pipe just forward of the centre silencer flange so the pipe will have to be dropped to weld it up.

Only potential problem I can see is getting the flange nuts off without snapping the studs. Pretty certain mine have never been off since the car was made. Obviously new nuts needed but should the studs be changed too.

Whats the approved method for removal without potentially creating major league problems. Drilling out snapped studs in-situ, especially upside down, is not on the list of Clives 6 million favourite things to do! Drilling out clean and in line isn't silly hard. Especially if proper drill guide is made first. But it's the principle of the thing. Last exhaust I dropped out it situ had brass nuts on the flange side! Not gonna admit how many years ago, or what vehicle, that was.

If heat is desirable I'm wondering whether one of the affordable induction current heaters is up for such jobs. I know the pro ones work very well indeed but are the £150 (ish) things off amazon et al up for it. £150 to avoid ages struggling and swearing under the car is worth it. £700 to £2,000 for low end of proper jobbies is not.

Really not a fan of waving a gas axe or similar open flame around near the engine bay.

Clive

I've never had a problem with them shearing off, although sometimes the stud unscrews from the manifold rather than the nut coming off the stud. Douse the nut and the end of the stud (at the top of the manifold flange) with Plus Gas first and you shouldn't have a problem. If you want to replace the studs, they are standard M10.

Thanks for the advice from experience. Plus gas dousing starts after I've done the weekly shop so it should be well worked in by time the gaskets, studs and nuts arrive. For the price it's not worth the risk of not having studs if I need them. Got a Coventry die head in the workshop so making studs is trivial but it's more faff than I want to be bothered with halfway through car fixing.

Clive