Could anyone one advise me on the procedure for exhaust stud replacement and torque specs for the nuts for a '90 EJ-22?

 

The car has 175K, I am working my way toward HG replacement. I was very lucky in that 4 of the 6 exhaust nuts came off with no problem - I was also lucky in that the other 2 nuts were stuck but the studs just unscrewed out (none breaking off inside!).

 

I know some recommend replacing all of the exhaust studs with new at this point, but I'm concerned about the possibility of the others breaking off inside in doing so, and am leaning towards just replacing these two with the rusted-on nuts.

 

Thanks for the advice!

you are not going to break tehm off, they are steal. if anything you might strip teh threads out if not carful. I recomend putting two nuts on it, locking them together, tapping the top of the stud with a hammer (ie, tapping it into teh head to break the oxide layers, but not too hard) , maybe slightly heating it (like afte rits bean running but I realize this might not be feasable) and unscreawing the studs wiht the nuts that you locked together.

 

if the studs are intack, i would (and often do) leave them in tact. maybe get a helicoil set just in case you wreck the threads. most threads get wrecked during insertion not removal though.