Finally crawled under the car yesterday morning and sprayed exhaust bolts/nuts with WD-40. Hoping to get an hour or two on it today.

The software already paid for itself as I could read the codes on my e70 and avoid a large bill as the failed item was still under 2-yr P/L warranty :-)

Which software? The Romanian stuff on Ebay?

It's nice when a tool you buy pays off. :thumbup:

Good luck. Seems like a good moment to repost these test results on penetrating oil. The homemade stuff was best, but is wicked flammable.

"For all of you that are mechanically inclined..... Penetrating Oils Compared A study done by Machinist's Workshop magazine in their April 2007 issue looked at different penetrating oils to see which one did the best job of removing a rusted bolt by measuring the pounds of torque required to loosen the bolt once treated. If the study was scientifically accurate, it turns out a home brew works best! Here's the summary of the test results:

Penetrating oil .......... Average load

None ..................... 516 pounds

WD-40 .................... 238 pounds

PB Blaster ............... 214 pounds

Liquid Wrench ............ 127 pounds

Kano Kroil ............... 106 pounds

ATF-Acetone mix.............53 pounds

The Automatic Transmission fluid (ATF)-Acetone mix was a "home brew" mix of 50 - 50 automatic transmission fluid and acetone. Note the "home brew" was better than any commercial product in this one particular test. "

^Wow, I've been using PB Blaster for years and swearing its better than WD40.

I'm either getting some Kroil or mixing up some Homebrew ATF/Acetone!

I switced to Kroil when I first read this and have been happy. Its harder to find, for sure, but Amazon sells it. I keep meaning to buy an all-metal squirt can (or something that seals good) and making my own atf-acetone mix, but never get around to it.

Hope the OP gets his exhaust bolts off... I broke one stud the first time I did mine. Thankfully they are replaceable and available.

Backed off all the nuts on the exhaust system front to back, so fortunately nothing complex there. Just have to take the electrical connections off before removing it. Took the stiffening plate off and backed out a quarter turn the six bolts holding the front sub-frame to the body. Just to ensure they are not seized.

Tomorrow busy with other stuff but might have some more time for it on Sunday.

Cristal - the software is indeed Romanian off Ebay. Works as advertized and being able to tell the SA what is broken before bringing in the e70? Priceless!! :-)

Exhaust is off......finally!
 

Finally got around to removing the exhaust.

This project has been languishing but I intend to speed it up again in the next few weeks. The back of the engine is very wet with oil as is the front end.

Definitively time to address this mess.

Dayamn bro. How long has it been leaking like that?

Radiator question?
 

About 6-9 months I think. Now that the plate is off, there is a lot of drips under the car on the floor but as long as the plate was still on I found little to none under it. It was beginning to smell like hot oil inside though.

Got the fan out and the shroud along with most coolant hoses. Tomorrow I have to disconnect the trans mission cooler and hope to get the radiator out.

Not sure if the power steering cooler is part of the radiator or is it place in front?

Pile of parts is getting bigger
 

Radiator is out and one of the side boxes is leaking ever so slightly, some traces of coolant on the side. The power steering reservoir is out, not sure why it sweats oil or if the cap is leaking.

I just have to decide which of the AC lines to disconnect. Are they sealed by a rubber element or some other magical compound? Anyone had these apart?

I undid most of the electrical connections on the front of the engine, just have to do the A/C control, the starter motor line and the oil level wire. Undid the fuel line but need to do the vacuum hose for the brakes and 12V main cable. Once I un-clip the plug controllers then I can lift the fuel rail and electrical boxes off. Once I get the coolant hoses on the back off and the steering shaft apart then the top end is done.

On the bottom I have to take the rear drive shaft off and take the wiring harness off then unbolt the transmission carrier.

Every time I think I have more time for this I get distracted by travel for work but still advancing a bit more this weekend. October should be quieter and more time for this project.