Replacing Exhaust Flange Gasket?

[Clay'87IS]

Hey, I really need yalls help, I dunno what to do; I suck at mechanical anything....


So I have to replace my 'Exhaust Flange Gasket', and I unbolted the triangle things that its sandwiched between, thinking I could just pull them apart and swap the Gaskets. Too bad its never that simple, especially when I have to do it. So I tried pulling them apart and they wont budge. What do I do? All I have to do is swap out one Gasket. Its the one nearest to the cabin of the car if that helps at all. TIA

[rs4pro3]

You have to do both, make sure to use new nuts and put anti seaze on them.

[Clay'87IS]

You have to do both, make sure to use new nuts and put anti seaze on them.

1-Why do I have to do both?

2-Why do I need new nuts?

[rs4pro3]

1. the two pipes are joined together at the cat, so you can't undo one and move it untill you undo the other
2. Your old bolts will be rusty and maybe have rounded corners. The new ones are cheap at the dealer, and will make the job easier if you ever have to pull the exhuast again.

[Clay'87IS]

So why cant I just re-use the old one on the other triangle thingy?

[rs4pro3]

Once you break the seal between the down pipe and the gasket the gasket will no longer seal correctly. So just replace both gaskets and get 6 new nuts, the exhuast nuts are some of the bolts on the e30 that are recomended to replace when ever you undo them, along with flywheel bolts, and pressure plate bolts. It's a simple job, just undo all 6 nuts, drop the down pipe, scrape off all old gasket, install new, slide down pipes back up and put on new hardware.

[Clay'87IS]

Shit, okay. I only have one gasket and no bolts. Guess I'll find more. Thanks a ton.