951 Exhaust Bolts - HELP!!!

[El Toro 33809]

Can anyone give me a clue as how to tighten the bottom of the 4 "bolts" that connect the exhaust pipe to the exhaust manifold? Three are bolts and the one I am referring to is the bottom one that uses a stud with washer and nut as opposed to the allen bolts on the other three. It is a slide fit to get the exhaust in place, which leads me to believe that the quarters are extremely cramped. I have the exhaust in place, the three bolts tightened, the nut and washer on the stud, but cannot get in place to tighten this last fastener.

We are dealing with a 1999 GTX LTD. It had the grey tempo lines, so my son and I replaced them. He disassembled the unit a while back and we just got some time to work on it this week. He thinks he remembers using a shorty 15mm wrench to disassemble it, but I sure cannot get anywhere near the nut to tighten it.

HELP!!!

 

[Seadoobuddy]

Hi Tim,
I have a 787 and use a stubby (I thought it's a 17 mm) but maybe a 951 is different.

Did you tighten the other 3 bolts completely? I would tighten them in a pattern - crisscross side to side and then top to bottom. My manual says to tighten in a crossing pattern for the 787 and to use blue 242 Loctite. Check the manual for yours.

 

[El Toro 33809]

Tim,

My son thinks he used a stubby to remove them, and the largest we have is a 15mm, so I am sure it is it. If I have it loose enough I can get the wrench on it, but once it is beginning to get snug and I flip the wrench, it won't go back on due to tight quarters. The 951 exhaust is pretty big, so there may be a little more room on the 787.

Have a Great Christmas.

 

[Doug212]

Tim,
Get a box and open end wrench that has a curved head. I pulled my air breathers and what I couldn't get from the front side, I was able to turn that nut just enough to grab it from the top again. It probably isn't right but I tightened the bottom nut first, then the top and then side to side. I have that same ski, great riding machine!
Doug

 

[Minnetonka4me]

Oh yeah...the super fun 15mm nut...

The best way is to have the carbs out of the way. but putting them on with the pipe in isnt much fun either.

The trick?? You gotta modify a wrench. SBT sells one too but its too soft to do the job.

I used one of these to start with...

http://www.harborfreight.com/hand-tools/wrenches/5-piece-metric-obstruction-wrench-set-99564.html
The trick is to thin out the closed end to about a 1/4" or so (or it wont fit between the pipe and the nut), and once thin enough make sure to file the teeth so it will go on the nut. Heat and bend the shaft about an inch past the closed end to make it curved like a close quarters wrench. Then tweak the shaft inwards about 20 degrees.

 

[El Toro 33809]

Doug,

Thanks for the tip. I have the typicle box/open end wrench. The box end is angled but the open end is the normal straight type. Are you saying that if the open end is angled I may have better luck getting to the nut? In regards to getting access from the back, it seems as if the casting really gets in the way and the nut is only accessable from the front.

 

[El Toro 33809]

Minnetonka, thanks for the tip. I just looked at the SBT site and see the wrench you mention they sell and I see how it is similar to the tools you have in the photo you posted. There is a Harbor Freight right down the street from me though that I can drop by tomorrow. I will have to figure out how to modify it correctly. When you say thin out the end, that means grind the thickness of it to get over the top of the stud? In regards to the bend you metion, are you meaning like this?

 

[Doug212]

The boxed end was curved, I used the open end and worked it up from the top side of the carbs to get that nut to turn just enough to be able to grab it with my boxed end wrench from the top again. Repeat this step several times and you will get it tight. It may not be the right way to do it, but tight is tight and I didn't have to pull the carbs again!

 

[Minnetonka4me]

Tight is tight...unless its not tight enough to hold. LOL OR...like I have found on the last two I worked on...just cake on the RTV sealant and leave it loose. LOLOL

Ill try to snap a pic of mine tomorrow...but you are curving it so it clears the carbs and the pipe enough to allow you to turn it enough on each turn to be able to move it down a tooth and move it again.

So pretty much like the SBT one...but bent towards the engine just a little to clear the pipe and choke linkage.

 

[El Toro 33809]

Thanks to both of you guys for your suggestions!!! I feel much better now and hopefully will have it back together tomorrow. Just that nut and a charged battery are keeping me from firing up tomorrow. If all goes well, we will run it out the the lake in the afternoon. The forecast high tomorrow is 83!!! About the same up your way, right Minnetonka?

 

[Minnetonka4me]

LOL something like that. It hasnt got real cold b/c theres no snow on the ground. I havent drove around the lake but I think the main part of Tonka may still be open water!!

Luckily my back (and wallet) are doing good b/c there is no snow anywhere near here to snowmobile on! So...spend it on a tablet for a family present right?? LOL

 

[Minnetonka4me]

double post.

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

I put the pipe on THEN the carbs when putting the engine in the hull... it's just habit now.

 

[El Toro 33809]

I purchased the wrenches that Minnetonka pointed out, did some grinding and bending and now the bolts are tight. THANKS!!!

My next question, how do you run gas through to the carbs (prime them) after replacing the fuel lines?

 

[Seadoobuddy]

Tim, you don't really have to fill them, the engine/carbs will suck the gas thru to it.
If you want you can fill the filters with gas first, although you MAY hit a rough spot in running until all of the lines are full of gas.

83 mmmm it was 52 here on Monday..today (Thursday) is a bit cooler.

See ya in March again.

OH wait I just read it again. I thought you meant to fill the fuel lines with gas...duh.
Yes, do what minnetonka says

 

[Minnetonka4me]

I just squirt a little mixed gas into the carbs. If the oil line are new I pour a capful of oil into the carbs, start it, and hold the oil pump wide open.

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

the 951 has a fuel pump, so I found that after the lines are primed, if you give the throttle 2 pulls before you try to start it, it fires up much easier.

 

[El Toro 33809]

Pumped the throttle, choked it, turned it over with plugs out and caps grounded. Nothing. Checked for kinks in the lines, all looked good. Poured gas in plug holes and it would fire for a second and die. The filter in the front was receiving gas. Blew gas through the lines with an air hose and it would fire for a second and die. Son checked the clamps and blew through them as well. AND NOW IT FIRED UP AND RUNS. Got called into work today so I won't be able to take it to the lake until tomorrow.

Thanks to all that assisted with this. Merry Christmas to everyone.