Bloody exhaust manifold to downpipe nuts!!

[roverpwr]

Starting working on my Disco's exhaust leak on the drivers side manifold to down pipe connection, looks like when the previous owner had the cats changed, they broke the middle stud and didnt replace it. The gasget probably held ok for awhile, but has been ticking since I got it. I soaked them off and on all week with blaster, then took the propane torch to them tonight, got one off easily, the other decided to be a PITA and round off. Now I am debating to take it to the exhaust shop and have them deal with it, or.... get some good metal cutting drill bits and just drill both of those studs out, all the way thru the other side, then drill out the threads and put grade 8 nuts and bolts in there to lock the pipe together. I atleast have the new gasgets here on the bench for it. It will take some time as I only have one good battery for my cordless, and my corded drill is one speed only and not reversable. Gonna sleep on it and see how I feel in the morning. Not sure how much of a PITA drilling out two studs is gonna be laying under the Disco? Cheers Mike and Michele T

[fivespddisco]

I could not get to the ones on the drivers side. so i pulled the manifold off and drilled them out on a bench.

[roverpwr]

The exhaust shop got them out and replaced all three and the gasget, all good now. Total cost was $53 out the door, took them over 2 hours to get it done. Im happy. Just put the new front shocks on, getting ready to go out on the town now. Cheers Mike and Michele T