Manifold

[albertgen]

On my 1978 Chevy Custom Deluxe 305 I have had an exhaust fume leak that drove me nuts, the smell..yuk! I had a new muffler and pipes installed. The woman at the muffler shop recommended cutting out the catalytic converter and leaving it out. I thought maybe that's why I had the fumes and was going to order a new cat. Upon checking the manifold, the bolts were loose on the drivers side. Is that my culprit? I am going to install new manifolds, the bolts on the manifold all came out easy but how do you get the ones loose on the Y pipes? Mine are terribly rusted, looks like they molded together? Thanks, Al

[cadillac_al]

Hmmm, muffler shops around here are very scared to remove a cat or work on a vehicle that used to have a cat. I guess there is no fear in Illinois. You will need to heat those nuts on the studs cherry hot to remove them without snapping the studs off.

[motornut]

I'd say your lucky, muff shops here won't remove the cat, only replace it.
Ive had to drive it in open pipes.
If they are only loose, lock washer that will fix that.
Playing with those lower rusted bolts could open another can o worms.
Is your heat riser on pass side there/workin it can cause fumes in front if it leaks.
Do you have a workin PVC valve