[alfa] Stainless hardware on exhaust

[SHartDP@xxxxxxx]

I'm not a metalurgist by any means, but with all the metal fabrication we do 
for the off road stuff I have learned a lot more than most people would ever 
like about metals (steels mainly).
Stainless steels (in general) become VERY brittle when introduced to a high 
heat source (in this case your exhaust system).  Always use a bit (a little 
goes a loooong way) of anti seize on the bolts on install.

Also - while on the topic - has anyone ever tried using stainless bolts in a 
cast iron exhaust 
piece that is threaded (meaning the bolt threads into the cast iron)????  
Good luck getting that one out.  Actually - you better have an easy out ready and 
your fingers crossed because it most likely won't happen.

Steve Hartman
72 Afla GTV - long overdue project
89 Ford Frankenstein (was a ranger) - off road race project
91 Ford Exploder - gets me to the races and give me somewhere to sleep when 
there
70 Ford F-250  - parts donor

In a message dated 7/6/2004 7:39:56 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:

I had tried something a bit simpler, and had some strange results.
My '76 spider has a catalytic converter attached to the exhaust
pipes with two, three-bolt flanges.  I figured "hey, SS is the way
to go", and bought some 5/16" X approx. 2-1/2" stainless bolts,
nuts, and lockwashers.  I needed to remove the cat a couple of
months later, and tried to loosen the six bolts.  Two of them were
locked up - totally frozen.  The bolts fractured before the nuts
would loosen.  No they didn't look corroded, and no, I hadn't
used Loctite or anything else on the threads.

My question for all you metallurgists out there is: Does stainless
steel tend to "gall" or otherwise  lock up, especially when exposed
to heat?  Should I have used oil, anit-seize, or some other lubricant
on the threads (of course, would that have survived the heat of the
exhaust system?).  I replaced the SS nuts with regular steel ones,
but retained the SS bolts.  My hope is that this combination will give
the desired result.

Jay Mackro, San Juan Capistrano, Ca.
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