Curt asked me today if there was an easier way to remove the old exhaust gasket from the top of the exhaust pipe -- easier than piercing it with a prick punch and peeling it off. I told him he could try heating it up. Little did we realize that what was still lodged in the exhaust pipe -- after the engine has been out of the vehicle for two weeks -- was combustible. Lisa ran up to get the camera and quick snapped a shot -- it's a little shaky, but the plume of fire was quite spectacular! I do believe this method worked. At home, when you have a lot of time, you can use all kinds of penetrating fluids. At the shop where time is our most precious commodity, we use the "blue tip wrench" -- the torch for many applications. Removing the exhaust gasket with heat apparently works, too. Later in the day Curt had the engine and gearbox back into position.
