EGR tube

'99 CV S model 4.6L gas............. the EGR tube broke off right at the nut on the exhaust manifold. BUMMER! Any tricks/hints/suggestions/advice,etc. will be greatly appreciated. I already have the passenger side inner fender removed for access. The thing is pretty decrepit, and I'm almost afraid to touch it. I've already soaked it down with some rust dissolving/penetrating fluid. It appears to me that the tube flare nut is threaded into another nut which is threaded into the end of the exhaust manifold. What are my chances of getting this thing removed successfully? The vehicle has 201K miles and has been in Michigan (salt used in winter) all of its life. Also, what size wrench does that lower nut take? Thanks again.

The nut should be ( I think) 1 1/16. If there is anyway to get heat in there, that is the best. It is really tight in there and you probably do not have a torch. You will not hurt the manifold. Or you can split the nut and remove it. PITA

God blessed me today as I was able to get the nut off successfully. After letting the penetrating fluid soak in for a few hours, I hit the nut with a little heat from a propane torch. It didn't want to budge at first, but I kept constant pressure on it with a 1" (tried the 1 1/16" first) box end wrench. To my amazement, it came off pretty easily once it broke free. Took quite a while to spin the thing off as the minimal amount of clearance only allowed turning it 1/2 a flat at a time. But who's complaining?!.......the thing came off without breaking!!! Here's some good advice. When removing the EGR tube from the throttle body prior to removal of the throttle body, just loosen the nut from the throttle body and DO NOT bend the tube slightly back enough to gain clearance (as the instructions that I followed said to do..... I should have known better!) from the throttle body. I only moved it back maybe 3/4", but that was enough to stress it, so that during the reassembly process it snapped right off. The throttle body doesn't have any guide pins that would only allow it to be removed by pulling it straight up,
so just remove the 5 bolts securing it to the intake manifold and then pull it forward off of the EGR tube. This way you do not have to disturb the tube at all.

Glad to hear you got it. When it's done you'll have the peace of mind knowing you shouldn't have any more engine troubles for years to come.