Exhaust Install

[JaiJai]

Just got a split dump pipe and cat from the SAU GB and was wanting to install it maself…

It is a direct bolt on so is it as simple as taking the old one off, getting new bolts and bolting it straight on?

Also between each part I bought a muffler sealant goo – will this do or do I need some sort of gasket or rubber o-ring to stop exhaust leaks?

Finally on the bolts should I get new ones or can I use the old ones?

Cheers

[SECURITY]

if you're handy with tools then you'll be fine with the dump/front pipe swap over, as long as its been made to be a direct replacement.

as for gaskets, rubber will melt, they should've supplied you with copper/metal gaskets which do the job pretty well. if not go to an exhaust place and get some.

bolts will be fine to re-use.

[JaiJai]

started pulling it apart, no luck at all everythings been welded

[SECURITY]

whats been welded exactly?

[mad082]

if it has been welded then either there was a leak, or its aftermarket. or it was just done by some dodgy person.

it should be just a straight bolt off, bolt on job that should take you all of about half an hour.

[jeffworld2]

i removed the bolts from the back of the turbo (6), all the sensors and heat shields, and undid the two bolts at the back of the cat and took the whole unit out in one piece...unless its welded to your turbo you can undo either the front or back of the cat depending on wether your leaving it (i got a new one).

reuse the gasket from the back of the turbo and i was supplied by batmbl with two new cat gaskets, but the old ones were reusable anyway (i did use the new ones though).

when fitting the new exhaust, put it on once without gasket goo and make sure everything including bolts all fits, then take it off and smear the gasket goo all over one side of the gasket and stick it to one end of the pipe, kining up the holes. then smear goo on the other pipe section and then bolt it all up. repeat for the other end and voila.

the rear section of my exhaust had to be pulled forward a bit (20mm) but that was just a matter of fitting the bolts to the cat LAST and it moved as i tightened them up. i believe this was just tension from the rear mount, that was lost when i removed the bolts in the first place.

In my case it was a direct replacement, it really is just a matter of undoing a few bolts and doing them up again. there are 2 heat shields, one the turbo heatshield was removed by undoing 4 10mm bolts, i thouhgt it was tac welded in place but its not, just a bit hard to maneuvere out. i also removed the heat shield from the actual front pipe to get better access to the bolts on the turbo. Again, 10mm nuts (3).

unclip the sensor plug, which is stuck to a bracket on the heatshield, and remove the front pipe with the plug still on, remove the sensor when the pipe is sitting on your driveway its much easier, and move to the new pipe. there is also a sensor on the cat if you are replacing it.

with all sensors and shields out of the way, its pretty easy. take your time, the bolts on the cat were pretty easy but the turbo bolts weren't. They will come out, but if they come out a bit and then get stuck, there is rubbish on the thread that came out the back of the other side of the turbo (the top 4 bolts).if so, you may break it if you try too hard, put it back in and cleant the rear if you can with a wire brush or try some spray to penetrate the rubbish and thread. these are all 13mm and i undid them with a ratchet.

i did this by myself, it was my first time doing an exhaust and it took about 3-4hrs. It leaked at the rear cat connection when i first turned it on (turn on, get under and feel for the leaks, trust me you can tell). So i removed those two bolts, cleaned up the gasket and used more goo on both sides- fixed.

Took for a drivve from campbeltown to ryde and back, via sylvania waters of course, and then tried all the bolts again to make sure they were tight and did the hand leak test. there is plenty of room down there no need to touch the exhaust, you will feel like a fan blowing if it leaks. reset ecu cause i felt like it.

really simple to do, just sounds hard. give it a go

[JaiJai]

Ok the dump is bolted to the turbo and to the front pipe so thats ok but the front is welded to the cat which in turn is welded to the catback. So what Im thinkin is to remove everything, bolt the dump/front to the turbo and to the cat then for the catback get an angle grinder, and remove the old cat from the catback.

My question is that once Ive removed the old cat from the catback I need to attach it to the new cat - should I

a) learn how to weld and try to weld the catback to the cat

b) use exhaust goo and glue the cat to the catback (dont laugh I know its stupid but will it work???)

c) take the catback to an exhaust shop and ask them to attach an end so that I can bolt it to the new cat

d) HELP????? Im out of ideas

ohh and jeffworld2 THANK YOU for the write up I really wanna install it now! - should put it up in the DIY theres one there but the more experiences the better!

when you reset the ecu will this do anything? why I ask is that I have a fmic but havnt upped the boost the guy who put it on said he did something with my ecu so should I or shouldnt i? If so how?

Cheers

[mad082]

take it to an exhaust shop to get some flanges welded on. this will make life easier in the future should you even need to change anything.

[jeffworld2]

yeah if its been welded on, then you will have a few issues getting it back. you could grind it off at the cat towards the rear of the car, and try and clean it up to find the original face of the cat back. THIS WILL BE HARD if the weld is thick. however, your new catis no doubt better than the old from a legal emissionsy point anyway so there is no need to keep it. if you can ruin it and find the flange for the cat back it will be all sweet.

by far the easiest way is to take it to an exhaust shop and get them to make a short length of pipe with a suitable flange for the new cat, and the other end openpipe. they measure back from the join between the cat and cat back of your car as it is and cut the cat back and weld on the new section. if they get the distance wrong, you will be in a world of trouble, and we all know the best way to get it right is to do it yourself. So i personally would carefully grind back to the flange and redrill the boltholes if needed. (the first way). plus the 2nd way will cost you money, and i dont do the whole spending money thing.

if its welded to the turbo housing im sorry your basically stuck with it so find this out first. you will need two people, one underneath supporting the entire exhaust and one to undo the bolts on the turbo (4 from the bonnet, 2 from underneath) to see if it is welded on. once everything is undone including the sensors etc, try and pull it back off the bolts. hopefully its not welded, as thats pretty stupid for someone to do, an exhaust is a consumable, it needs replacing as a normal maintainance thing every 5-10 yrs or whatever

good luck buddy

p.s. guys in an exhaust shop may be smarter than me and have a better way then replacing a straight section of the cat back.

Edited August 23, 2006 by jeffworld2

[JaiJai]

cheers for all the ideas but looks like ill be taking it to an exhaust shop!

[jeffworld2]

yeah your easy job just got a lot harder

[JaiJai]

went down - boys had a look at it said that itll set me back 150 everything installed so yeah happy with that considering the welding that needs to take place

[jeffworld2]

thats about the best price you could have hoped for, its a bit of work

good job

[JaiJai]

cheers for all those intrested will post a few photos of the opertaion in action nothing as massive as an engine swap but sill should be fun