Paulford8 Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 First off these are quality pipes, very impressed. Here is basically what I did including my mistakes just in case somebody else wants to try this at home. Here is what came in the box. For prep I put the car on ramps in front, and jack stands in the rear. I quickly found that you can get a good shot at the right/rear downpipe with the passenger tire on. I jacked up the car and put a jack stand in front for support. I started with removal of the mid/intermediate pipes. I then moved to that right/rear pipe which was the hardest. The top O2 sensor has a plug way up there... Of course the release is on the top plug which I didnt realize at first. It is slid on a bracket and slides off easily. I ended up leaving the sensor on the pipe as I couldnt get a straight shot at it. Here is a shot the 3 nuts holding the downpipe. At this point I had already taken 1 off. Best way is a strong impact. gregoire 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulford8 Posted November 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 After the pipe was off I put it in a vice and got that pesky O2 sensor out. I then tried to slide the new pipe in... I bought the catted version, FYI the non-catted versions will install easier. The pipe would not go in with this shield on. If you look at the pic I already have it loose, it is a little shield that was protecting a 1/2 shaft seal. Here it is back on with the downpipe installed. It would not fit because it was right up against the cat. I ended up cutting some out of it, and found I couldnt get the bottom bolt for the shield in with the downpipe installed. In hinds site I should have cut the shield, re-installed, then put the downpipe back on. I then went to the front pipe. This one is very easy and straight forward. The oil filter is in the the way but I was able to remove it with the filter on. Again I used a strong impact driver. This one pops right into place, no hassle. Here they are all hooked up. here is what the inside of our turbos looks like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulford8 Posted November 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 Already loaded the tune from LMS and went on a test drive. Seat of the pants says more low end grunt if that is even possible. Hoping to get up to LMS to get dialed in on the dyno in the near future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpd1151 Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 Cool pics :thumb: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casperl878 Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 great job, and nice pics, thanks and im sure this is gonna be very helpful to people who order this, so are you happy with the purchase as its a pretty expensive but great looking piece,? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHOdded Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 Intimate pixology Is that carboning on the turbo? Wouldn't that cause boost variability/power loss? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Hawk Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 Thanks for the pics and writeup, I'll need it next season!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulford8 Posted November 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 First off forgot to mention I used 5/8 on the downpipe nuts and 7/8 on the sensors. That little bracket I had a hard time with is 10MM. If you went non-catted you would have no problem with that bracket. great job' date=' and nice pics, thanks and im sure this is gonna be very helpful to people who order this, so are you happy with the purchase as its a pretty expensive but great looking piece,?[/quote'] I say very work it! It sounds a little deeper/meaner. As mentioned more low end power. I havent seen a dyno but that 15 hp was peak, I am sure it makes more in the rpm range. Intimate pixology Is that carboning on the turbo? Wouldn't that cause boost variability/power loss? This is my first turbo car so I am not sure how they look after a few miles. Mine has just under 40K. Probably going to upgrade the turbos regardless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tss Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 Awesome write up Paul. If you go to LMS, let me know and we can meet up for lunch again on your way through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulford8 Posted November 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 Will do Todd. I am probably going to drive up the night before so I can be at LMS in the morning. You would think guys would be winding down but they are still booked up. It will either be just after Christmas or mid Jan! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbodave Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 Intimate pixology Is that carboning on the turbo? Wouldn't that cause boost variability/power loss? Not carboning. Just a buildup of soot. It's common on turbo cars, as they run richer under hard throttle than N/A cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHOdded Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 No need then for a maintenance schedule on the turbos, a la fuel injection systems? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
First-SHO Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 I had to cut the entire tab off in order to get my pipe to fit and I still touch during install. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tss Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 Depending on the day, I can put you up in a guest bedroom. My son wants another ride in your car anyway. Lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadfoot Posted November 11, 2012 Report Share Posted November 11, 2012 Excellent writ-up and pictures! I'm looking forward to the dyno results at LMS. "I ended up leaving the sensor on the pipe as I couldnt get a straight shot at it. Here is a shot the 3 nuts holding the downpipe. At this point I had already taken 1 off. Best way is a strong impact." I found that spraying rusted bolts with PB Blaster works pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulford8 Posted November 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2012 They werent really rusty, just on there really good. I hear ya about PB Blaster though, it is great stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve142857 Posted November 11, 2012 Report Share Posted November 11, 2012 Thanks for the how-to Paul! Looking forward to hearing from the results in terms of sound, feeling, track and dyno results. That said, I am wondering if Livernois will make some adjustments with their downpipes... It looks like you encountered some little issues. I am the worst mechanical guy on this forum, so for sure I will have to pay someone to have those installed next spring, but it would be cool if they would be direct bolts-on... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tss Posted November 11, 2012 Report Share Posted November 11, 2012 . I am the worst mechanical guy on this forum' date='...[/quote'] I beg to differ......I hold that title. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulford8 Posted November 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2012 Steve/Todd I know both of you could install these with the right tools. That is really the key, I have an air compressor and impact driver. The bracket was just an "oh that doesnt fit lets cut some of it off"..... As mentioned too that bracket would not interfere with the catless pipes, it was just the extra width around the cat that interfered. All that said I doubt a reputable exhaust shop would charge much to install these. That front one is a 20-30 minute swap, it is just that rear/right one that gave me a few fits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griggs95 Posted November 13, 2012 Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 I'm really curious to see the dyno results as well. I'm also wondering if these might even help in the gas mileage dept.? Very nice write up btw, thanks for sharing with us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chad1140 Posted December 8, 2012 Report Share Posted December 8, 2012 Any issues with drone or weird resonance issues with the new dynamics if the exhaust? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darreli Posted December 8, 2012 Report Share Posted December 8, 2012 Any issues with drone or weird resonance issues with the new dynamics if the exhaust? There's no drone whatsoever or any other weird or odd interior resonance..at least with the downpipe/Corsa combination Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulford8 Posted December 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2012 I am running the Magnaflow with 3rd cat replaced by an X pipe and like darreli I really dont have any drone. After the exhaust it got louder at low RPMs and WOT acceleration. Now with the down pipes it has gotten a bit louder in the same conditions, not a bad louder, sounds good. At highway speeds it quiets down for the most part, you can still hear it a little but no droning. Decided to take it in for a trans fluid flush, they say it will last 100K but better safe then sorry... So anyway she created some buzz with the service guys at the counter and even some of the mechanics. Everybody commented on how good it sounded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacoflyer Posted December 14, 2012 Report Share Posted December 14, 2012 Any chance on a video of the sound? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tss Posted December 14, 2012 Report Share Posted December 14, 2012 I have been in Pauls ride - it sounds awesome. No drone that I noticed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.