It's on the list

[WAbernethy]

So I've been putting off doing a lot of things to my car for some time now. They just keep going on the magical "list". Well I've finally started to address these issues, starting with my downpipe.

For those of you who don't know, my dp was thrown together at the last minute for like 30 bucks at the local muffler shop. They used 2 1/4" pipe and some pretty ugly crush bending. I have had problems with the pipe developing leaks and even breaking off since there was no flex installed. The pipe had just been welded to the end of my turbo outlet bend that houses the egt and o2 sensor and welded to the stock cat(gutted). I knew that this was one big weakness of my setup and it would have to be the first to go.

After even closer inspection (ie cutting the ****ing pipe off), I found this:

They had actually shoved the pipe inside the elbow, at an angle even! Can you believe this ****? There's about a 3/8" lip there on the outside of the curve right at the turbo. What crap. I effectively had a 2" I/D downpipe! Look at the rest of this thing!



This is it next no my new 3" flex pipe

[WAbernethy]

So to remedy all that I'm putting in 3" 304 mandrel bends a 3" flex pipe and performance 3" Cat. It's looking pretty sweet already. I know these pics don't do it justice.

The new cat and Flex pipe



A shot of the first bend where it meets the outlet elbow. I flared it so that it slides over the outside and then had it welded.



The clearance on this thing is unreal. It barely fits between the steering shaft and the transmission. I'll get some more shots up as I finish this up. Should be pretty sweet when it's done.

[daniel240]

make sure theres at least a half inch or more between the d.p. and the steering shaft and the transmission or it will hit when the engine shakes.

[spitz7985]

where'd you get that flex pipe?

[240_2NR]

where'd you get that flex pipe?

i second that, where did u get it ?

[WAbernethy]

where'd you get that flex pipe?

E-Bay Baby! Check it out HERE

Got it for less than 40 bucks including shipping. I got the cat on E-Bay too. It was like 60 bucks. The 304SS bends I got from a place in California for 25 a pop. That's an awesome price for what I got. I'm heading out to get it all put in now. Can't ****ing wait!

[WAbernethy]

So I went and had it hooked up. Damn it sounds good. Kinda wierd though, it's making less boost now. 7 psi, which is really what it was supposed to make anyway. Time to get a boost controller.

Here is a shot of the bottom part b4 it was installed.

I'll have to get up under there and get some shots of it installed.

[j-z]

nice work! i bet that freed up some power and decreased spool time.

[spitz7985]

where do you get the flanges from?

[whiterps13]

how was the before/after performance?

[MarkEmark]

Reminds me of when I re-did my downpipe a couple of months ago. Man did I hate doing that--but I had all my welding down for free, and incredibly professionally at that.

I got all of my flanges at NAPA (I like it a lot more than Autozone, advance, pep boys, etc). They have quite a selection there, and even though it just opened up they had the flanges in stock. So for those of you doing custom exhaust, I suggest NAPA for flanges.