Jacked the rear end up. Removed 4 13mm nuts on each side. Unscrewed 6mm hex screws on brackets. Something I can't see holding it up. I am trying to remove without removing bumper and heat shield. Any help would be so much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

ps: did a search already nothing came up under exhaust removal.

 

Did you unplug the 02 sensors and fish the plugs down

Remove the 10mm bolt holding each turbo heat shield on

Also slide the steel bands to the side of their hangers. It will drop.

 

Ah, yes...all the DIY stuff leaves that out!

Check your PM

There are straps that need to be moved to the sides...loose doesn't cut it, then need to be forced to the side to 'release' from the tabs that they 'weave' through.

A

 

Thanks for the help. I can see the O2 sensors above the cats. Where do they unplug, at the Cats or high up at the other end?

 

The 02 sensors unplug up top at the very back end of your car. (2) on each side
for a total of (4). Takes some study to see how the german engineered clips come
undone. The wiring harnesses snap onto the metal frame and it is easier to see the
clips if you can unsnap from the frame. If you are still working on it tomorrow,
you can call me. Marty 952-443-9801

 

You need to remove the airbox to see the connections. Remove a 12mm bolt by the trunk latch and use a flat head sd to loosen the band clamp after the maf sensor,oh and the maf sensor needs to be unplugged.

Also the clips for the 02's are a pita as woodster said.

 

Thanks for all the help. Thanks Ard for the call. Tight quarters in there trying to figure out the Sensor wire clips as woodster said. After Ard's call I had a better idea of why you need to move the brackets laterally to unhook from the external flanges of the support that holds the exhaust tight up against the rear of the engine. Took a bunch of Pictures and will make a DIY when I'm done. Now putting in the new exhaust is part two of this adventure. It looks nothing like the Stock exhaust. I think I am going to need to extract and reuse the brackets from the stock exhaust. If that's the case lots of unscrewing of the heat shields to get to the straps. Hope this exhaust has similar circumference so the brackets work. Will find out tomorrow.
Thanks again.

 

This job is very doable but good instructions or guidance is a must. Lots of things can go wrong but If I can do it anyone can. I think Imagine auto has a good DIY set of inx. for reference. The biggest pain for me was the top bolt on the exhaust at the cat where need a curved wrench or cut one down to like 3 inches long and have to push on the wrench with a hammer handle or something. The curved wrench that comes with a europipe is the best option. Also there are some other clips that hold the O2 wires out of the way that you must unhook from. Just make sure when you are done that the wires are routed out of the way from heat or potential rubbing. Also fishing the 02 plug down so it will drop with the exhaust is abit of a ***** when fishing it back up. It will fit but I had to work with it to go. You will need more than 2 hands to finish up. Good luck and holler if you get stuck. 706-855-0532.

 

I did this last winter with a Milltek. It was a PITA, but what isn't on these cars?

I did the O2 sensors differently. I unscrewed them at the cats and left them dangling. I twist the wires about 10 turns backwards so that they come out about straight when they are installed. No need to fish the ends back up then. I used two floor jack to raise the muffler halves up so that I could bolt them up. I had to do one side twice because it was sent to me with the heat shield on backwards. It only fits one way.

Leave some slack in all of the connections until it is all fitted up.

Good luck!

Jon

 

I also unscrewed the sensors as you did and twisted the wires in the opposite direction so that they came out right when installed back in. Seemed to be a lot easier....but I had the advantage of access to a lift so I could see and maneuver easier.

The problem I ran into was not knowing that you had to slide those two bands towards the outside...I kept trying to loosen the nut....then finally figured out that you had to slide them aside.

 

do you use the straps from the stock exhaust for the rpi one

 

I know I used them again to put the Europipe system back on, but I'm not sure if all the various manufacturers use the same configuration as stock for reinstallation....you'd hope so wouldn't you?

 

My Milltek came with new bands... It's the clamps that go bad after a while.

Jon

 

Finished putting in the new exhaust. The Cats attach then the exhaust system attaches with tightening rings to the cat sectons. Made the mistake of tightening the cats to the turbo housing then tightend one side of the exhaust to the cat section only to find I was 3/8th off on the other side. Loosened everything. Tightened both rings securing the cat sections to the exhaust proper. Then tightend the whole assembly to the turbo housings on each side, then tightened the two bands holding the exhaust. PITA

Took it for a spin and wow much louder. How do you know if you are getting the dreaded Drone?

 

All exhausts have a tiny bit of drone at certain rpm's....even my Europipe will drone a tad bit in the lower rpm range, but you quickly pass thru the drone range and is civil in the rpm range where you do most of your crusing....that's the 2800-3000 rpm range.

Drone is a harmonic vibration that fills the cab with a steady noise....sometimes it can warble like a waaa-waaaa-waaa, but other times it's best described as a noticeable level of noise, especially at your cruising range...say 65-75 mph so that it becomes annoying to drive it for distances. Some guys like the noise....but it makes normal conversation or listening to the radio difficult unless you're a boom box dude. If your exhaust is loud...it most likely has a level of drone...