Having trouble installing exhaust

[birdog]

Hey guys. I need a little help. I bought an x-pipe and Borla Touring exhaust combo second hand from a member here. No mention was made other wise so I assumed the x-pipe was just a "resonator delete" and it would be the proper length. My plan was to use the x-pipe and mufflers with my stock piping. We'll...once I got the stock system off my car I realized that the x-pipe was shorter than the resonator. See photo...



I contacted the seller and he informed me that he purchased it as a complete cat-back system...he just kept the pipes and sold the mufflers and x-pipe. It would have been nice to know that ahead of time so I could have made plans to overcome having a short x-pipe.

Either way... I took the complete stock exhaust system (intact) and the new equipment to an exhaust shop today. The guy seemed real unprofessional. I should have walked away but I needed it done. He welded on an extension but did it without really measuring. It was a crappy looking weld and it ended up being to short.



He built me some extensions that I could clamp on to the cat side of the x-pipe. But I did not find out the real problem until I got home. He never measured the distance the mufflers had to be (width wise) so that they would fit correctly to hang them back up. He welded it to narrow.

See how far apart the stock one is...



No look at how narrow his is...



So now I have a $200 x-pipe welded to stock pipes that are too narrow to hang.

I'm not sure of the best solution to this one. Any ideas?

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[Cascadia_302]

You will need to cut and re-weld (near the X-pipe) them to the proper width. Probably won't need to cut completely through the pipe, just enough to get the right width. If you measure the hanger width relative to the hanger holes it'll get you the correct width.

Edit: Get yourself a peice of 2x4 and layout the correct hanger width from the hanger locations on the car, then drill a hole in the 2x4 for each hanger. This should get you the correct width distance. Use the 2x4 as a tool to set the width.


Always measure four times and cut/weld once!

 

[birdog]

You will need to cut and re-weld (near the X-pipe) them to the proper width. Probably won't need to cut completely through the pipe, just enough to get the right width. If you measure the hanger width relative to the hanger holes it'll get you the correct width.

Edit: Get yourself a peice of 2x4 and layout the correct hanger width from the hanger locations on the car, then drill a hole in the 2x4 for each hanger. This should get you the correct width distance. Use the 2x4 as a tool to set the width.


Always measure four times and cut/weld once!

I assumed he measured the stock distance before he cut. I assumed wrong.

I measured and the holes are 6 1/4 apart. Couldn't I just tell the welder the distance? I guess I'm not clear what having the 2x4 jig would accomplish. Am I missing something?

 

[Cascadia_302]

I assumed he measured the stock distance before he cut. I assumed wrong.

I measured and the holes are 6 1/4 apart. Couldn't I just tell the welder the distance? I guess I'm not clear what having the 2x4 jig would accomplish. Am I missing something?

It sets the correct distance between the hangers. You will also need to establish a centerline. They need to be 3 1/8 from the CL. Even if they are 6 1/4 apart they could still be shifted to one side or the other if the 3 1/8 dimension isn't maintained.

Dont measure between muffler hangers, use the other ones.

If l was on my PC l could explain it with a diagram but l'm on my tablet now.

 

[birdog]

It sets the correct distance between the hangers. You will also need to establish a centerline. They need to be 3 1/8 from the CL. Even if they are 6 1/4 apart they could still be shifted to one side or the other if the 3 1/8 dimension isn't maintained.

Dont measure between muffler hangers, use the other ones.

If l was on my PC l could explain it with a diagram but l'm on my tablet now.

I get you. They could be shifted left or right and still be the correct distance apart.

I still don't see how having a 2x4 would help. There would be no way to verify the 2x4 was "right" without a starting point (exhaust coming from the engine) as a reference. So the right and left pipe could be "leaning" left while fitting in the 2x4 holes. Correct?

I think they'll just have to use the center of the x-pipe as a center line.

 

[Cascadia_302]

Yeah, the 2x4 was just a thought as a way to hold your overall width dim during welding. But you're right as far as the centerline being maintained relative to each hanger, keeping it from going too far one way or the other.

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