Solo Performance Exhaust Pics & Vids

[RubyRed15]

Sorry, it will likely be weeks before I can try making a video.

Other Solo owners, post em up!

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[RubyRed15]

PS - somebody PM me free and easy to use video editing software. I'm a photographer, not a videographer.

 

[BigCatDan]

PS - somebody PM me free and easy to use video editing software. I'm a photographer, not a videographer.

Can you use this?
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-live/movie-maker

You can get a free 30 days of Adobe after effects.

Other than that Idk. I'm in the same boat as you.

 

[Avi30na]

Waiting on OP's video as well

 

[KingofPubs]

OP, are you getting any drone in your set-up? Maybe I'm being too sensitive but when I'm in 4th or 5th gear at 2K rpm, there seems to be a bit of drone at cruising speeds (even with the windows up). I'm gonna try to disconnect the rear mic and hope that its the sound imposer and not the exhaust...

Is anyone else running into this issue?

 

[sleepless]

Solo Turboback Exhaust Installed

I installed the turboback over Sunday and Monday. I would have finished Sunday night except for a few bonehead mistakes on my part.

View attachment 32529

All in all, this is not an install for a beginner, but it is certainly doable in the driveway for a shadetree mechanic. My girlfriend was around for moral support but I did the whole thing alone.

Tools used:

• 2-ton jack stands and costco Arcan jack
• rhino ramps (+ a wood 2x4 to lengthen the incline)
• gloves (don't bang your hands up)
• 13mm socket, long and short
• 14mm socket, long and short
• 14mm wrench
• 15mm socket, long and short
• 6" socket extension
• cheater bar
• channel lock pliers
• anti-seize
• masking tape
• oxygen sensor removal tool (rent from autozone for free)
• (Bonus) oil
• (Bonus) sharp knife

Resources:

• CJ Pony Parts Exhaust Install video: (this is perfect for stock system removal)
  [ame]
• Solo instructions ( View attachment 32532 )

And beer definitely helped :cheers:

The Solo kit comes with 2x 2.5" flat band clamps and 1x 3" band clamp, in addition to a new turbo gasket and new cat mounting hardware. There are additional clamps preinstalled on the tips and the flex joint section.

1. Using masking tape, I marked the bottom dead center of the tips before installing so I wouldn't have to worry about that after everything was on the car.
   
   
   
2. Follow the CJPP video to uninstall the stock system. From the tips to the resonator is one whole (heavy, unwieldy) section. Channel lock pliers or an actual exhaust removal tool make short work of removing the exhaust hanger rods from the rubber hangers. I threw down some styrofoam blocks to catch the stock mufflers when I yanked that section out.
3. Before removing the downpipe, you have to disconnect the oxygen sensors. The video really doesn't show this well, so I took a few pics:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Press where the red arrow is with your finger tip and the connector will pop right out.
   
   
   
   
   This one is harder to get to. This view is from below, looking up through the engine bay, just to the side of the cat. Same as before, press the tab and pop out the connector.
   
   
4. Once you get the downpipe out, transfer the sensors to the Solo pipe (if you went turboback) using the oxygen sensor removal tool and a little anti-seize.
   
   
   
   
   
   Stock exhaust out! That thing has some weight to it.
   
   
   
   
5. (Bonus) I called up Solo to ask if they recommended removing the barcode stickers on the new pipes before installing. I didn't want any extra source of smoke, what with the problems some guys are having bone stock. The Solo guys said they'd just flake off at some point and I wasn't really a concern, so I went ahead and did it myself to avoid more trash in the environment. A little vegetable oil and sharp knife had the stickers off in a minute or two, tops.
   
   
   
   
6. Turbo gasket installation- I went ahead and used Solo's flange because, as you can see, the new one looks more robust and the stock one was already pretty beat up.
   
   
   
   
   It should insert into the turbo side easily and fit snug.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
7. Solo downpipe installation- Install the new downpipe with the stock 15mm nuts to the turbo flange and with the new 13mm nuts to the mid hanger bracket. The entire Solo kit should be installed finger tight before adjusting and fully torquing down
   
8. Plug in oxygen sensors
9. Install Y-pipe, tighten band clamps finger tight. At first I used a piece of wood I had laying around to hold this up, but eventually swapped it out for my floor jack. The floor jack worked really well to raise the entire system so tip alignment was pretty simple.
   
   
   
   
   
   Pay careful attention to how the pre-packaged band clamps are installed. I was not and it took me hours of troubleshooting why everything wasn't tightening down before I realized and had to reinstall all the band clamps :frusty:
   
   
   
   
   
10. Install the right and left rear resonator pipes loosely and secure to the stock hangers.
    
11. With the floor jack holding everything up, and all band clamps finger tight (or a little more), I was able to align and fine tune the tip placement into the centers of the rear bumper cutouts.

 

[sleepless]

Impressions:

Upon first start up, this exhaust rumbles!
It is definitely louder than stock. Right when I started the engine, it was LOUD, enough that I was almost concerned about the neighbors. But after a minute or so, either from the car settling to a lower RPM idle or maybe from the exhaust settling, the low roar settled down to a nice burble.

On the highway, from the inside, its obvious the car is no longer stock, but its not overpowering. In fact, the slight interior panel rattle was louder than the exhaust tone. But when you get on it :eyebulge: its niiiice.

I've only had the chance to drive it a few miles, but I will post video as soon as I can. It'll be ~500 miles before it's totally broken in.

 

[KingofPubs]

Impressions:

Upon first start up, this exhaust rumbles!
It is definitely louder than stock. Right when I started the engine, it was LOUD, enough that I was almost concerned about the neighbors. But after a minute or so, either from the car settling to a lower RPM idle or maybe from the exhaust settling, the low roar settled down to a nice burble.

On the highway, from the inside, its obvious the car is no longer stock, but its not overpowering. In fact, the slight interior panel rattle was louder than the exhaust tone. But when you get on it :eyebulge: its niiiice.

I've only had the chance to drive it a few miles, but I will post video as soon as I can. It'll be ~500 miles before it's totally broken in.

Haha congrats, definitely was surprised on the first start up.
:cheers:

Have you had any issues with drone at city speeds? It seems to get really loud around 2k rpm then dies out to normal levels after/before that. It might be just a natural harmonic thing but want to make sure its not only me.

 

[DBiggles654]

I installed the turboback over Sunday and Monday. I would have finished Sunday night except for a few bonehead mistakes on my part.

View attachment 32529

All in all, this is not an install for a beginner, but it is certainly doable in the driveway for a shadetree mechanic. My girlfriend was around for moral support but I did the whole thing alone.

Tools used:

• 2-ton jack stands and costco Arcan jack
• rhino ramps (+ a wood 2x4 to lengthen the incline)
• gloves (don't bang your hands up)
• 13mm socket, long and short
• 14mm socket, long and short
• 14mm wrench
• 15mm socket, long and short
• 6" socket extension
• cheater bar
• channel lock pliers
• anti-seize
• masking tape
• oxygen sensor removal tool (rent from autozone for free)
• (Bonus) oil
• (Bonus) sharp knife

Resources:

• CJ Pony Parts Exhaust Install video: (this is perfect for stock system removal)
  
• Solo instructions ( View attachment 32532 )

And beer definitely helped :cheers:

The Solo kit comes with 2x 2.5" flat band clamps and 1x 3" band clamp, in addition to a new turbo gasket and new cat mounting hardware. There are additional clamps preinstalled on the tips and the flex joint section.

1. Using masking tape, I marked the bottom dead center of the tips before installing so I wouldn't have to worry about that after everything was on the car.
   
   
   
2. Follow the CJPP video to uninstall the stock system. From the tips to the resonator is one whole (heavy, unwieldy) section. Channel lock pliers or an actual exhaust removal tool make short work of removing the exhaust hanger rods from the rubber hangers. I threw down some styrofoam blocks to catch the stock mufflers when I yanked that section out.
3. Before removing the downpipe, you have to disconnect the oxygen sensors. The video really doesn't show this well, so I took a few pics:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Press where the red arrow is with your finger tip and the connector will pop right out.
   
   
   
   
   This one is harder to get to. This view is from below, looking up through the engine bay, just to the side of the cat. Same as before, press the tab and pop out the connector.
   
   
4. Once you get the downpipe out, transfer the sensors to the Solo pipe (if you went turboback) using the oxygen sensor removal tool and a little anti-seize.
   
   
   
   
   
   Stock exhaust out! That thing has some weight to it.
   
   
   
   
5. (Bonus) I called up Solo to ask if they recommended removing the barcode stickers on the new pipes before installing. I didn't want any extra source of smoke, what with the problems some guys are having bone stock. The Solo guys said they'd just flake off at some point and I wasn't really a concern, so I went ahead and did it myself to avoid more trash in the environment. A little vegetable oil and sharp knife had the stickers off in a minute or two, tops.
   
   
   
   
6. Turbo gasket installation- I went ahead and used Solo's flange because, as you can see, the new one looks more robust and the stock one was already pretty beat up.
   
   
   
   
   It should insert into the turbo side easily and fit snug.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
7. Solo downpipe installation- Install the new downpipe with the stock 15mm nuts to the turbo flange and with the new 13mm nuts to the mid hanger bracket. The entire Solo kit should be installed finger tight before adjusting and fully torquing down
   
8. Plug in oxygen sensors
9. Install Y-pipe, tighten band clamps finger tight. At first I used a piece of wood I had laying around to hold this up, but eventually swapped it out for my floor jack. The floor jack worked really well to raise the entire system so tip alignment was pretty simple.
   
   
   
   
   
   Pay careful attention to how the pre-packaged band clamps are installed. I was not and it took me hours of troubleshooting why everything wasn't tightening down before I realized and had to reinstall all the band clamps :frusty:
   
   
   
   
   
10. Install the right and left rear resonator pipes loosely and secure to the stock hangers.
    
11. With the floor jack holding everything up, and all band clamps finger tight (or a little more), I was able to align and fine tune the tip placement into the centers of the rear bumper cutouts.

I only got the cat back exhaust. Would you say it would be much easier to install? Sounds like it was difficult but was mostly the downpipe causing the issues??

 

[Ultimateone]

Catback will obviously be a lot easier than a turboback.

 

[DBiggles654]

Lol well yes obviously. I'm just curious as to if he had problems with the cat back part of his system. I'm really just debating if I wanna try tackling the install tonight or if it's going to be too much of a hassle and will need a full day.

 

[KingofPubs]

Lol well yes obviously. I'm just curious as to if he had problems with the cat back part of his system. I'm really just debating if I wanna try tackling the install tonight or if it's going to be too much of a hassle and will need a full day.

I installed my cat-back by myself... I would reccomend getting one more person because trying to adjust everything was a b*tch. Install is pretty simple.

Remove mid pipe fitting, then the two hangers by the rear axle. From there you have to pull out the exhaust from the mid pipe/cat then remove the whole system off the hangers. The stock exhaust was probably 80lbs + so be careful.

I'm not a mechanic by any means and I think I did pretty well. I might do some fine adjustments on an actual lift @ a shop later but for now its good enough.

tl;dr - can be done with a friend in maybe an hour or two. It took me 2+ hours because I was doing everything on my own and I nearly had a heat stroke :headbonk:

 

[DBiggles654]

I installed my cat-back by myself... I would reccomend getting one more person because trying to adjust everything was a b*tch. Install is pretty simple.

Remove mid pipe fitting, then the two hangers by the rear axle. From there you have to pull out the exhaust from the mid pipe/cat then remove the whole system off the hangers. The stock exhaust was probably 80lbs + so be careful.

I'm not a mechanic by any means and I think I did pretty well. I might do some fine adjustments on an actual lift @ a shop later but for now its good enough.

tl;dr - can be done with a friend in maybe an hour or two. It took me 2+ hours because I was doing everything on my own and I nearly had a heat stroke :headbonk:

Cool! My buddy said he would give me a hand helping me install it so I'll try and tackle it tonight! How does it sound??

 

[obk787]

Mine will be arriving tomorrow. Cant wait to put it on this Sunday

 

[DBiggles654]

Mine will be arriving tomorrow. Cant wait to put it on this Sunday

CB or TB?

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