glenspeed
01-14-2005, 09:04 AM
Finally got the S pipe in last night...took 2 hours, broke a seized bolt and got real dirty in the face again :angry:
Taking out the OEM was the biggest issue, probably took about 1.5 hours just for that.
The elbow joint and ratchet extension is a MUST to get at the inner bolts.
The external TORX socket sized E12 is a MUST
Bolt sizes:
Manifold to midpipe bolts: (4)
Front - 14mm
Back - E12 External Torx
Midpipe 1 to Midpipe 2 bolts: (6)
Front - 12mm
Back - 13mm
Step 1
Remove all the bolts (easier said than done) and the OEM midpipe should wiggle loose. The manifold has smaller male tubes that insert into the midpipe so you will have to wiggle that back and forth to get it free. I found it easier to do this once the back end of the midpipe was dropped below the connecting midpipe to give more clearance.
Step 2
Drop out OEM midpipe and put new gaskets between 1 & 2 midpipe (silver triangular gaskets). I know from installing the X pipe that it's hard to align all the holes in the gasket with the midpipe bolt holes because it sits within the diameter of the mounting flange. i.e. There's no way to hold the gasket and mount the midpipes together and keep the holes in the gasket lined up with the bolt holes because it either slips out or moves out of place.
What I did was take a bit of masking tape and held the top part of the gasket in place already lined up with the holes and then once I mated the two midpipes together and put the bolts through, I could remove the tape.
Step 3
Insert front of midpipe first because the male end of the manifold must go into the midpipe, then mount the back end of the midpipe.
Step 4
Tighten all bolts!
Review
Everything on the flanges on both manifold side and X pipe side lined up pretty well. It did take a little pulling and wiggling to get the bolt holes lined up exactly for the bolts to push through, but nothing serious. It's way easier putting the thing in than taking it out, that is for sure.
When putting in the new midpipe it didn't have enough clearance on the driver's side pipe with the transmission support brace. I couldn't do anything about it since I had bolted everything up. I don't think there was anything I could do to give it more clearance in any event because the manifold isn't moving and the X pipe would not drop any more because it is supported by a reverse hanger.
I think I might have to bring it in somewhere to have somebody bend the S pipe just enough to make the clearance. When I started the car, there wasn't a huge vibration, but a little and only sporadically. I can live with this until I have time to bring it in...I'm certainly not going to go back underneath and putting the OEM back on now!
First Impressions
When I first started the car (except for the minor sporadic vibration) the throttle felt much more responsive. Hard to believe one resonator can make such a difference. My guess is that since it is so close to the manifold it really chokes the airflow.
The engine seems to rev alot easier!
Sound
The sound is absolutely gorgeous. Still have the famous rasp, (but I like it that way) but there is a more forceful tone. Slightly deeper, but not alot more (I had X pipe on before) but there is a kind of growling howl to the exhaust note.
Revving the car really makes the Supersprint exhaust really sing now. Man it sounds awesome. THIS is the way it should sound. I LOVE IT!!!
Drive
On my way to work, this thing definately has more response. At about 2500rpm, the exhaust note changes and it get's that angry growling howl I mentioned above.
When you give it throttle it has an explosive characteristic to the exhaust that it never had before. I think this is in part to the increased responsiveness that I mentioned. When you floor it anywhere above 3500rpm, the exhaust just wails and the tone explodes into the growl/howl exhaust note.
When I mean explode, I mean the exhaust note just blasts out of the exhaust whereas before it would kind of roll out.
Don't know if it is because it was so cold this morning or because there is more responsiveness/power, but when I floored the throttle on the highway I had nice squirm in the rear end! (traction control off) Nah, probably because it was so cold!!
Taking out the OEM was the biggest issue, probably took about 1.5 hours just for that.
The elbow joint and ratchet extension is a MUST to get at the inner bolts.
The external TORX socket sized E12 is a MUST
Bolt sizes:
Manifold to midpipe bolts: (4)
Front - 14mm
Back - E12 External Torx
Midpipe 1 to Midpipe 2 bolts: (6)
Front - 12mm
Back - 13mm
Step 1
Remove all the bolts (easier said than done) and the OEM midpipe should wiggle loose. The manifold has smaller male tubes that insert into the midpipe so you will have to wiggle that back and forth to get it free. I found it easier to do this once the back end of the midpipe was dropped below the connecting midpipe to give more clearance.
Step 2
Drop out OEM midpipe and put new gaskets between 1 & 2 midpipe (silver triangular gaskets). I know from installing the X pipe that it's hard to align all the holes in the gasket with the midpipe bolt holes because it sits within the diameter of the mounting flange. i.e. There's no way to hold the gasket and mount the midpipes together and keep the holes in the gasket lined up with the bolt holes because it either slips out or moves out of place.
What I did was take a bit of masking tape and held the top part of the gasket in place already lined up with the holes and then once I mated the two midpipes together and put the bolts through, I could remove the tape.
Step 3
Insert front of midpipe first because the male end of the manifold must go into the midpipe, then mount the back end of the midpipe.
Step 4
Tighten all bolts!
Review
Everything on the flanges on both manifold side and X pipe side lined up pretty well. It did take a little pulling and wiggling to get the bolt holes lined up exactly for the bolts to push through, but nothing serious. It's way easier putting the thing in than taking it out, that is for sure.
When putting in the new midpipe it didn't have enough clearance on the driver's side pipe with the transmission support brace. I couldn't do anything about it since I had bolted everything up. I don't think there was anything I could do to give it more clearance in any event because the manifold isn't moving and the X pipe would not drop any more because it is supported by a reverse hanger.
I think I might have to bring it in somewhere to have somebody bend the S pipe just enough to make the clearance. When I started the car, there wasn't a huge vibration, but a little and only sporadically. I can live with this until I have time to bring it in...I'm certainly not going to go back underneath and putting the OEM back on now!
First Impressions
When I first started the car (except for the minor sporadic vibration) the throttle felt much more responsive. Hard to believe one resonator can make such a difference. My guess is that since it is so close to the manifold it really chokes the airflow.
The engine seems to rev alot easier!
Sound
The sound is absolutely gorgeous. Still have the famous rasp, (but I like it that way) but there is a more forceful tone. Slightly deeper, but not alot more (I had X pipe on before) but there is a kind of growling howl to the exhaust note.
Revving the car really makes the Supersprint exhaust really sing now. Man it sounds awesome. THIS is the way it should sound. I LOVE IT!!!
Drive
On my way to work, this thing definately has more response. At about 2500rpm, the exhaust note changes and it get's that angry growling howl I mentioned above.
When you give it throttle it has an explosive characteristic to the exhaust that it never had before. I think this is in part to the increased responsiveness that I mentioned. When you floor it anywhere above 3500rpm, the exhaust just wails and the tone explodes into the growl/howl exhaust note.
When I mean explode, I mean the exhaust note just blasts out of the exhaust whereas before it would kind of roll out.
Don't know if it is because it was so cold this morning or because there is more responsiveness/power, but when I floored the throttle on the highway I had nice squirm in the rear end! (traction control off) Nah, probably because it was so cold!!