Hello

Just how difficult is it to replace the downpipe on a MY00?
I've done most things in terms of car maintenance and mods but I keep hearing horror storys about DP fitting. The cars only done 10,000 miles so is it less likely I will have trouble with the studs on the turbo.

Secondly, am I better of cutting the heat sheild to fit or using exhaust wrap down the complete length of the DP.

Thanks
Steve

 

I did my MY99 at the weekend and all went well except that i forgot to remove the metal compositre gasket from the old DP and put it on my new one! Now that's done all is well. It's a great mod!

I had no trouble with the turbo bolts. remove the intercooler to give yourself plenty of room. Remove the heat shield (7 bolts 10 mm) then spray the five turbo bolts (14 mm) with plus gas (or WD40) and leave while you cut the heat shield, have lunch etc...

When i tried them after an hour or so they all came off quite easily. I used a 14 mm racket spanner which speeds-up removal but wasn't essential.

I wouldn't hesitate to do it again but then perhaps i was lucky with the bolts.

Cheers, Jon

 

Main tips would be:

get 10 and 14mm ratchet ring spanners, will save much hassle.

You will probably have to get under the car to remove some of the heatshield bolts (do on 96) so just get on with it.

apply plenty of wd40 to turbo bolts as soon as heatshield is off, give it 10minutes to work into threads, while you undo the exhaust flange bolts and so on, but leave bolted to chassis until turbo bolts undone.

crack open turbo bolts one at time instead of undoing them completely one at a time.

If you have never taken off the induction stuff, intercooler and so on, it might pay you to do a dry run and familiarise yourself with it all before you need to do the job to a tight time scale.

Paul