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Corsa Double Helix X-Pipe Installation-Thoughts and Opinion
So here we go again posting where we probably shouldn't be in tackling something originally thought to be difficult, only to realize that it really wasn't. Changing to a Corsa X-Pipe is very easy and enjoyable.
I thought this thread might be valuable as the task appeared to be rather complex where it wasn't and, if I believed this, there are probably others in exactly the same spot with the Corsa acting as a Christmas ornament in their garage. Just for the sake of brevity, I tackled this with very few tools once Z06 was secured to a level that I was comfortable with. It was an 'on the back' job and I didn't have much breathing room on the creeper so I scrapped that, the car balancing on 4 x 3 ton jack stands front and back, as well as two hydraulic jacks on either side. Just a quick point of interest in that, if you are supporting the car on 4 jack stands, remember that your garage floor slopes ever so slightly and things can get a bit nerve racking if you balance too high on just these.
Once under the car, the first job is to loosen the base plate (or undershield) by removing twenty 13mm bolts and two larger 18mm bolts. There are plenty of videos showing how to do this, however, I didn't find any that explained that two of center bolts were secured in base plate holes that allowed for the plate to simply be slid forward and off once loosened; these two 13mm bolts actually remain loose and on the car. This prevents the plate from falling once the last bolt is removed if being removed by one person, and also enables simple reassembly by sliding the plate back over these bolts on reinstallation.
My second scare (first being balancing on 4 jack stands) appeared when I examined the rear connections of the factory x-pipe and observed what looked like an exhaust leak that I initially thought was oil. It was not, only a combination of soot and moisture from the pipes.
After getting your first good look at the factory x-pipe, remove the two 13mm bolts securing the hangar grommet and set them to the side; the x-pipe will fall slightly and hang, but nothing to worry about as both ends are still secure.
Next, remove the two 15mm clamp bolts at the rear and 4 15mm flange bolts to the front being careful as the front will drop loose slightly. Simply separate the front and move the x-pipe up and down a few times, the rear housing easily slipping out of place. Remove and place the factory x-pipe to the side.
Removing the grommet from its post is said to be the most difficult task of this operation, remembering to replace the grommet the same way it was removed is more difficult though. This is why I supplied the picture of it on the x-pipe. There are grommet pullers and, in all videos it seems a bit scary, but actually, it is very simple. The grommet is soft rubber. Steal your wifes bottle of dish soap and lubricate the metal pins, moving the grommet back and forth. from there, use a screwdriver behind the grommet to pry forward and slide off. It can actually probably be done by hand if you are strong enough without damage.
Next up, carefully use a flat-head screwdriver to get in behind and remove the two donut gaskets. I found it best to just place the head behind the gasket and twist to push it out of place.
Install both the grommet and donut gaskets onto the new Corsa X-Pipe and slide it into place. It is best to use a flat piece of wood to knock each gasket flat and onto the pipe as they can be rather fragile if you try to hit them directly in any way. We found that lifting it and placing a jack stand under the new X-pipe at the center was ideal for installation of the new hardware. To the left in this picture, one can actually see one of the two bolts left in and the shape of the plate opening where it slides onto and off that bolt.
Next, ensuring the new included clamps are in place on the rear of the Corsa, slide the rear of the x-pipe over the axle pipes and all will line up nicely with the stand in place. We then screwed in the two grommet bolts loosely, followed by tightening both clamp bolts (45 ftlbs) and then the 4 bolts to the front (31 ftlbs). When tightening the 4 flange bolts, gradually tighten each equally to ensure a proper fit and proper seating of the Corsa. Now, tighten the two the grommet bolts.
Last but not least, slide the base plate over the two screws so it sits nicely and tighten these twobolts. Screw in and tighten the 24 base plate screws to factory specs and lower the car, remembering of course that the last part to be lowered is the side as lowering the front will drop the car on top of the hydraulic jack, making it impossible to remove (learned the hard way).
This is a bit of a video of the end result....both in Touring and Sport mode.
In the end, actual installation of the Corsa X-pipe took an hour. It was a very simple upgrade, the most difficult job being supporting the car safely prior to replacement of the pipe. In my opinion, the new Corsa pipe provides much more of a throaty and accentuated sound. It is also very noticeable in Touring/Eco mode when one goes to accelerate suddenly where it wakes anything within miles around.
Last but not least, having just installed the aFe Momentum HD, our Z06 has a very unique blend of supercharger whine, followed by the Corsa on take off.
Good job man see it wasnt that hard,good directions forsure.Besides the gromet the donut gaskets are the part i ran into as a issue but ya screwing it evenly just alittle at a time is the best/only way.
Last edited by Arctic Blastoff; 12-25-2015 at 01:43 AM.
Great pics and write up. I have seen and listened to a few videos of the sound which is kind of hard to tell, In your opinion listening Live is there a big difference in sound? also any HP improvements or just a better sound? Thank you so much for putting this together for us members who are/were on the fence about installing this. Great Job.
The wife will say there is no difference but the sound now is very throaty and very pronounced. The neighbors all seemed very appreciative of my effort. Before it seemed almost...muffled. I wish I had done a video of the before and after but thought that there were plenty of these already out there. My main reasoning for adding the aFe and the Corsa were better airflow in and out, as dumb as that may sound.
The wife will say there is no difference but the sound now is very throaty and very pronounced. Before it seemed almost...muffled. I wish I had done the before. maybe i will try to dig up an old video with the before. My main reasoning for adding the aFe and the Corsa were better airflow in and out, as dumb as that may sound.
Well I added the Halltech, so I was also thinking I need to help get the air out..lol.
The cold startup on mine was insanely loud,i have to put it on stealth when i pull in that way it doesnt fire up like Nascar before leaving work in the morning.
Arctic Blastoff - Cold Start...get it? I do my neighbors the favor of throwing it into Touring and crawling down the street when leaving and returning.
Arctic Blastoff - Cold Start...get it? I do my neighbors the favor of throwing it into Touring and crawling down the street when leaving and returning.
OP are you running the stock exhaust prior to the Corsa install? I've been told that the Z has a 2.75" exhaust and the Corsa X pipe is 3". How did you make the transition with the 2 different sizes?
OP are you running the stock exhaust prior to the Corsa install? I've been told that the Z has a 2.75" exhaust and the Corsa X pipe is 3". How did you make the transition with the 2 different sizes?
I will have to rely on anyone else with a bit more expertise here. I never noticed any difference in size whatsoever between the front or rear connection and it was a perfect fit. If there was any difference whatsoever in the front, the donut gaskets would have made this obvious but they fit like a glove. Similarly, when connecting to the axle pipes, it seemed like a perfect fit....the pictures are pretty clear. I actually used a match to ensure there was no exhaust leakage when I was done.
I could have missed something but watched numerous videos and this is the first I had heard of this... I'de be very interested in someone else chiming in if I did something wrong....just an avid DIYr you know.
Followup.... Ok so I can confirm the front is an exact match and may understand what you are speaking of in connecting to the axle pipe at the rear. If you look at the 4th and 5th photos above, you will see that the rear of the original x-pipe flares out when connecting to the axle pipe, leading me to understand what you mean when you say the original pipe is actually only 2.75". On the new pipe as shown here, it is a straight connection and that flare is not there. I found it to be a perfect fit as I slid both sides in; it had no play whatsoever and became snug once seated.
Having said this, if I am wrong... I am very interested in hearing from the experts in the crowd.
12-25-2015, 12:47 AM
Corsa Double Helix X-Pipe Installation-Thoughts and Opinion
