Yesterday after work, I got in my car to go home. I back into a parking spot and it's right up against the wall, so the exhaust typically sounds a little louder. Yesterday it was abnormally loud.

As soon as I took off I could feel the resonance in the floor, I had an exhaust leak of some kind. No big deal, I decided to drive the 15 miles home and check it out there. At about 2K RPM, it was loud.

When I got home the first thing I saw was the driver's side tailpipes hanging about four inches too low, dislodged from their position. I jacked it up and found a broken weld!

The Corsas go over the axle and then connect to a flange where the 'H' is. The receiving welded flange on the GM OEM pipe simply broke. It was still bolted together, the weld just snapped. The left exhaust was supported by the stabilizer bar and the rubber hanger in the rear, that's it.

When I had my X-pipe installed, the installers were supposed to cut out the 'H' pipe, but didn't and installed it just before the 'H' pipe, so I have both. Had it been installed correctly, I could get away with a Corsa X-pipe as a replacement. Since it was installed wrong, my options are to have the flange welded back on or replace the entire cat/pipe system, which is nowhere near cheap. In fact it would cost more than the Corsa system.

Needless to say, I'm having the flange welded back into place. Nate at Xtreme (forum vendor) is local and he's taking care of me.

By the way, my GMPP extended warranty expired about 500 miles ago. :cry

 

:cuss

 

but of course :boxing

 

That sucks.

 

When I had my X-pipe installed, the installers were supposed to cut out the 'H' pipe, but didn't and installed it just before the 'H' pipe, so I have both


You let them get away with doing a half arsed job in the first place? :confused: WHY?!?!?!?!?!?!?

No wonder the exhaust fell apart. Now you have to pay for their mistake. :nonod: You should never have allowed that to happen.

 

I didn't know at the time. I'm also not the only one who has had it done this way. It's arguable whether it's 'correct'.

 

It as if the warranty has a mind of its own...

 

Well that sucks.

I installed a big azz Magnaflow x pipe.

No more factory pipe left...(a little maybe ;))

 

This happened to me on my '99 coupe. Luckily it was spotted before the flange became completely separated from the pipe.

 

I would be :mad as hell! :boxing :boxing

 

No kidding! The OEM pipe?! Did GM cover it?

 

:eek:

good luck with a successful fix!!

 

Look what I found: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zero...=315620&page=1

 

Never fails when the warranty runs out things start wearing out or falling off. :(

 

Where did you get those crappy Corsa's? I hope you didn't pay much for em. ;-)

I would assume that Nate has some pipes for you. If not, let me know. I've still got my original cats if you're interested. :cheers:

Oh yeah, sorry I missed your call last night. I didn't notice the voice mail until it was too late to call ya back.

Jim


[Modified by EvilDeed, 5:00 PM 8/20/2002]

 

No, we caught it when I noticed my PRT tips were slightly crooked. I ended up just taking it to the shop that Corvettes of Houston recommended and getting it re-welded.

 

No worries...come pick up your ride tomorrow! :D

Nate

 

Let me see if I understand your post. Are you saying that it is "arguably" correct to install an "X" pipe in conjunction with the stock "H" pipe and run both????? When my Corsa "X" pipe was installed, my factory "H" pipe was removed. I believe that this is the correct installation and that this is what the instructions that came with it directed. Is this correct or not? I fail to see the logic, practicality, or purpose of retaining the restrictive stock "H" pipe along with new, freer flowing Corsa "X" pipe!

 

I can't argue the exhaust flow dynamics and pros/cons of eliminating the H pipe; I'm not that well versed on it. However, I DO know that there are others that have had installs like mine; Batmobile for one. Armed with this knowledge, I'd say there are at least two installers out there that would argue the 'correct' method of installation. Mind you, I'm not defending the installation method.

I lean toward the removal of the H pipe based on information here, however it is not always removed. Mine wasn't.

 

if you leave the H what is the purpose of the X?